Galatasaray fined €50,000 and forced to pay for damage to Emirates Stadium
|Turkish club Galatasaray have been fined 50,000 euros and told to contact Arsenal to ‘settle damages’ within 30 days after crowd disturbances during the Gunners’ recent 4-1 Champions League win at Emirates Stadium.
The match was marred by a five-minute spell in the first-half when some of the 3,000 contingent of Turkish fans threw flares on to the pitch and exploded firecrackers in the stands.
Referee Gianluca Rocchi was forced to halt the match while the flares were extinguished, and only a personal plea from Galatasaray captain Wesley Sneijder and goalkeeper Fernando Muslera quelled the disturbances.
According to widespread reports, the Metropolitan Police made six arrests during the Group D Champions League clash, two of which were for entering the ground with flares.
UEFA have responded to the disturbances by fining Galatasaray 50,000 euros while they have also been told to pay for the damage inflicted in the away section at Emirates Stadium.
The Turkish club’s supporters’ left two rows of seats ‘collapsed’ and 2,800 seats loose while further damage was reported in the toilet facilities.
Arsenal have been cleared of all charges after reports initially suggested they could be fined.