Liverpool warned they could face UEFA sanctions after Anfield touchline fracas in win v Atletico | OneFootball

Liverpool have been warned that they could face disciplinary action from UEFA over a flashpoint at Anfield in the 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night.

Virgil van Dijk’s stoppage time winner prompted a touchline meltdown from visiting manager Diego Simeone, who spoke out strongly afterwards about being continually ‘insulted’ by some spectators throughout the match.

Footage captured from the Main Stand appeared to show a member of the Atletico backroom staff spitting at home fans, and the individual who drew the Argentine’s ire insisted that no racial or personal slurs were directed at the away team’s dugout.

Liverpool warned over potential fine from UEFA after touchline spat

Former PGMOL chief executive Keith Hackett has forewarned that UEFA could take a dim view of the tempestuous scenes at Anfield and sanction both clubs as a result.

The ex-Premier League referee told Football Insider: “These incidents and appropriate film clips will be examined very carefully to determine the guilt and also examine any future measures that might be taken to avoid this type of incident.

“I expect both clubs to be involved in the investigation and UEFA usually take a hard line on these matters. Both clubs could face fines.”

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What did Liverpool do to deserve potential fine from UEFA?

Simeone (who was sent off) and the Atletico staff member who allegedly spat at Liverpool supporters can expect some form of punishment from the governing body of European football over the stoppage time flashpoint, but we can’t see why the Merseyside club would also be sanctioned.

Those in the away team’s dugout may have felt provoked by the crowd behind them, but it doesn’t appear as though anything which constitutes genuine or personal abuse was said to them.

Even if it were (and we sincerely hope that there wasn’t), LFC themselves shouldn’t be punished by UEFA. If any Reds fans were out of order, the club can take action by prohibiting guilty individuals from attending games at Anfield.

In any case, it doesn’t seem like there was any major abuse directed at Simeone or the Atletico coaching staff, other than the kind of heckling which is commonplace at football matches.

Unfortunately, given the treatment that Liverpool and their supporters have had from European football’s governing body in the past, it wouldn’t surprise us if the club is hit by a fine because of what happened last night. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen, though.