UEFA hands Aston Villa suspended away ticket ban
Aston Villa faces a suspended ban on selling away tickets for a European fixture following fan misconduct at the Europa League final.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Author: Dagur Brynjólfsson from Hafnarfjordur, Iceland
Aston Villa has been sanctioned by UEFA following a disciplinary case regarding the behaviour of their supporters at the Europa League final in Istanbul. The club was charged over the display of an offensive and derogatory banner during their 3-0 victory against Freiburg.
As a result, UEFA has fined the club €10,000 and issued a suspended ban on selling tickets to away supporters for a future European fixture. This punishment is subject to a two-year probationary period, which began on Wednesday, the date of the official decision.
Should there be a recurrence of discriminatory behaviour by the club's fans during this period, the ban can be triggered, preventing the club from selling tickets for an away match. The incident occurred during the same tournament in which the club secured the trophy, capping off a successful campaign.
Despite this disciplinary action, Aston Villa is preparing for a return to the Champions League next season. The club qualified for the elite competition by finishing fourth in the Premier League, in addition to their success in the Europa League.