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FC Basel charged for fans on pitch near Ronaldo

Matchwinner Cristiano Ronaldo watches stewards chase two people who ran onto the pitch at Basel's St Jakob Park Keystone

European football’s governing body UEFA has charged FC Basel after fans ran onto the pitch and approached Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo during a Champions League match. 


Five spectators encroached on the pitch from different sections of the St Jakob Park stadium in the 89th minute of Real’s 1-0 winExternal link on Wednesday. 

Play was delayed for about two minutes as three of the spectators were chased and caught by security staff. The other two spectators appeared to be filming the arrest of a fan wearing a Real shirt. 

UEFA says its disciplinary panel will judge the case on December 11. 

Basel was sanctioned by UEFA twice last season for incidents that disrupted Champions League and Europa League matches. 

In the first, Greenpeace activists abseiled from the stadium roof to protest competition sponsor Gazprom. They also faced charges for fan disorder, namely the setting-off and throwing of objects.

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