Atletico Madrid's Partial Stadium Closure Order Suspended Ahead Of Man City Second Leg

Atletico Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano is set to be full for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City.
Atletico Madrid's Partial Stadium Closure Order Suspended Ahead Of Man City Second Leg
Atletico Madrid's Partial Stadium Closure Order Suspended Ahead Of Man City Second Leg /

Atletico Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano is set to be full for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City.

On Monday, UEFA ordered Atletico to leave at least 5,000 seats empty for their next European home game as punishment for "discriminatory behavior" exhibited by some fans during the first leg in Manchester.

But Atletico appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and a suspension was granted. This was announced on Wednesday, hours before kick-off in the second leg.

Multiple Atletico supporters were pictured performing Nazi salutes at the Etihad Stadium during last week's first leg

An investigation was launched following the game, which City won 1-0.

UEFA also charged Atletico with the throwing of objects by fans.

In addition to the the partial stadium closure, Atletico were fined €5,250 and ordered to display a banner with the wording “#NoToRacism” and the UEFA logo at Wednesday's game with City.

But the Court of Arbitration for Sport granted a suspension after "considering the serious repercussions to local security if the partial stadium closure had to be enforced at this late stage".

Scarfs are pictured on sale at Wanda Metropolitano ahead of Atletico Madrid's Champions League second leg against Manchester City in April 2022
Scarfs are pictured on sale at Wanda Metropolitano ahead of Atletico Madrid's Champions League second leg against Manchester City :: IMAGO/PA Images/Nick Potts

Had Atletico been made to enforce the partial stadium closure at Wednesday's game, thousands of tickets would have needed to be cancelled at short notice.

The winner of Atletico's quarter-final with City will face Real Madrid in the last four.

Real beat reigning champions Chelsea 5-4 on aggregate in their quarter-final, despite losing the second leg 3-2 at home on Tuesday.


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Robert Summerscales
ROBERT SUMMERSCALES

Robert Summerscales launched FanNation Futbol in February 2022. Rob is a British journalist who previously spent two years on the sports desk at the Daily Mail in London, having earlier served as editor of CaughtOffside.com. He has been to the last two FIFA Men's World Cups, in Russia and Qatar, and is looking forward to completing his hat-trick in North America in 2026.