Wednesday 11 January 2017 16:08, UK
Partizan Belgrade have been banned from European club competition for one of the next three seasons over unpaid debts, UEFA has announced.
The Serbian club, who last won the domestic league in 2015, will be precluded from playing in either the Champions League or the Europa League the first time they qualify before 2020.
A statement from the UEFA club financial control body read: "FK Partizan will be excluded from participating in the next UEFA club competition for which it would otherwise qualify during the next three seasons (ie. the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons).
"This decision was taken after FK Partizan failed to comply with the articles 65(1), 66(1) and 66bis(1) of the UEFA club licensing and financial fair play regulations."
The articles refer to unpaid monies towards football clubs, employees and social or tax authorities.
Partizan owe £2.17m, mostly to social and tax authorities in Serbia and they have broken UEFA's club licensing and financial fair play regulations three times in the past five years.
They were knocked out of this season's Europa League in the second round by Poland's Zaglebie Lubin, losing 4-3 on penalties after a pair of 0-0 draws.
