NYON, Switzerland (AP):

RODRI AND Alvaro Morata were banned yesterday for Spain’s first match as the new European champions after singing about a sovereignty claim on Gibraltar at the title celebration last month.

Morata and Rodri led thousands of fans singing “Gibraltar is Spanish” in Madrid, a day after the 2-1 win over England in the European Championship final.

UEFA’s disciplinary panel punished the two players with a one-match ban – to be served in the game against Serbia in the Nations League on September 5 – for, among other charges, “using sporting events for manifestations of a non-sporting nature and for bringing the sport of football, and UEFA in particular, into disrepute”.

Gibraltar, which is on the southern tip of Spain, has been a British overseas territory for more than 300 years.

The Gibraltar football federation filed a formal complaint to UEFA after the chants by Rodri and Morata.

Rodri is a central midfielder for Manchester City and was named player of the tournament at Euro 2024. Morata was Spain’s captain for the tournament and recently completed a move from Atletico Madrid to AC Milan.