UEFA may impose serious sanctions on both England and Spain Under-21 teams after a post-match brawl, according to former PGMOL head and ex-FIFA referee Keith Hackett.
In an exclusive interview with Football Insider, Hackett expressed concern over the players’ conduct during the Euro U21 tournament in Slovakia. The altercation occurred following England’s 3-1 quarter-final win on Saturday, 21 June, with goals from James McAtee, Harvey Elliott—who may leave Liverpool—and Elliot Anderson.
Tensions flared at the final whistle, leading to a fight between players from both sides. Spain’s Rafa Marin received a red card for grabbing Elliott by the neck, while McAtee was also penalised for his involvement, though he only received a yellow card, as reported by the Express.
The incident marred an otherwise impressive performance by Lee Carsley’s team, who now face the Netherlands in the semi-finals on Wednesday, 25 June.
Disciplinary issues have been mounting in Slovakia, with eight red cards and over 100 yellow cards already shown—significantly more than in last year’s senior tournament, which saw just five reds.
Hackett expects UEFA to respond swiftly and firmly. He explained that UEFA has a dedicated panel on-site to review such incidents, and given the nature of the clash, punishments could range from fines to suspensions.
“UEFA will study the footage carefully to identify the main instigators,” he said. “They usually act quickly in tournament settings. At a minimum, fines are likely—but players guilty of more serious conduct can expect harsher penalties.”
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