Real Madrid has lost its appeal against the European football governing body, UEFA, in the highest sports tribunal after being fined for homophobic chanting directed at Pep Guardiola during a Champions League match against Manchester City. Judges from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that the chanting "is of a severe discriminatory nature... and is considered much more serious and harmful than acceptable satire and provocation." The detailed rejection was published to explain the dismissal of the appeal by three judges on April 14.

Real Madrid contested a €30,000 fine and a two-year probation period for closing a small section of their stadium during a Champions League match. During the home match against City in February last year, some fans chanted that Guardiola is weak, uses drugs, and could be seen in the gay-friendly areas of Madrid. The court's spokesperson linked this to the suggestion that Guardiola, the former Barcelona coach, is "infected with HIV/AIDS."

The club's lawyers argued that "expressions that are humorous, exaggerated, or directed at influential institutions or public figures" should be analyzed in context, but UEFA's lawyers told CAS that homophobia "has cast a long and deeply troubling shadow" over football. "For decades, sports have been marred by a culture of machismo, exclusion, prejudice, and hostility towards individuals based on their sexual orientation," said UEFA's lawyers in a 38-page summary. "This persistent intolerance has impacted the personal and professional lives of countless players, coaches, and fans, and has led to tragic consequences in the past."