Uefa fine Ajax over offensive banner aim at Manchester City owners

Uefa fine Ajax over offensive banner aimed at Manchester City owners

Jan 19, 2013 3:27:00 PM

The Dutch side must pay over £8,500 after their "display of a provocative and inappropriate banner" during their Champions League game in Amsterdam earlier this season

Ajax have been fined £8,500 by Uefa for a banner displayed by supporters during their 3-1 victory over Manchester City in the Champions League at the Amsterdam ArenA in October.

The home fans unveiled a banner depicting a cartoon of a sheik holding a bag of money with the words 'Against Modern Football' written underneath it.

The message was aimed at Manchester City's wealthy owner, Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed al-Nahyan, a member of Abu Dhabi's ruling family, who has invested large sums of money into the club in the past couple of seasons.

Another slogan seen at the stadium read: "€80 [£67] for the away section is ridiculous", while other banners also criticised Chelsea, Red Bull Salzburg and Red Bull Leipzig.

Uefa's official reason for fining the Eredivisie side is for a "display of a provocative and inappropriate banner".

Manchester City lost the match and finished bottom of Group D, with the Dutch side finishing third and earning qualification for the Europa League as a result.

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