Bates calls for Besiktas ban

Chelsea chairman Ken Bates has called on UEFA to ban Besiktas from European competition in the wake of Tuesday night’s scenes in Germany.

European football’s governing body has begun disciplinary proceedings against the Turkish club following crowd trouble at the Champions League match with Chelsea in Gelsenkirchen on Tuesday.

UEFA switched the game from Istanbul in the interests of safety following recent terrorist attacks there – but the angry locals were determined to make Chelsea feel as if they were in Turkey.

Chelsea ran a gauntlet of hate and at the end of the match the Blues had to leave the pitch shielded by umbrellas to avoid a barrage of missiles.

Bates believes UEFA should crack down on Besiktas, believing they should receive a firmer punishment than Lazio defender Sinisa Mihajlovic got for spitting at Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu in last month’s Champions League clash between the teams in Rome.

Bates told Sky Sports News: “If they (UEFA) can fine one man for spitting within 48 hours and ban him for eight matches, then what should they be doing to a club who don’t seem to be able to control their fans?

“Turkey is a country which seems to get away with everything – I think they (Besiktas) should be banned from European competition for a year.

“It annoys me that there seems to be one rule for the British clubs and one rule for the rest.”