Accused of inaction, UEFA imposed several sanctions against the Belgian club Anderlecht after the violent excesses of its supporters during the Europa League match in the Real Sociedad stadium (1-2) last week.
UEFA took action after the violent slip-ups of Anderlecht supporters during their trip to Real Sociedad (1-2) on October 3 in the Europa League. Some fans had destroyed a protective window in their parking lot before throwing torn seats at the Basque supporters located below. The meeting was briefly interrupted.
This Friday, the Belgian club unveils several sanctions taken against the club and its supporters by the European confederation. Belgian fans will be banned from traveling for their team’s next three European matches (against Rigas FS, Slavia Prague and Viktoria Plzen) (one by revocation of a reprieve and two additional). The club will have to pay a fine of 60,000 euros but also reimburse the damage caused to Real Sociedad.
The club announces that it has taken several measures itself by banning from its stadium and from travel eight people identified during its excesses. He also banned the Mauves Army ultra group (already sanctioned in Europe) from traveling for the next three matches away from Anderlecht in Belgium. “The club once again reiterates that it will never tolerate this type of behavior and that it will always take the necessary sanctions against those involved,” adds Sporting in a press release.
Inaction criticized
UEFA’s inaction in the face of the actions of Belgian supporters provoked the anger of Mikel Oyarzabal, captain of Real Sociedad, who criticized the decision not to stop the match. “It is not possible that people who come to watch the match have to do so in fear or leave because four idiots are throwing things. UEFA did not take action when it needed to be taken. On the bench, we started to see people in the corner of the family stand raise their arms and run. They (the Belgian fans) had broken the window and were sneaking around to throw things underneath. Everyone knew about this. was happening, we told the field delegate to speak to the president to stop the match, but no one did anything.”
“Today’s message is aimed at UEFA, to make them understand that such things cannot happen, that it harms the image of football today, because they could be the main guilty of not stopping at the moment (…) It is no use that there is a sanction tomorrow and that they are not allowed to attend a football match because the prejudices today. Today touched my fans. You can’t come to a football match to be an asshole and, before that, ticket sales should be controlled by UEFA.”
