UEFA orders Eintracht Frankfurt and PSV into partial stadium closures

By Sports Desk March 30, 2023

UEFA has hit Eintracht Frankfurt and PSV with partial stadium closures after unsavoury scenes overshadowed European ties involving both clubs in February.

Both legs of Eintracht's 5-0 aggregate defeat to Napoli in the Champions League's last-16 were marred by violence, with clashes between supporters witnessed before the Partenopei's 2-0 away win on February 21.

Eintracht were subsequently charged with the lighting of fireworks and blocking of public passageways by UEFA, and the governing body has now fined the Bundesliga club a total of €70,000 and ordered them to close areas of Deutsche Bank Park for their next continental fixture.

The fear of further violence led Italian authorities to attempt to ban Eintracht supporters from travelling to Naples for the return fixture on March 15.

However, supporters clashed with local police after defying that measure, with footage on social media showing crowds throwing missiles at officers wielding riot shields.

Meanwhile, PSV have also been ordered to close sections of the Philips Stadion for their next UEFA game after a fan attacked Sevilla goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic during a Europa League match.

PSV suffered a 3-2 aggregate defeat in the competition's knockout round play-offs, with the tie overshadowed by a supporter entering the pitch and throwing a punch at Dmitrovic in February's second leg in Eindhoven.

The 20-year-old man was given a two-month prison stint on March 8, as well as being made subject to a 40-year ban from PSV's stadium.

PSV have been fined €29,375 after UEFA investigated the incident, with the club also being charged with the throwing of objects at the same match.

Related items

  • Belgium 1-2 France: Kolo Muani double deals Red Devils qualification blow Belgium 1-2 France: Kolo Muani double deals Red Devils qualification blow

    Randal Kolo Muani's brace was enough to see 10-man France claim an important 2-1 triumph over Belgium in their Nations League Group A2 clash on Monday. 

    Kolo Muani netted either side of Lois Openda's first-half header before the visitors saw out the remaining 14 minutes after Aurelien Tchouameni's dismissal for two bookable offences.

    Belgium had the opportunity to take the lead when William Saliba's untimely slip wiped out Openda, only for Youri Tielemans to blaze his spot-kick over the crossbar.

    Didier Deschamps' side made no such mistake from 12 yards soon after, with Kolo Muani converting after Wout Faes' handball to hand France the lead in the 34th minute.

    Openda restored parity on the stroke of half-time, nodding Timothy Castagne's cross beyond Mike Maignan, only for Kolo Muani to edge France back into the lead when rising highest to power a header underneath the grasp of Koen Casteels just past the hour.

    Belgium were handed a late lifeline in their attempts to snatch a point when France's stand-in captain Tchouameni received a second yellow card for a foul on Tielemans, yet the visitors held on for an important win.

    Domenico Tedesco's side sit five points behind France and six adrift of leaders Italy with two games remaining after this significant blow to their top-two hopes in Brussels.

    Data Debrief: Kolo Muani Belgium's nemesis once again

    Kolo Muani continued his impressive streak for France in the Nations League here, notching his third goal of the competition, all of which have come against Belgium.

    The Paris Saint-Germain striker ended the contest as Les Bleus' biggest attacking threat, registering an expected goals (xG) tally of 0.86 of France's 1.42 total.

    Tchouameni, however, endured a night to forget in Belgium as his red saw him become the first player since Jules Kounde in September 2021 to be sent off for France, and the first as Les Bleus' captain at kick-off since Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 World Cup final.

  • Germany 1-0 Netherlands: Leweling marks senior debut with winning goal Germany 1-0 Netherlands: Leweling marks senior debut with winning goal

    Jamie Leweling netted the winner on his senior international debut as Germany beat the Netherlands 1-0 in Monday's Nations League clash at the Allianz Arena.

    The Stuttgart forward, in for the injured Deniz Undav, had a goal within two minutes of his first cap ruled out after a VAR check showed Serge Gnabry was offside in the build-up.

    However, there was no denying Leweling in the 64th minute as the 23-year-old thumped a loose ball inside the box into the bottom corner past Bart Verbruggen to give the hosts a deserved lead in Munich.

    Verbruggen had undoubtedly been the busier of the two goalkeepers up until that point, making four saves prior to the breakthrough from Leweling, who also had a goal-bound shot blocked near the line by Stefan de Vrij.

    The Netherlands twice went close to equalising in the final 15 minutes, but Oliver Baumann got a faint touch to a long-range Xavi Simons drive to help it onto the crossbar and then superbly helped Donyell Malen's powerful effort wide.

    The win moves Germany to 10 points from their first four Group A3 matches, five points clear of the Netherlands and Hungary - 2-0 winners away at Bosnia-Herzegovina - who each have five points with two games remaining.

    Data Debrief: Debutants decide the game

    Leweling was a threat throughout on his debut as he scored one, had another disallowed and had an effort blocked off the line, generating an expected goals (xG) value of 0.35 - the highest of any player on the field.

    Just as key to the victory was fellow Germany debutant Baumann, who produced two big saves in the second half. 

    Aged 34 years and 131 days, he became the second-oldest Germany debutant (after Matthias Mauritz) in the post-war era and the oldest goalkeeper to make his debut in the country's history.

  • Italy 4-1 Israel: Di Lorenzo double keeps Azzurri in control of qualification Italy 4-1 Israel: Di Lorenzo double keeps Azzurri in control of qualification

    Italy moved within touching distance of the Nations League quarter-finals after Giovanni Di Lorenzo's double powered them to a 4-1 triumph over Israel on Monday.

    Luciano Spalletti's side will need just a point from either of their last two matches in November to secure progression after a convincing victory in Udine that pushed Israel further towards relegation.

    Israel goalkeeper Omri Glazer provided stern resistance in the first half before Mateo Retegui's penalty, awarded for a foul by Dor Peretz on Sandro Tonali, broke the deadlock four minutes before the interval.

    Captain Di Lorenzo doubled his side's advantage before the hour, powering a header in from close range after Giacomo Raspadori's inviting free-kick, though Israel halved the deficit with 24 minutes remaining.

    Mohamed Abu Fani's corner sneaked past all inside the area, including Guglielmo Vicario, whose appeals for a foul by Dor Peretz were ignored by the officials.

    That visiting hope was short-lived, however, as Davide Frattesi swept home a first-time finish from Federico Dimarco's low cross just six minutes after Abu Fani's bizarre goal.

    Di Lorenzo capped the scoring 11 minutes from time, profiting from Destiny Udogie's powering run before receiving possession on the edge of the area and drilling into the bottom-left corner.

    Data Debrief: Superior finishing the difference

    Spalletti will be delighted by his side finishing the game when in control, unlike what they were able to do in Thursday's 2-2 draw with Belgium, largely thanks to the excellence of Di Lorenzo.

    The Italy captain scored twice from just two attempts that were worth 0.28 expected goals (xG), suggesting Di Lorenzo's quality of finishing far exceeded the chances on offer.

    Since his first goal with the Azzurri, in September 2021 against Lithuania, Di Lorenzo's five goals are also the most by an Italy defender in that period with Dimarco next on three.

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.