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Bayern Munich fans will not be allowed to attend their first-leg quarter-final against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on April 9.
UEFA have imposed a ban on the Bavarian outfit's fans for throwing fireworks onto the pitch in the 3-0 win against Lazio (March 5). As per GOAL, this violation of the UEFA regulations, which resulted in a one-match ban, cannot be appealed.
Accepting the ruling, Bayern Munich CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen said (via GOAL):
"We have to accept this punishment. Not only were pyrotechnics set off, but also fired deliberately onto the field, directly endangering bystanders. This was such an explicit violation of the conditions of probation that an appeal is unfortunately futile."
He added:
"The fact we now have to play away without the support of our fans is a big blow. A small group of offenders have done a disservice to all our supporters and the team."
The Bundesliga giants were already handed a €40,000 fine and a ban on supporters for setting off fireworks during their group stage match against Copenhagen this season.
The absence of Bayern fans could be a huge boost for Arsenal, who have qualified for this stage of the competition for the first time since the 2009/10 season. The last time the Gunners took part in the competition, they faced Bayern Munich in the Round of 16 stage and lost to the Bavarian giants 10-2 on aggregate.
Thomas Muller confident of Bayern Munich's chances against Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League
Bayern Munich attacker Thomas Muller is confident that his team can defeat Arsenal in their quarter-final UEFA Champions League fixture across two legs.
The 34-year-old German stated that, with the second leg of this draw taking place in Munich, his team has a good chance of progressing to the next stage of the tournament. He said after the draw was completed on Friday, March 15 (via ESPN):
"Arsenal is a team that will give us two exciting games. They are currently in a good form and have a good momentum. It will be tough but with the second leg in Munich, we have a good chance of progressing."
So far in his career, Muller has faced the north London outfit on seven occasions in the Champions League, winning four of those fixtures and losing two. However, the Gunners are in fine form this year, currently atop the Premier League standings. Bayern Munich, on the other hand, are second in the Bundesliga, 10 points behind Bayer Leverkusen.
