UEFA declares Levski protest inadmissible

The UEFA Europa Conference League play-off round clash between FK Partizan and Hamrun Spartans will go ahead as scheduled as UEFA declared the protest submitted by Levski Sofia as inadmissible.

In a statement signed by Hamrun Spartans CEO Marcel Bonnici, the club announced that they had received communication from UEFA signed by UEFA Appeals Body Chairman Pedro Tomas that the protest has been declared as inadmissible and therefore the game against Partizan on Thursday at the Stadium Partizan in Belgrade will be held as originally planned.

Levski 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” during the third qualifying round second leg which Hamrun won 4-1on penalties after a 2-1 win led to a 2-2 aggregate score.

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, 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 also 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.

The chartered flight which will take the Hamrun fans to Belgrade along with the squad has been sold out.