European soccer body UEFA has charged Feyenoord Rotterdam with racist behavior by fans who threw an inflatable banana onto the pitch during a tense Europa League last-32 match against AS Roma.
UEFA on Monday also charged Roma winger Adem Ljajic with “provoking spectators” when celebrating the opening goal in Roma’s decisive 2-1 win on Thursday.
Dozens of fans were detained in the Netherlands ahead of the return game following disorder in Rome at the first-leg match.
On Thursday, play was twice briefly stopped by fan incidents including in the first half when the banana was thrown.
COACH UNCONVINCED
Feyenoord coach Fred Rutten suggested after the match that there had been no racism intended.
“There is such a fuss made about it. I don’t see it that way,” Rutten said.
“We have different nationalities in our team,” he added. “It’s nonsense. We make too much of it.”
UEFA said Feyenoord faces sanctions on March 19 for fans’ racist behavior, plus throwing fireworks and objects and the club’s “insufficient organization” in the stadium.
The club was fined 15,000 euros (US$16,800) by UEFA earlier this season for similar incidents.
CASES ACCELERATED
UEFA’s disciplinary panel accelerated the cases against Serbia international Ljajic and Roma, who were late for a kick-off.
The panel is to hear those cases today and should apply sanctions before Roma play ACF Fiorentina in the last-16 round later this month.
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