UEFA decision on Levski file protest expected on Tuesday

On Tuesday, the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Committee will be hearing the protest by PFC Levski Sofia following the UEFA Europa Conference League third qualifying round second leg against Hamrun Spartans which the Spartans won 4-1 on penalties after a 2-1 win for Hamrun at the end of the ninety minutes and extra-time led to an aggregate 2-2 score.

On Friday, Levski said they were requesting a replay after “the necessary evidence has been presented with regards to a gross violation of the rules by the referee and his assistants, which affected the outcome of the match.”

On Monday, Hamrun Spartans announced that they had submitted their reply to UEFA and in a statement, Chief Executive Officer Marcel Bonnici thanked international legal advisor Carlo Rombolà, club legal advisor Dr David Farrugia Sacco, MFA president Bjorn Vassallo, MFA vice-presidents Dr Matthew Paris, Adrian Casha, MFA General Secretary Angelo Chetcuti, Head of MFA Referees Department Alan Mario Sant and club officials Victor Cassar, Paul Borg and Stephen Saliba for contributing and assisting the club with their technical and professional guidance in drafting the document.

Meanwhile following the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round second leg between FK Partizan and AEK Larnaca which was played on Thursday in Belgrade, UEFA fined FK Partizan €20,000 and ordered the partial closure of FK Partizan stadium, during the next game – the UEFA Europa Conference League play-off round first leg against Hamrun Spartans or Levski, for the discriminatory behaviour of its supporters.

FK Partizan were ordered to display a banner with the wording “#NoToRacism”, with the UEFA logo on it and were fined €16,000 for blocking of public passageways, €10,500 for throwing of objects and €12,000 for invasion of the field of play.

This partial closure of the stadium will not deny Hamrun fans from attending the game but one or more sectors of at least 2,000 spectators will be closed.