Soccer

Sergio Ramos suspended for receiving yellow card on purpose

Chelsea avoid Uefa punishment for ‘antisemitic’ chants, no explanation given

Real Madrid and Spanish defender Sergio Ramos during his team’s defeat to Catalan club Barcelona on Wednesday night. Photograph: Juan Medina/Reuters

Thu Feb 28 2019 - 18:36

Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos has been suspended for an extra European match after Uefa found him guilty of "clearly receiving a yellow card on purpose".

Ramos had denied he collected a caution at Ajax so he could serve a ban in the return leg of the last-16 tie, in which his team hold a 2-1 lead, and start with a clean disciplinary slate in any quarter-final. He must serve a two-game suspension. The ban includes the automatic one-match suspension for repeated yellow cards.

Meanwhile, Chelsea will not face punishment for what the club themselves described as antisemitic chanting by their fans at a Europa League game in Hungary after Uefa closed the disciplinary proceedings.

There was no explanation from European football’s governing body, which had charged Chelsea with racist behaviour by supporters at December’s match against Vidi, but it is believed it reached the decision because it could not gather enough evidence.

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After the Europa League game Chelsea publicly condemned a small section of their travelling support for an anti-Tottenham Hotspur chant which referenced “Yids”. They said the chant “shamed the club” and questioned “the brainpower” of those responsible.

Chelsea faced a partial closure of Stamford Bridge in European competition if found guilty. A Uefa statement said: “The CEDB [control, ethics and disciplinary body] has decided to close the disciplinary proceedings against Chelsea FC.”

Uefa has also fined Manchester United €16,000 (£13,700) over the throwing of objects and blocked stairways in the Champions League game at home to Paris Saint-Germain. The French club have been fined €41,000 for their fans' behaviour at Old Trafford and ordered to compensate United for damage caused to the segregation net and seats.

Guardian services

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