UEFA fines Juventus and Eintracht Frankfurt over ‘racist behaviour’ at Champions League games

UEFA has fined Juventus and Eintracht Frankfurt after charging both clubs with racist or discriminatory behaviour following Champions League matches earlier this month.

Juventus’ charge comes following the 2-1 defeat in their Champions League opener at Paris Saint-Germain on September 6, after which social media footage appeared to show visiting fans making discriminatory gestures.

The Bianconeri have now been hit with a €15,000 fine and have seen a partial stadium closure suspended for one year.

Eintracht, meanwhile, were issued with several charges after crowd trouble marred their Champions League trip to Marseille the following week.

The Bundesliga outfit released a strong statement distancing themselves from an individual who appeared to give a Nazi salute at the State Velodrome, but were charged with racist behaviour and three other offences.

Eintracht have been fined a total of €45,000 by UEFA, as well as receiving the same suspended punishments as Juventus. 

Marseille, who were charged with the throwing of objects, lighting of fireworks, use of laser pointers, crowd disturbances and blocking of public passageways after the same match, have been ordered to play their next home Champions League game behind closed doors.

The French outfit had already been handed a suspended stadium closure in June, meaning their next European home game – against Sporting CP on October 12 – will take place without supporters present.

Marseille must also close the Virage Nord stand at the Stade Velodrome for their game against Tottenham on November 1.

Ligue 1 rivals Nice have been ordered to play a Europa Conference League match behind closed doors after being charged over incidents at each of their two matches in the competition this season.

After crowd trouble marred the team’s draw with Koln earlier this month, Nice’s furious president Jean-Pierre Rivere said: “We’ve had enough of this. 

“I’m not in the habit of leaving a ship when things are rocking. But when you see that, you inevitably say to yourself: ‘What am I doing here?’.”