Tebas Greenlights Madrid Punishment and Sends a Message on Barcelona’s Presidential Race
6 March 2026
Javier Tebas, head of La Liga, says the UEFA sanction on Real Madrid is appropriate, noting the league's ongoing efforts to root out racism in Spanish stadiums.
UEFA fined Real Madrid after racist chants from some fans during the match against Benfica, and ordered a partial closure of a section of the Bernabéu and a monetary fine.
UEFA's statement said Real Madrid were fined €15,000 and a partial closure of the south lower stand for the next home match, due to racist and/or discriminatory behavior by fans.
Tebas commented to Marca that the sanction stemmed from a Nazi salute. He admitted not knowing UEFA rules in full, but believed the sanction was appropriate.
He added that closing parts of the stands is the right way to deal with such cases, not only racism but also intolerant chants. He thinks the decision is good.
Barcelona Elections
On his preferred candidate in Barcelona's presidential race, Tebas said that it is up to the members who vote—the candidate with the most votes wins.
Asked about a possible victory by former president Joan Laporta, he said, "If Barcelona members want it, it will be good for me."
Barcelona announced that Laporta and Victor Font are the two candidates remaining, after Marc Serra failed to meet the required number of signatures.
The campaign now runs for a week, and fans will vote on Sunday, March 15.
Punchline: Tebas's take on morals in football is like a referee giving a TED Talk on fair play—great idea, questionable timing.
Punchline 2: If Barcelona's election runs as smoothly as La Liga's fixtures, we'll need a calendar with a snooze button.
