Madrid, March 6 (NationPress) The prestigious football club Real Madrid has been penalized €15,000 by UEFA and cautioned about a potential partial closure of their stadium following an incident where a fan was recorded seemingly making a Nazi salute during their UEFA Champions League match against Benfica at the Santiago Bernabeu last month.

The incident reportedly took place just before the match commenced. Real Madrid confirmed that the individual was identified by stadium security and was promptly removed from the premises. The club vehemently condemned the act and reaffirmed its dedication to fostering a respectful and inclusive atmosphere within the stadium.

After an inquiry, UEFA’s disciplinary committee imposed a fine of €15,000 (approximately £13,000) on the Spanish team.

Additionally, Real Madrid has been instructed to restrict access to 500 seats in the lower south stand for their next home European encounter. However, this closure has been suspended for a probationary duration of one year, meaning the penalty will only take effect if a similar incident arises again in that time frame.

The game was already burdened with tension after Vinicius Junior, a forward for Real Madrid, claimed he faced racial abuse from Benfica’s Argentine midfielder Gianluca Prestianni during the first leg of the matchup.

Prestianni did not participate in the return leg as he received a provisional one-match ban, and further disciplinary measures could ensue based on the findings of the ongoing investigation.

Benfica's head coach, Jose Mourinho, initially received backlash for remarks regarding Vinicius' goal celebration while addressing the allegations. However, the Portuguese manager later clarified his viewpoint, expressing that he is 'completely, utterly opposed to any kind of discrimination or prejudice.'

He emphasized that if any of his players were found guilty of breaching these principles, their future at the club would be jeopardized.

On the field, Real Madrid advanced to the Champions League round of 16 after triumphing 2-1 in the second leg at the Bernabeu, concluding with a 3-1 aggregate score. Vinicius netted the decisive goal in the return match.

The Spanish club has been demonstrating strong performance recently across various competitions, maintaining their challenge in the La Liga title race while also progressing in Europe. Madrid is now set to confront Manchester City in the round of 16 in what is anticipated to be one of the highlight matchups of the tournament.