The UEFA disciplinary committee has imposed sanctions on Racing Club de Lens following incidents involving pyrotechnic devices used by their supporters during a Champions League match against Bruges on October 21. The committee has fined Lens €80,000 and banned them from selling tickets to their supporters for their next away European competition match. This decision was announced on Wednesday, as reported by French media outlets.
According to the UEFA disciplinary committee, Lens will be "totally prohibited from selling tickets to their supporters for their next away match in a UEFA competition" due to the use of pyrotechnic devices. Additionally, the club has been handed a suspended ban for two more European away matches, with a two-year probationary period. This recent sanction comes after similar incidents occurred during Lens' European match against Prague on September 10.
On September 10, Lens was fined €15,000 and warned of potential consequences, including the closure of their away fan section, if similar incidents recurred. The current ban is expected to affect Lens' upcoming away match against Leipzig on November 21, as part of the Champions League group stage. Another potential match that may be impacted is the January 27 encounter against Liverpool.
Lens' disciplinary issues have also led to separate measures being taken for their domestic match against Lille on October 30. Due to a prefectural decree, Lens supporters are prohibited from accessing the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, as well as parking and circulating in the surrounding area. The prefecture has designated the match as "high-risk" and taken steps to prevent potential hooliganism.
The prefectural decree justifies the ban on Lens supporters by citing the need to prevent violence and ensure public safety. As a result, Lens had already announced that they would not sell tickets to their supporters for the Lille match. This decision is unrelated to the UEFA disciplinary action but adds to the challenges faced by the club in managing their supporter base.
The UEFA sanctions and domestic restrictions highlight the ongoing issues faced by Lens in controlling their supporters. The club will need to take steps to address these concerns and prevent future incidents to avoid further disciplinary action. The upcoming matches against Leipzig and potentially Liverpool will be closely watched to assess the effectiveness of these measures.
Lens' struggles with supporter discipline have led to significant consequences, both financially and competitively. The club must now focus on implementing strategies to mitigate these risks and ensure compliance with UEFA and domestic regulations. The outcome of these efforts will be crucial in determining the club's success in the remainder of the season.
Key points
- UEFA bans Lens from selling away tickets and fines them €80,000
- Lens to miss away supporters for Champions League match against Leipzig
- Domestic match against Lille also affected by supporter restrictions
