Barcelona have provisionally suspended two socios (club members) and banned a third non-socio supporter from buying tickets for matches following alleged “racist behaviour” during the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain.
It comes after Barcelona were fined €25,000 (£21,400) and handed a suspended one-match ban on selling tickets to away fans for UEFA competitions for the behaviour in Paris.
Barcelona won the first leg of the quarter-final tie 3-2 in Paris but were eliminated from the competition following a 4-1 defeat in the return leg at Montjuic the following week.
Following the quarter-final, the UEFA appeals body fined Barcelona on three separate counts of supporter conduct during the first leg in France; €25,000 for “racist behaviour”, €2,000 for the lighting of fireworks and €5,000 for acts of damage.
On Friday, a statement from Barcelona read: “The three investigated fans were arrested at the end of the match accused of making Nazi salutes as well as uttering racist insults.”
The club confirmed the provisional suspensions and bans will be “immediate” with an internal investigation taking place, which could last “up to three months”.
Barcelona added: “Both the two suspended members and the accused supporters club member may present their corresponding defences to the club’s disciplinary bodies.”
Alongside the fine for “racist behaviour”, UEFA have placed a suspended one-match ban on the club selling tickets to away fans for matches in European competitions for a probationary period of one year, starting from April 18.
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, appear to have escaped punishment from UEFA over abusive chants about Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior.
A disciplinary circular issued by UEFA on Thursday made no reference to the chants, which occurred ahead of Atletico’s last-16 tie against Inter and Barcelona’s return quarter-final leg against PSG.
Videos of the chants were widely circulated by local media and while they took place outside the club’s stadiums. It is understood that UEFA will not have the jurisdiction to press any charges due to the incidents taking place outside the stadium and not in the stands.
The Athletic has contacted UEFA for comment.
(Antonio Borga/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
