UEFA warns Giovanni van Bronckhorst after a too‑late kickoff
UEFA has officially warned Feyenoord manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst because his team entered the pitch late at the Camp Nou against FC Barcelona earlier this month, a match that ended in a 5‑1 defeat. The sanction is a warning without a fine, but follows a series of heavy penalties against the Rotterdam club.
Warning for Van Bronckhorst
The Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body of UEFA has formally reprimanded Feyenoord for entering the pitch late at the Camp Nou. According to the body, Van Bronckhorst is responsible for the delay. The offence is classified as a ‘late kickoff’ under article 11(2)(h) of the disciplinary regulations.
For this specific offence only a warning is issued; no monetary fine is attached. The warning is separate from the sanctions already imposed on the club. It is therefore the first individual sanction against the manager.
Series of heavy penalties for Feyenoord
Earlier, Feyenoord already received a €25,000 fine for misconduct by traveling supporters. In addition, the club is required to fill only 75 % of the away section for the next European away match. The first application of this is scheduled for 21 October in Seville against Real Betis.
Furthermore, UEFA has fined four individual supporters and imposed an additional fine of €26,375 for throwing objects. An extra sanction of €10,000 concerns the dissemination of a message that does not belong at a sporting event, and €13,000 is allocated for damage to the away section at the Camp Nou. In total, the fines amount to €74,375 and the club must contact Barcelona within thirty days to settle the damage.
Future matches and conditions
In addition to the financial burdens, a conditional restriction is placed on ticket sales. In the event of a further offence, Feyenoord could be allocated 25 % fewer tickets for its own supporters at a European away match, with a probation period of two years. This measure underscores UEFA’s stricter oversight of club behaviour.
Between the imposed sanctions there are still two upcoming matches: Como from Italy will visit De Kuip on 14 October, after which the Champions League away match in Seville follows. These dates give Feyenoord little time to pay the fines and implement the ticket restrictions.