• Champions League

Bayern fans partial lock out for United

ESPN staff
March 24, 2014
A section of the Allianz Arena will be closed when Manchester United travel to Bayern Munich for their Champions League quarter-final second leg on April 9 after Bayern fans displayed a homophobic banner against Arsenal.

Section 124 runs parallel to the touchline in the Allianz Arena © allianz-arena.de
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UEFA have ordered section 124 of the stadium - which holds approximately 1,000 seats - to be closed for the visit of United. The section is the same area where the banner, which depicted Mesut Ozil with his shorts down, was displayed during Arsenal's 1-1 draw on March 11.

Bayern have also received a €10,000 (£8,346) fine as part of their punishment. ESPN understands that, while UEFA's decision to order a closure of section 124 accounts for the Ozil banner, the club were also charged in relation to another banner displaying a political reference to Kosovo, which was held up during the same game. The two charges fell within the same disciplinary procedure.

UEFA released a statement saying: "[As a result of] Bayern supporters displaying of an illicit banner, the UEFA control and disciplinary body has decided to order the partial closure of the [stadium] in particular, the closure of sector 124 for Bayern's next UEFA competition home match, namely their Champions League quarter-final second leg against Manchester United on April 9."

Section 124 of the Allianz Arena runs parallel to the touchline, so fans seated behind each goal will not be affected.

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