Spartak Moscow Removed From Europa League Amid Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine

Spartak progressed to the knockout stage as group winners but have been banned from the competition as last-16 opponents RB Leipzig are handed a bye into the next round

Spartak Moscow have been booted out of the Europa League due to Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

The Russian club were scheduled to face Red Bull Leipzig in the last-16 of the competition but UEFA have taken the decision to ban Spartak and cancel the tie.

The first leg was due to be played in Germany on March 10, with the return leg set for a week later in Moscow.

However, neither match will go ahead now, with Leipzig handed a bye into the quarter-finals.

UEFA confirmed in a statement: "As the matches between RB Leipzig and FC Spartak Moskva cannot take place, as a consequence, RB Leipzig are qualified to the quarter-finals of the competition”.

A joint statement from FIFA and UEFA confirmed the decision to ban both Russia's national and club teams from all competitions.

It read: "Following the initial decisions adopted by the FIFA Council and the UEFA Executive Committee, which envisaged the adoption of additional measures, FIFA and UEFA have today decided together that all Russian teams, whether national representative teams or club teams, shall be suspended from participation in both FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/breaking-spartak-moscow-europa-league-26348212.amp