Uefa open disciplinary proceedings against Arsenal and Cologne after crowd trouble marred Europa League clash
UEFA have begun disciplinary proceedings against Arsenal and Cologne after trouble marred their Europa League clash last night.
Kick-off was delayed by an hour as police and stewards struggled to contain the rush of fans looking to force their way into the Emirates Stadium.
And the European game's governing body have been quick to throw five charges against the two clubs in the wake of the disturbing scenes.
Arsenal will face a charge of having stairways blocked in the way supporters' section, breaking their safety and security regulations.
And Cologne have been hit by four charges following the events which unfolded after up to 20,000 fans turned up - the majority without tickets.
The separate cases take in crowd disturbances, the setting off of fireworks, throwing of objects and acts of damage around the Emirates Stadium.
All five cases will be dealt with at the Uefa Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body on September 21.
Arsenal have this morning released a statement denying any wrongdoing on their part in the chaotic scenes which took place in and around their ground.
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But the club are investigating what went wrong and what could have been done better alongside the Metropolitan Police in the procedures put in place before the game.
It was clear in the hours leading up to the match that more Cologne fans than were expected had descended on London, with thousands marching through Soho.
There were suggestions German supporters had obtained tickets on the black market for the Arsenal sections, while others without tickets also tried to force their way inside.
There were incidents of violence in and around the stadium, with police revealing they had arrested five supporters over public order offences.
Arsenal have blamed ticket touts for the resulting chaos, but questions remain how so many seats were able to end up in the hands of the away support.
And Gunners fans face losing their membership if they are found to have sold their seats illegally.
The situation grew tense when Cologne opened the scoring early on, setting off flares in celebration and goading the home support.
Eventually the match passed without further serious incident as Arsene Wenger's side came from behind to secure a 3-1 win.
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