Porto Banned

[Fulham Broadway 16,424]

..from CL next season for bribing referees during 2003-4 season

(various sources))

[oxfordblues 299]

i bet this happens in every counrty mate

[Ollie 4,400]

lol just heard it, they have been banned for match fixing.....

Uefa have confirmed that Porto have been excluded from next season’s Champions League as a result of the bribery scandal that continues to tarnish the club.

The ban stems from an investigation into bribing referees in the 2003/04 season, the year that saw Jose Mourinho guide the club to an unexpected Champions League triumph.

News of their Champions League exclusion, as confirmed by Uefa to Setanta Sports News on Wednesday lunchtime, comes after the club was deducted six points on their way to winning last season’s BWINLiga.

As Portuguese champions Porto should be filling a place in next season's Champions League group stages, meaning another club will now be handed an automatic route past the qualifying stages.

The sanction has come about as a result of Article 1 of the Champions League regulations.

It states that a club ‘must not be, or have been involved in any activity aimed at arranging or influencing the outcome of a match at national or international level.’

Milan successfully appealed against being barred from the 2006 competition following an Italian corruption investigation, and went on to beat Liverpool in that season's final.

Porto have confirmed they too plan to launch an appeal.