Athletic Club have been hit with a fine for their fans' anti-Barcelona chants at San Mames during their final game of the 2024-25 season.
RFEF fines Athletic €9,000 for offensive chantsBilbao fans' reaction deemed 'expressions of hatred'Barca won that game 3-0Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Athletic Club have been slapped with a €9,000 (£7,600/$9,800) fine by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) after a series of offensive chants were directed at Barcelona during their final 2024-25 league game at San Mames. The home crowd repeatedly chanted 'Puta Barca,' which translates to 'F*ck Barca' in English, during the visitors’ 3-0 win last season.
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The RFEF’s Disciplinary Committee ruled that the chants 'transcended the scope of criticism or sporting rivalry' and instead fell under 'expressions of hatred that incite violence.' In their statement, the committee emphasised that repeated derogatory phrases targeting Barcelona were not merely banter, but an 'outright rejection of certain groups.'
This latest fine adds to a growing list of disciplinary issues for the Basque outfit. Earlier this year, UEFA handed Athletic Club a €50,000 fine following crowd trouble during their Europa League semi-final clash against Manchester United. They were also sanctioned €30,000 for disturbances during a game against Roma last year.
WHAT ATHLETIC CLUB SAID
Athletic Club released an official statement on Wednesday, stating: "The Disciplinary Committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has issued Athletic Club with a new €9,000 fine for the repeated insulting chants heard during the Athletic Club vs. FC Barcelona match on the final matchday of the 2024/25 LaLiga season.
"According to the criteria adopted by the Appeals Committee and the CAS, chants such as "Puta Barca" should be considered "expressions of hatred that incite violence. These are not simply expressions of disapproval or displeasure, but expressions that, due to their literal meaning and semantic weight, transcend the scope of criticism or sporting rivalry to enter the realm of incitement to violence and outright rejection of certain groups."
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR ATHLETIC CLUB?
Athletic Club are gearing up for a big season ahead, with three games against Barcelona already locked in, including a Super Cup semi-final in Saudi Arabia. They suffered back-to-back losses to Liverpool in pre-season friendlies on Monday, which shows there are still work to be done before the new campaign kicks off. The club's move for Aymeric Laporte hit a setback after the defender picked up a hamstring injury, and now they are looking at free agent Cesar Azpilicueta as a possible backup.
