Madrid: The Union of European Football Assocations (UEFA) is collecting more information on the incidents at the match in the second round of the Champions League between Atletico Madrid and Benfica, which saw a fire started and the throwing of fireworks onto the pitch here, before opening disciplinary procedures. UEFA sources confirmed on Friday to Efe that the Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Committee will not begin this process until they collect more specific data on the facts, on the number of flares which were lit in the Vicente Calderon Stadium and the damage caused by it.
UEFA has the report of its delegate at the match, the British Mark Blackbourne, to whom Atletico expressed its “distress and concern” over the incidents caused by the fans of Benfica, which endangered several fans and caused damage to various areas of the stadium. After 36 minutes of the game, fans of Benfica located in the north end of the Vicente Calderon fired at least five flares down at the stands of the fans of Atletico and onto the grass, at the time in which Argentinian Nico Gaitan scored the 1-1 tie goal for the Portuguese side. After Benfica scored 2-1 in the 51st minute, another flare was lit in the area occupied by the fans of the Lisbon team and some seats were broken.
