Tunis — Four-times African champions Esperance of Tunisia have been ordered by the Confederation of African Football to play four home games behind closed doors because of violent incidents involving their fans, they said on Friday.
Their match against Algeria’s JS Kabylie at the Rades Stadium was disrupted last Saturday and the return leg of the quarter-final was interrupted by violence which caused a 40-minute delay in the second half.
Esperance fans clashed with security forces and lit fireworks on the terraces, causing several small fires in front of the stands.
Esperance said they would also be fined $300 000 (R5.47 million). Two of the four games of the stadium ban will be suspended for 12 months if there are no further incidents.
Esperance progressed to the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League with a 2-1 aggregate win over JS Kabylie and will host Al-Ahly of Egypt in the first leg on Friday.
Esperance said they would appeal against the punishment.
Reuters