FC Barcelona is facing a scandal right now, that dates back to their last Champions League match. The club struggled then on the pitch and now off it, as two of the most important players were sanctioned.
This decision came out today and was made by UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) after its meeting on July 31, 2025, where they issued several sanctions to Barça from their match played against Inter Milan.
Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal were fined €5,000 each for failing to arrive on time at the post-match doping control. UEFA said the fines were based on breaches of articles 21.8 and 21.10(a) which state players are to present themselves to the doping control area "immediately" after the conclusion of a match.
The fines are serious but it's important to note that they are only based on proceduralbreaches, so no evidence or suspicion of doping substances was found. It's simply that UEFA has enforced its anti-doping protocols with little tolerance and shown the importance of being fully cooperative.
There's more for FC Barcelona. Hansi Flick and Marcus Sorg, the head coach and assistant respectively, have been fined €20,000 each and suspended for one UEFA match for misconduct on the sidelines during the same match.
General conduct regulation, unsportsmanlike behavior and criticism of referees publicly were cited by UEFA.
Also, the club itself has been fined for projectiles tossed on the pitch resulting in a €5,250 fine and fireworks inside the stadium within received a €2,500 fine.
As a result, Barça will have to face the next Champions League match without Flick and Sorg on the bench which could affect the team's tactics and sideline management.
Meanwhile the fines for Lewandowski and Yamal, again, are procedural and neither of them tested positive nor were accused of doping. This is a reminder that UEFA has zero tolerance for any breaches related to doping control and match conduct to ensure the integrity and fairness of European football competitions.
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