UEFA still probing reported fan incidents in Paris Saint-Germain, Red Star match

UEFA have decided to further investigate the incidents surrounding Paris Saint-Germain’s 6-1 Champions League Group C win over Red Star Belgrade earlier this month.

European football’s governing body confirmed in a statement on Thursday that an “Ethics and Disciplinary inspector” will assess the behaviour of the French and Serbian giants’ fans before any action is taken over the “reported incidents.”

Despite the closure of the Auteuil stand, where PSG’s ultras gather, as well as a ban on travelling fans from Serbia, an increased security presence could not prevent fighting outside the ground after the match.

UEFA opened its disciplinary proceedings against the two clubs, with both charged — PSG over fireworks being set off and Red Star for offensive chanting.

For the moment, PSG have been hit with a €20,000 fine because of the fixture’s late kickoff and coach Thomas Tuchel has also received an official warning after he contributed towards the delay.

UEFA’s investigation into the reported incidents surrounding the encounter in the French capital is unrelated to another one, this time led by France’s National Financial Prosecutor’s office (PNF), which is examining potential match-fixing within the Red Star hierarchy.

L’Equipe reported last Friday that the Serbian official in question is suspected of betting €5 million, via accomplices, on Red Star to lose by five goals, while UEFA’s ethics and disciplinary angle concerns the use of “fireworks, crowd disturbances, late kick-off and improper conduct of officials” on PSG’s part and “illicit chanting and crowd disturbances” on Red Star’s.

UEFA did not rule out potential future punishment for either of the clubs, so the appointed inspector can and probably will hand down further sanctions.

However, for the moment, Les Parisiens‘ two remaining Champions League Group C games at Parc des Princes will go ahead as normal after the closure of the Auteuil end for the visit of Red Star as punishment for bad crowd behaviour during last season’s round of 16 defeat to Real Madrid.

In any case, PSG have started to take matters into their own hands by banning season ticket holders who have been identified as part of the issues that marred the Red Star win.