UEFA has banned Barcelona from selling tickets to fans for its next away game in the Champions League for displaying a banner with Nazi overtones about the team’s new German coach.
A black flag with the words “Flick Heil” in apparent tribute to coach Hansi Flick was displayed during a 2-1 loss at Monaco last week.
UEFA said on Friday the club was charged with “racism and/or other discriminatory conduct,” and the disciplinary sanction will apply on November 6 when Barcelona plays at Red Star Belgrade.
The ticket sales ban activated a UEFA-ordered probationary sanction against Barcelona last season. In April, fans made Nazi salutes at Paris Saint-Germain in a Champions League game.
UEFA said its disciplinary judges also fined Barcelona $11,000 and ordered a new probationary sanction for a repeat offence in the next year. That will activate another ticket sales ban for one away game in a European competition.
The defeat at Monaco was the only blip in Barcelona’s season with victories recorded in all seven of their Spanish top-flight matches. The Catalan club will travel to Osasuna in their next fixture on Saturday.
