Marseille hit with suspended European ban for crowd trouble

LONDON (Reuters) - Olympique de Marseille have been handed a suspended one-year ban from European competition by UEFA due to the behaviour of their fans, European soccer’s governing body said on Wednesday.

UEFA said in a statement on their website disciplinary that Marseille’s ban was deferred for a probationary period of two years.

Last season’s Europa League runners-up have also been ordered to play their next European home match behind closed doors and have been fined 100,000 euros ($117,290).

They will also have to close sections of their Stade Velodrome stadium for their following European home match.

UEFA charged Marseille with several offences including crowd disturbances, acts of damages, setting off of fireworks, throwing of objects and late kick-off.

The offences took place in Europa League fixtures last season against RB Leipzig, Salzburg, home and away, and in the final against Atletico Madrid.

The French club, who finished fourth in Ligue 1 last season to qualify for the Europa League again, were also ordered to contact Olympique Lyonnais, whose stadium hosted last season’s final, in order to pay for the damage caused by their fans.

UEFA also fined Liverpool 8,000 euros for setting off fireworks, the throwing of objects, and crowd disturbances in their Champions League semi-final home leg against AS Roma.

($1 = 0.8526 euros)