UEFA have announced that Arsenal have escaped disciplinary sanctions following their Europa League meeting with Cologne in September.

However, the German side have been hit with a €60,000 fine and given 30 days to pay for any damage caused by their supporters during the clash.

They have also been issued with a one-match travelling ban for supporters, suspended for two years.

Cologne were hit with four charges, including one of crowd disturbances and also acts of damage, setting off fireworks and throwing of objects.

Police with dogs kept watch during the game (
Image:
PA Wire)

A UEFA statement declared: "The UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) has announced the following decisions:

  • To fine FC Köln €60,000.
  • FC Köln is banned from selling tickets to its supporters for the next UEFA competition match which the club will play as the visiting team. This sanction is deferred for a probationary period of two years.

  • FC Köln is ordered to contact Arsenal FC within 30 days for the settlement of the damages caused by its supporters.

(
Image:
REX/Shutterstock)
Thousands of away fans travelled from Germany (
Image:
REX/Shutterstock)
The club have been fined (
Image:
AFP)

Arsenal had been charged initially under Article 38 of the UEFA Safety and Security Regulations, over stairways being blocked in the away supporters section.

Gunners’ boss Arsene Wenger claimed it would be "completely unfair” for the home side to be sanctioned, and UEFA have elected not to open disciplinary proceedings.

The Group H tie, in which Arsenal eventually ran out as 3-1 winners, was delayed by an hour as ticketless Cologne fans looked to gain entry to the ground.

The visitors were issued with 3,000 tickets, but around 20,000 supporters are believed to have made the journey to London. Around 8,000 German fans are believed to have been in the home end.

Cologne have been punished by UEFA (
Image:
REX/Shutterstock)
Riot police patrols near Cologne's fans (
Image:
REX/Shutterstock)

Cologne fans clashed with stewards and lit flares amid the chaos and riot police were deployed both in and outside the stadium. Some members of the away support were also filmed kicking down barriers and trying to storm turnstiles, in a bid to force their way into the stadium.

Five arrests were made over the course of an evening where thousands of away supporters sat in home sections of the stadium. Arsenal’s response was to launch "a full review" of the events.

Video Loading

Cologne sporting director Jorg Schmadtke has admitted it was touch and go as to whether the game would even go ahead amid the chaotic scenes both outside and inside the ground.

"If a game has to start an hour later, that is not nice and good.” Asked how close the game came to being called off, he replied: “[it was] relatively tight."

The club’s vice-president, Toni Schumacher, was critical of the fans' behaviour post-game, declaring: "We are guests here and should behave as such."

The match in north London was Cologne's first European tie in 25 years.

Cologne fans during the match (
Image:
REX/Shutterstock)

UEFA's decision means Arsenal fans will be allowed to travel to Germany for the return clash in November, while the Gunners are confident of avoiding similar scenes when Red Star Belgrade visit on Thursday.

Arsenal have adopted a zero tolerance policy on ticketing issues and have either banned or cancelled around 1,000 memberships each year which have been linked to ticket touting.

Gunners chief executive Ivan Gazidis said at last Thursday’s Annual General Meeting: “We did have controls in place from preventing Cologne fans from obtaining tickets outside of their own designated fan areas but it became clear that there were many touts in operation and a number of them registered on our membership system, purchased tickets and sold them online.

“It is extremely difficult to identify individuals involved but we are working hard to do this. So far we have cancelled a significant number of memberships and expect there will be many more cancelled as we continue to investigate the transactional data."