UEFA hits Partizan with partial stadium closure after Getafe playoff tie

UEFA has released the list of sanctions handed out to clubs following the qualifying rounds and the first matchday of the Champions League and Europa League league phase. The most notable punishment falls on Partizan Belgrade for what happened in the second leg of their final qualifying tie against Getafe, played on 27 August at the Serbian club's stadium. That match, which ended with the Madrid side progressing to the group stage, has now left Partizan facing a stand closure and a significant fine.

• Partial closure of 5,000 seats in the west stand, a sanction that had been suspended from a previous similar incident.
• A €30,000 fine and a second partial closure, this time affecting 15,000 seats across the west and south stands, for racist behaviour.
• The second stadium closure remains suspended for a period of two years.
• An additional €2,000 fine for throwing flares and €10,000 for the use of laser pointers.

West stand closure of 5,000 seats at Partizan Stadium

The main punishment forces Partizan to close 5,000 seats in the west stand for their next European home match. This is not an isolated measure: the same sanction was already hanging over the club, suspended pending what happened in future fixtures after a similar incident involving their supporters in the past. The match against Getafe has now triggered that pending penalty.

The second leg of the Europa League play-off round took place on 27 August in Belgrade. Getafe had won 1-0 at the Coliseum with a goal from Borja Mayoral and held firm in Serbia to secure their place in the group stage. In the stands, a tense atmosphere led to several episodes that have now resulted in disciplinary action against the home club.

€30,000 fine and a second closure suspended for two years over racist behaviour

The disciplinary case opened by UEFA does not end with a repeat offence in the west stand. The Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body has also imposed a €30,000 fine and a new partial stadium closure, this time covering 15,000 seats across the west and south stands. The reason for this second measure is the racist behaviour detected during the match against Getafe.

However, the most severe punishment will not take effect immediately. UEFA has suspended that 15,000-seat closure for the next two years. That means the Serbian club will avoid it being enforced if they do not repeat similar conduct during that period. Should another episode of the same nature occur, the sanction would be automatically activated.

Flares and laser pointers also punished by UEFA

The list of sanctions is completed by two smaller but still significant fines. On one side, €2,000 for flares thrown from the stands during the match. On the other, €10,000 for the use of laser pointers, a recurring issue in European stadiums and one against which UEFA has been taking an increasingly strict stance in recent seasons.

Both amounts are added to the €30,000 already mentioned, taking the total financial bill for Partizan to €42,000. The Serbian club, knocked out of the Europa League after losing to Getafe, will face these sanctions without European football this season, which postpones the enforcement of the stand closure until any potential continental return.

What this punishment means for Partizan Belgrade

Partizan exited the Europa League in the final qualifying round after Getafe secured qualification in Belgrade. With the team out of European competitions this season, the main question is when they will have to serve the west stand closure. In principle, the sanction will be applied the next time the Serbian club plays an official European match at their stadium, whether in the qualifying phase or the group stage of any of the three continental competitions.

Repeat offending has been a key factor in this decision. The fact that a suspended sanction already existed due to previous incidents involving their fans, and that the match against Getafe activated that pending punishment, shows that UEFA maintains zero tolerance for this type of behaviour. The club cannot claim it was a simple oversight: the disciplinary bodies have established a repeated pattern of conduct at major matches.

Frequently asked questions about the UEFA sanction on Partizan