Marseille to play Europa League game behind closed doors

Olympique de Marseille fans set off flares during last season's UEFA Europa Cup final against Atletico Madrid at the Groupama Stadium in Lyon. Photo: REUTERS/Vincent Kessler

Olympique de Marseille fans set off flares during last season's UEFA Europa Cup final against Atletico Madrid at the Groupama Stadium in Lyon. Photo: REUTERS/Vincent Kessler

Published Sep 11, 2018

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BERLIN, Germany - Olympique Marseille have been ordered to play their Europa League match against Eintracht Frankfurt next week behind closed doors following incidents in several matches last season including the Europa League final in Lyon.

The French club has to play two matches behind closed doors but the second closure is subject to a two-year probationary period, UEFA said Monday. The ruling is among several sanctions on Marseille by the appeals body of European football's governing body, partially upholding sanctions passed in July.

Marseille are playing Bundesliga club Frankfurt at home in a Europa League group-stage match on Thursday September 20. The club must also partially close its stadium for the subsequent two UEFA matches - against Lazio and Apollon Limassol of Cyprus - with two more partial closures subject to a probationary period. The closures relate to the northern and southern stands.

In addition it has been fined 100,000 euros (116,000 dollars) and told to contact Olympique Lyon within 30 daysto pay for damage caused by its supporters at the Europa League final against Atletico Madrid in Lyon on May 16.

The rulings follow an appeal lodged by Marseille against a suspended one-year ban from European competition handed down among other sanctions by the UEFA control, ethics and disciplinary body on July 19.

Disciplinary proceedings were launched after crowd incidents at matches against RB Leipzig on April 12, Salzburg on April 26 and May 3, and against Atletico in Lyon. The proceedings followed crowd disturbances, acts of damage, the setting off of fireworks, throwing of objects and a late kick-off, UEFA said.

Ain't no party like a @FIFAWorldCup champion party ⭐🏆⭐

Go crazy Steve Mandanda, Adil Rami & Florian Thauvin! You deserve it along with the rest of Équipe de France de Football. pic.twitter.com/vFyaxC8y2B

— Olympique Marseille (@OM_English) September 10, 2018

DPA

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