Barcelona's Polish forward #09 Robert Lewandowski celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Barcelona on September 25, 2024. Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP.
Nyon, Switzerland: UEFA banned Barcelona on Friday from selling tickets to fans for its next away game in the Champions League after spectators displayed a banner with Nazi overtones about the team's new German coach.
A black flag with the words "Flick Heil” in reference to coach Hansi Flick was displayed during a 2-1 loss at Monaco last week.
UEFA said the club was charged with "racism and/or other discriminatory conduct,” and the disciplinary sanction will apply on Nov. 6 when Barcelona plays at Red Star Belgrade.
The ticket sales ban activated a probationary sanction UEFA ordered for Barcelona last season. In April, fans made Nazi salutes at Paris Saint-Germain in a Champions League game.
Barcelona acknowledged it has been served "repeated sanctions both domestically and internationally” for misconduct by fans at home and away games.
"The club is set to strengthen current measures and adopt suitable further initiatives to prevent future occurrences and apply sanctions to those responsible,” it said in a statement.
Fans will be refunded the cost of any tickets already bought for the game in Belgrade, the club said.
UEFA said its disciplinary judges also fined Barcelona 10,000 euros ($11,000) and ordered a new probationary sanction for a repeat offense in the next year.
That will activate another ticket sales ban for one away game in a European competition.
