Luis Garcia has criticised Uefa's decision to hit Atletico Madrid with a three-match stadium ban.
Atletico forward criticises Uefa
Luis Garcia has criticised Uefa's decision to hit Atletico Madrid with a three-match stadium ban.
Atletico must play their next two UEFA Champions League home games at a neutral venue after crowd trouble and racist abuse marred their win over Marseille earlier this month.
The third match ban will only be invoked if there is a repeat of crowd trouble or racist chanting within the next five years.
Garcia is upset that Atletico will not be able to face Liverpool or PSV Eindhoven at the Vicente Calderon and believes the punishment is 'excessive'.
The forward, who joined Atletico from Liverpool last summer, told his club's
official website: "There will be complications after a punishment like this, I'm sure.
"The club and the fans will have a lot of trouble seeing the game against Liverpool if the punishment is confirmed. We have to accept it, but I think it's something that should be looked at carefully."
The 30-year-old playmaker has insisted that Marseille's fans should also be held responsible for the events that unfolded during the Champions League clash.
He explained: "Those of us who were on the pitch were worried because we knew something could happen, even that the game might not be played, but Atletico Madrid and their fans didn't do anything.
"It was the away fans. For all these reasons it seems like an excessive punishment to me."
Misleading
Atletico, who have also been fined £120,000 and told that coach Javier Aguirre is banned for the home and away matches against Liverpool, have until midday on Friday to appeal.
Garcia continued: "You have to keep in mind that they [Atletico fans] have their tickets, the Liverpool fans have even arranged their trips to Madrid."
England announced on Tuesday that they will refuse to play in Madrid when they take on Spain in a friendly in February - because of past racist incidents.
But Garcia insists the problem of racism in Spain is being overstated.
He added: "I was in England for three years and the truth is I don't think the fans of Spanish clubs are so bad or troublesome.
"I think there is a lot of misleading information about this and we should do our bit to deny it."
