Pochettino escapes Champions League final ban

Mauricio Pochettino has escaped a touchline ban for the Champions League final against Liverpool after UEFA punished Tottenham Hotspur for a late semi-final kick-off.

Pochettino has been punished by UEFA for his part in Spurs’ semi-final first leg against Ajax kicking off late, but his one-match suspension has been deferred for a probation period of one year.

Managers of both clubs are held responsible if a Champions League game does not get underway on time, regardless of the circumstances, and it is the club’s second instance of the offence this season.

The first indiscretion earns a warning, as Ajax boss Erik Ten Hag has received, and a repeat offence earns a one-match touchline ban, which is always suspended.

It would have been a bitter blow for Pochettino not to have been in the dugout for the club’s biggest-ever game, against their Premier League rivals in Madrid on June 1.

The Argentine has taken Spurs further in Europe than any other man before and his presence on the touchline is a big factor for his team.

He has already served a two-match Premier League ban after he accosted referee Mike Dean at the end of his side’s defeat at Burnley in February.

Spurs have also been fined 20,000 euro (£17,519) for the incident and received a separate 5,000 euro (£4,381) fine for a fan invading the pitch in their quarter-final against Manchester City.

UEFA has also fined Barcelona 20,000 euro (£17,519) because stadium security staff used excessive force against Tottenham fans at a Champions League game.

Its disciplinary panel found Barcelona guilty of “insufficient organisation” at Camp Nou on December 11.

Tottenham fans filmed the incident, where stadium workers used batons to hit some supporters, and footage circulated on social media.

In other disciplinary decisions, UEFA fined Ajax 52,500 euro (£46,022) for crowd disturbances at a home Champions League game.

UEFA says the charges against Ajax included fans throwing objects during a quarterfinal match against Juventus.

-Report by skysports