Atletico: We Can’t Sell Tickets for the Next Five Matches Due to Sanctions

Atletico Madrid, a Spanish La Liga club, announced that it will not sell tickets for its next five away matches to season ticket holders after receiving sanctions from both UEFA and the Spanish Football Federation.

Last week, Atletico was fined 30,000 euros, and a one-match ban on selling tickets to its fans for European competitions was suspended after their fans displayed “racist or discriminatory” behavior during a 4-0 defeat against Benfica in the Champions League.

Earlier this month, the Spanish Football Federation ordered the team to play its next three home matches with a partial stadium closure following a match interruption against rivals Real Madrid due to objects thrown onto the field.

Atletico stated: “The damage to the image of Atletico and its fans—most of whom behave in an exemplary manner—is hard to correct. The seriousness of the matter and the responsibility to maintain our club’s image forced us to take this action until all those involved in such incidents are held accountable.”