Cologne will have to play their next away game in the Europa League without travelling support after UEFA decided to punish the Bundesliga side for the crowd trouble that delayed September’s game with Arsenal at the Emirates.
Kick-off was delayed for an hour when thousands of Cologne supporters attempted to take seats in Arsenal areas of the stadium and when the game did take place there were further safety infringements, including the setting off of flares and the throwing of objects.
In addition to the ban on selling tickets to their next away game in the competition, Cologne has been fined €60,000 and been told to recompense Arsenal for all damage to their arena.
Arsenal will not face any punishment for the blockage of an away section staircase.
The Gunners, who won the game 3-1, travel to Cologne’s RheinEnergieStadion on 23 November for the return leg.
Sanity reigned.
To be fair we did nothing wrong so fair result.
Yeah but I get why they had to include it in their preliminary investigation.
Media backlash would be dreadful for them in Germany and the UK.
You won’t see the media make to much of a fuss about this.
It’s a shame there was trouble in the ground. Ashamed to say it but the atmosphere that night was better that it’s been for years….
Regardless of the dislikes, the atmosphere was thunderous.
Coming over here, taking our (empty) seats and enliven our stadia.
Bloody foreigners.
Brilliant comment on all levels Sir!
I think the UEFA decision means the travel ban will not be enforced unless there is a further violation within two years. They’re on probation.
How will preventing the official sale of tickets through the club’s legitimate away scheme help? Wasn’t the problem that large numbers of Koln fans circumvented that at Arsenal anyway and managed to buy tickets through unofficial channels?
(1) The ban will not apply unless Cologne do something else in the next two years.
(2) You have missed the crucial point: it is much more important to look like you are doing something than to actually fix a problem.
@ 2)
such a good statement
Tis a shame indeed. Kinda feel a lot of the problems could have been avoided with better communication between 2 clubs. I’d imagine that a larger allocation could’ve been arranged for traveling fans had cologne approached and explained the significance of the fixture to their fans.
Kinda sad. They were really passionate but safety is where passion should end.
That kinda attitude wouldn’t see 50 shades style action, lol.
“safety is where passion should end”
Ohhhh, I finally understand Theo pulling out of 50:50 tackles.
Kind of feel like that statement underlines basically everything with with society today, and explains why nobody has a spine anymore.
but Wenger still has a touchline ban, no? haha
Punish Venga with the sack,
to recompense Arsenal for all damage throughout these years,
This does not bode well for the return leg at Cologne imo.
In other news…Troy Deeney punished for violent conduct and Watford lack Cojones.:D
Am i so vacuous that all I can think about is Rooney dragging Everton down into the relegation places………..defuckinglightful!
Arsenal should be punished for the condition of that German Shepard in the picture, or the police if the dog is their property. Shepard is a hairy dog and yet I can see all of its ribs. The dog needs to be fed.
There was nothing really to charge us for, so fair decision.
Someone please give the dog in the bottom of the picture a steak. You can see its rib cage.
George Forman grill accident apparently.
Whilst we are at it, isn’t the other dog’s front legs very short for his age? 🙂
“Dear some Cologne supporters,
you were dicks and now you can’t go to the next game, also the majority of Cologne supporters are pissed with you!
You were stupid please don’t do it again.
Haha knobs…”