Ajax is waiting for a fine from UEFA, expected The Telegraph. Just before the kick-off of the Champions League match with Borussia Dortmund (4-0), torches and fireworks were lit in the hard core sections of both Ajax and the German top club.
Prior to the match, a banner was displayed in the stands with an image of Rinus Michels, accompanied by his well-known statement ‘Football is war’. Torches were lit under the banner by Ajax fans, which led to an enormous smoke development. As a result, the game took place in the first twenty minutes under a thick fog of smoke. The smoke eventually cleared through the open roof.
General director Edwin van der Sar reacted disapprovingly to the action of the fans via Instagram. “Tonight art was created by the players and our supporters”, he refers to the game of Ajax and the atmosphere in the stands. “Except for the fireworks in the first minutes”, the former goalkeeper then adds. Because of the behavior of the fans, Ajax can prepare for a fine from UEFA.
It will not be the first time that UEFA has fined Ajax for the behavior of the fans during a European match. In the successful 2018/19 Champions League season, when the team from Amsterdam eventually stranded in the semi-finals, Ajax had to transfer a total of 182,000 euros in fines to the European Football Association.