Over the years, the Champions League has been seen as the premier club competition in European football.
Spanish La Liga giants Real Madrid are the kings of the competition, having won 15 Champions League titles.
Meanwhile, Liverpool are the Premier League side with the most Champions League trophies, having lifted the prestigious European Cup on six occasions.
However, the competition has seen some controversial moments throughout the years, with four clubs reportedly banned from taking part in UEFA tournaments.
As reported by Four Four Two, there have been at least four sides that received a ban from UEFA namely:
- Besiktas
- Fenerbahce
- Juventus
- FK Pobeda
Besiktas
Besiktas are one of the biggest clubs in Turkey and a household name in European football.
However, back in 2013, they were banned from playing in UEFA competitions for allegedly being involved in domestic match-fixing.
Fenerbahce
Similar to Besiktas, Fenerbahce were also reportedly involved in a match-fixing scandal back in 2013.
They were slapped with a two-year ban, while appealing the decision, Fenerbahce lost to Arsenal in a Champions League play-off against Arsenal.
They were handed a one-year ban after a failed appeal.
UEFA has issues multiple bans over the years. Image: Getty
Juventus
The Italian Serie A giants were suspended from UEFA competitions for the 23/24 season after being accused of breaching Financial Fair Play rules.
FK Pobeda
North Macedonian outfit FK Pobeda were hit with a huge eight-year ban in 2009 for allegedly ‘manipulating the outcome of a match’.
The report stated: “Irregular betting patterns were observed in relation to a Champions League qualifier against Armenia’s FC Pyunik five years earlier.”
Back in 2020, it was reported that UEFA’s two-year ban imposed on Premier League side Manchester City was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
City were originally suspended for a ‘serious breach of UEFA’s financial fair play rules’.
