UEFA fines Legia Warsaw for provocative fan banner

Fans-of-Legia-Warsaw-celebrate-after-their-team-scored-a-goal.-(Czarek-Sokolowski/AP)

Fans of Legia Warsaw celebrate after their team scored a goal. (Czarek Sokolowski/AP)

NYON, Switzerland — Legia Warsaw has been fined 50,000 euros ($60,000) for a fan banner criticizing UEFA.

The Polish champions must also close the north stand of its stadium, where the trademark pre-match displays are made by fans, when it next plays at home in the Champions League or Europa League.

UEFA intervened in response to Legia fans displaying a giant banner of a UEFA badge with a pig and the slogan "And the 35,000 fine goes to…" at a Europa League game this month.

That related to UEFA’s fine for displaying a political banner commemorating the Warsaw Uprising in 1944 before a Champions League qualifying game.

In recent seasons, Legia fans repeatedly provoked UEFA with giant pre-match banners.

Legia also hosted Real Madrid in an empty stadium last season after fan violence.

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