UEFA punishes Legia with empty stadium for Real Madrid visit

Posted September 29, 2016 7:00 am

The Associated Press

NYON, Switzerland (AP) - Legia Warsaw must play Real Madrid in an empty stadium as punishment for fan violence and racist behavior at a Champions League match.

UEFA said Thursday its disciplinary panel ordered the sanction to apply when Madrid visits the Polish Army Stadium on Nov. 2. Legia was also fined 80,000 euros ($90,000).

UEFA charged Legia over incidents during a 6-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund two weeks ago. It was the Polish champion's first home game in the group stage of the Champions League in 20 years.

Fans clashed with stadium security staff, threw objects and lit fireworks, and discrimination monitors reported anti-Semitic abuse.

Legia lost 2-0 at Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday and is in last place in Group F. It next plays at Madrid on Oct. 18.

UEFA's severe sanction is the latest in a series of disciplinary cases involving Legia in recent seasons. The club has previously been punished for offensive banners, including one in Arabic script displayed before a match against an Israeli opponent and one mocking UEFA as a pig hungry for money.

Before the Dortmund game two weeks ago, Legia fans unfurled a giant banner of a masked figure picking the club's name from a draw pot with the slogan in English: "Guess Who's Back?"

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