UEFA probes Israeli team Maccabi Haifa's match in Malta after Palestine chant

UEFA on Wednesday opened disciplinary proceedings after Israeli team Maccabi Haifa's Champions League qualifier against Hamrun Spartans in Malta was disrupted following chants of "Palestine, Palestine" by local fans.

On Tuesday night, with the visitors two goals up, tensions rose as Maccabi fans launched flares onto the pitch in the Centenary Stadium in Ta' Qali in Malta in response to the Maltese supporters' chants.

The game had to be stopped for 30 minutes.

UEFA, the governing body of European football charged both clubs over "throwing of objects" and "crowd disturbance" by their fans. Maccabi faced additional charges over "lighting of fireworks" and "acts of damage".

Hamrun Spartans vs Maccabi Haifa, Champions League Qualifiers. Absolutely violent behaviour by Israeli ultras. They even threw flares at Maltese families with kids. Match interrupted. Crazy pic.twitter.com/H00f9d7tIF

— Martin Mazur (@martinmazur) July 11, 2023

Five Israeli supporters were arrested, according to The Times of Israel.

Malta Today reported that two pleaded guilty on Wednesday in a local magistrates court.

It said police had told the court the two men had been arrested after throwing flares and that when they were searched, three more flares were found.

The two men were sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for three years and each fined 300 euros ($334).

Earlier, police said that fans searched at the entry to the stadium were found to be smuggling flares in their underwear.

Maccabi won the match 4-0. The second leg is scheduled for July 18 in Israel.