Get the FREE Mirror Football newsletter by email with the day's key headlines and transfer news Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Lyon and Besiktas have been handed suspended bans from European competition following the crowd disturbances which marred their Europa League match last Thursday.

Tension between rival supporters in the east-central French city spilled into the Parc OL before the scheduled 2005 BST kick-off time, with a barrage of projectiles from the upper tiers forcing fans on to the pitch and casting the viability of the fixture into doubt.

The trouble eventually abated and the teams were able to start the game 45 minutes later than planned, with Lyon recovering to beat the Turkish champions 2-1 in the quarter-final's first leg.

UEFA subsequently launched action against both clubs and on Wednesday - a little over 24 hours before the second leg in Istanbul - announced bans for both clubs, suspended for two years. The clubs have also been fined 100,000 euros (£84,000) each, UEFA said.

A UEFA control, ethics and disciplinary body (CEBD) statement said Lyon's charges were "related to crowd disturbances, setting off of fireworks, stairways blocked, insufficient organisation and field invasion by supporters after their second goal".

(Image: AFP/Getty Images) (Image: X01095) (Image: REUTERS)

The charges against Besiktas were "related to crowd disturbances, setting off of fireworks and throwing of objects".

The statement added: "Based on the official reports and the current available evidence at the disposal of the UEFA disciplinary bodies, the CEDB has considered that the supporters of both clubs were responsible for the crowd disturbances at the match."

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas was seen urging supporters to calm down and return to their seats at the time, but following full-time the 68-year-old claimed there had been no choice but to "flee".

He told L'Equipe: "There were many who were wounded but who did not want to sit back down immediately because of pride.

"Because of the firecrackers, some had suffered severe injuries. There were a number of firecrackers that exploded over our fans' heads so they had only one option, to flee onto the pitch.

(Image: REUTERS) (Image: X01095) (Image: X01095)

"It was fortunate that they invaded it, otherwise they would have been trapped by the Turkish fans.

"Some of those did not have tickets.

"It was a very difficult experience, but it was up to me to take responsibility, otherwise we would not have been able to play."

Lyon were on the receiving end of fan trouble on Sunday, when their Ligue 1 match at Bastia was abandoned.

Home fans had appeared to enter the pitch to confront Lyon players before the game began, and further trouble at half-time led to the match being abandoned at 0-0.

Bastia have subsequently closed one of the stands at their Stade Armand Cesari and plan to redevelop it in order to prevent a repeat.