Football Leagues/ Association and Governance
Atletico Madrid will play their Champions League home game against Liverpool at a neutral venue as punishment for recent incidences of racist abuse and crowd trouble, the game's European authority has ruled.
In addition to a £120,000 fine, Uefa has stated that the Spanish club will have to play at a venue at least 300 kilometres outside Madrid when the two sides clash next Wednesday, following the crowd trouble seen at the recent game against Marseilles.
Furthermore, after being found guilty of insulting the French team's players, Atletico coach Javier Aguirre has been banned from his side's next two Champions League fixtures, while Uefa has also warned that a further one-match ban could be invoked if any similar instance of racist abuse by supporters is seen within the next five years.
William Gaillard, a spokesman for Uefa, explained the reasoning behind such a tough stance.
"We think sanctions like the ones we have taken are conducive to making it possible for clubs and national teams to play in Madrid without this kind of threat of racist behaviour," he said.
The ruling comes just a day after the English FA stated that it will not play a friendly against Spain in Madrid after the racist abuse leveled against the visitors in 2004.
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21 October 2010
21 October 2010
21 October 2010
20 October 2010
20 October 2010
