MADRID, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- European football
governing body UEFA decided on Thursday that Atletico Madrid can after all play
next week's Champions League tie against Liverpool in the Vicente Calderon
stadium.
Tuesday had seen UEFA slap a three-game home ban on
Atletico following crowd incidents in the match against Olympique Marseilles two
weeks ago.
Atletico vowed to appeal against the decision, which
they considered to have been taken over incidents beyond their control.
Liverpool meanwhile also made their annoyance clear, arguing that most of their
supporters had already bought tickets and made arrangements to travel to Madrid.
UEFA has taken these appeals into account and decided
that the game can now take place in the Calderon next Wednesday, although it
does not mean that Atletico will escape a ban.
"After immediate consideration of the request for
suspension, and having considered in particular the organizational and
logistical difficulties related to relocating the Club Atletico de Madrid vs
Liverpool FC match to another venue at short notice, the chairman of the Appeals
Body has decided to grant the request for suspension of the sanctions," reads
the statement on the official UEFA website.
Unfortunately former Atletico striker Fernando Torres
will not be able to take part in the game. Torres, now with Liverpool, tore a
hamstring during Spain's World Cup qualifying game in Belgium on Wednesday night
and will miss the game through injury.