Athletic Club has been handed a €9,000 fine by Spain’s Royal Football Federation (RFEF) after its supporters were heard chanting “Puta Barça” during their final league match of the 2024–25 season.
The RFEF deemed these chants as hate speech that incite violence, not merely expressions of sporting rivalry.(Diario AS)
This isn’t Athletic’s first disciplinary brush with controversy this year. Earlier, UEFA fined them €50,000 for misconduct during their Europa League semi-final with Manchester United.
Athletic’s supporters have also cost them close to €110,000 in total fines, thanks to repeat offenses—like offensive chants before Roma games and during past European matches.(Diario AS)
The federation’s disciplinary panel, along with appeals bodies and sports courts, emphasized that chants like “Puta Barça” cross the line: they go beyond rivalry, entering the realm of hate speech and aggression.(Morocco World News)
ℹ️ Información del Athletic Club en relación con cánticos objeto de multa por parte del Comité de Disciplina de la RFEF. #AthleticClub 🦁
— Athletic Club (@AthleticClub) August 6, 2025
In a statement responding to the incident, Athletic Club underlined that its fans must uphold respect at all times, as further damage to the club’s reputation—or worse, a ban on away ticket sales—could follow if these behaviors persist.
