The fine against Barcelona and 3 other absurd fines

In a statement, the committee said that the Blaugrana team had only committed a “slight violation” of article 126 of the disciplinary code during the negotiations, as Marca explains.

The irregularity was denounced by Atlético de Madrid, who accused Barcelona of conducting negotiations directly with the player and without respecting the stipulated times since they announce that Barca had approached the player since March and would not have waited until July, time where the summer market opens.

In this way, they had avoided paying 80 million euros more than they actually paid for the player, since the French had a clause of release of 200 million euros. The agreement between both teams was given for 120 million euros and was announced on May 14, six weeks before the summer market began.

Despite the above, the committee, although it stated that Barca had acted badly, decided that there was insufficient evidence to prove the accusations and that the fine of 300 euros was more symbolic.

A relatively insignificant amount compared to the 600,000 Swiss francs that Chelsea had to pay for the irregularities of the transfer with players under 18; or for the same reason, Manchester City having to pay 315,000 pounds.

But what other absurd fines have happened in football?

Not getting your underwear approved

This is the case of the Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner, who in the Euro 2012 match between Denmark and Portugal, and scoring a goal, decided to show part of his underwear. 

You will think that UEFA's decision was correct if it were a case of exhibitionism, but “Lord Bendtner”, as he is nicknamed in social networks, was fined with a suspension of a game and an economic penalty of around 110,000 euros for wearing the wrong underwear brand, not because of the celebration itself.

Read also: The greatest goals in the history of football

Tell people not to be racist

The controversial Italian soccer player Mario Balotelli can be as eccentric as you want, but he has also had to endure racist songs that are still heard in the fields nowadays. Well, in 2014 he uploaded a photo to Instagram where he asked people not to be racist.

The photo became so viral that the striker had no choice but to eliminate the publication and defend himself on Twitter. However, it was not enough and he ended up being fined with the suspension of a match and an economic penalty of 36,000 euros.

For using the referee's bathroom

As Soccity tells it, the former Leicester City striker, Robbie Savage, had to use the referee's bathroom without his permission when he had stomach ache. The same media reports that the player was taking some medications and that he needed to go to the bathroom. However, when reviewing the bathrooms in the locker room and even those in the physiotherapy room, he did not see any unoccupied.

That was when he thought about entering the referee's quarters, it was the only bathroom and he really needed to go. He entered and when leaving, the referee, who throughout the game was laughing at the situation, realized what happened. At the end of the laughs, Savage was notified with a fine of 11,000 euros for entering the room, and the bathroom, of the referee.