Liverpool Fans to Pay Price for Atlético Stadium Ban

Uefa has said there is "no alternative" to the travel chaos facing almost 6,000 Liverpool fans in Spain next week after moving the club's Champions League game with Atlético Madrid 300km (186 miles) from the Vicente Calderón Stadium.

European football's governing body issued a €150,000 (£120,000) fine and three-match stadium ban to Atlético yesterday for the racist abuse of Marseille players and the lack of organization that led to crowd trouble during the Group D meeting on October 1. Atlético's coach, Javier Aguirre, was also banned for two matches for insulting the Marseille midfielder Mathieu Valbuena.

While Uefa's stance attracted praise from anti-racism groups, and comes three weeks after Fifa fined the Croatian Football Federation just £15,000 for the racist abuse suffered by Emile Heskey during England's World Cup qualifier in Zagreb, the timing of its decision was condemned by Liverpool and its supporters. Around 3,000 Liverpool fans had officially booked to attend next Wednesday's game, with a similar number estimated to be traveling independently for Fernando Torres' scheduled return to his boyhood club. They are unlikely to discover where the game is to be held until noon on Sunday.

Uefa's ruling states that Atlético's next two Champions League games cannot take place within 300km of Madrid, with the third leg of the ban suspended for five years. The Spanish club has until Friday to lodge its appeal but Uefa will not meet to consider a final verdict until the weekend. "Atlético-Liverpool will be played at the Calderón," declared the Atlético president, Enrique Cerezo, last night. "We will appeal. It is inconceivable that a letter that was sent after the deadline [from Marseille] carries more weight than the official reports from Uefa's matchday delegates and the referee."

Liverpool's chief executive, Rick Parry, has written to Uefa to request a compromise and Anfield officials, while supportive of the organization's stance, hope the logistical nightmare of rearranging a Champions League game at such short notice will lead to the ban coming into effect when PSV Eindhoven visit the Calderón on November 26. New tickets may have to be redistributed to fans, many of whom will have already traveled to Spain, while Atlético will have to book a neutral venue that meets Champions League criteria and has the support of local authorities. Uefa has promised to help with alternative travel arrangements.

Uefa's communications director, William Gaillard, said: "We know they [Liverpool fans] face hardship and disruption and we sympathize with that, but we needed to punish Atlético Madrid. We have no alternative. What would people have said if Liverpool went there and the players and fans suffered the same treatment? We know how sensitive the British public are about racism and violence - and rightly so. This is to protect Liverpool fans too - the police were harsh and violent against peaceful fans during the Marseille game and do we want the same story as that, or as happened to the Tottenham fans in Seville last year?"

The Liverpool supporters' group Spirit of Shankly criticized Uefa for "a blatant disregard to fans" while Parry expressed his dismay at the timing. "To say the decision is a bit late in the day is to put it mildly," he said. "If the match is played at least 300km from Madrid, it will cause major disruption, inconvenience and large additional expense for our fans. Uefa have to take their needs into account when making a final decision on the game."

Lord Ouseley, chairman of Kick It Out, however, said: "The leadership that Uefa has demonstrated through these sanctions sends out a message that is loud and clear - racism will not be tolerated."