Darko Bandic / AP
Spartak supporters light a flare during the Champions League soccer match between Maribor and Spartak Moscow at the Ljudski vrt stadium, in Maribor, Slovenia, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
Russian champion Spartak Moscow has been charged by UEFA after a fan fired a flare at the referee during a Champions League match.
UEFA says its disciplinary panel will judge the case on Sept. 21.
UEFA’s options to punish Spartak include closing part or all of its stadium for a future game. Liverpool visits the Otkritie Arena — a 2018 World Cup venue — in Moscow on Sept. 26.
The flare rocketed out of the section holding visiting Spartak fans early in its 1-1 draw with Slovenian champion Maribor on Wednesday.
It fell in flames in the center circle near German referee Denis Aytekin and burned out. The referee briefly stopped the play.
