The Spanish Federation’s Committee of the Competition has ruled that Sevilla FC must close sectors N11 and N12, corresponding to the north stand behind the goal, for the upcoming home game against Celta Vigo.
The decision, as reported by Estadio Deportivo, is aimed to punish the club’s ultras for their insults towards Sergio Ramos in the Copa del Rey round of 16 match on the 12 January 2017.
In the particular game cited, the fans at the Sánchez Pizjuán harassed Ramos, who left the Andalusian side for Real Madrid in 2005, throughout the match. The tense closing minutes saw Los Blancos‘ captain pick up the ball to take a penalty with the score at 2-2 and delivered a humiliating panenka penalty, which he celebrated by riling up the crowd in the north stand with arm waving and hands cupped behind the ears. The stadium replied with chants of “die, Ramos, die” as well as various insults against his mother.
Sevilla tried every resource possible to prevent the punishment, going as far as to appeal to the federation’s Supreme Tribunal.
In response to the sanction, Sevilla’s ultras have released a statement via Twitter in which they allege hypocrisy on behalf of the Football Federation.
Nicolás Antúnez de Mayolo | GSFN
