![\"LONDON,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/arsenal-fc-v-sporting-clube-de-portugal-uefa-champions-league-2025-26-quarter-final-second-leg-1-1-1.jpeg\" "\\"Arsenal")
Photo by Mike Hewitt\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Arsenal have been warned by UEFA over a delayed kick-off in their Champions League tie with Sporting CP, but they have avoided a fine, unlike Real Madrid.Photo by Mike Hewitt\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
Arsenal and Mikel Arteta have been given a formal written warning after UEFA\u2019s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body recorded a late kick-off offence in the quarter-final. <\/p>\n
UEFA\u2019s view is that Arsenal were not ready to start on the referee\u2019s whistle and so breached the competition\u2019s timing rules.<\/p>\n
There is no financial penalty attached on this occasion, which matters, but only up to a point. The warning still places Arsenal on notice and makes clear that UEFA expect the club\u2019s pre-match routine to be tightened, from dressing-room timings to tunnel procedures.<\/p>\n
This is part of a wider effort to clamp down on late starts, particularly in major televised knockout ties, where any delay disrupts tightly controlled broadcast schedules and commercial windows. <\/p>\n
![\"LONDON,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/arsenal-fc-v-sporting-clube-de-portugal-uefa-champions-league-2025-26-quarter-final-second-leg-2-1-1.jpeg\" "\\"Arsenal")
Photo by Mike Hewitt\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
Real Madrid, however, have been fined for similar breaches. <\/p>\n
Madrid were hit with a \u20ac20,000 penalty for a delayed kick-off in their quarter-final first leg against Bayern Munich, and had previously been fined \u20ac40,000, alongside Benfica, for the same type of offence in a group-stage game at Est\u00e1dio da Luz. <\/p>\n
In both instances, UEFA also issued formal warnings to the head coach, underlining that repeat offences can lead to tougher personal sanctions as well as financial ones.<\/p>\n
The difference, according to the source material, is that Madrid are being treated as repeat offenders, whereas Arsenal are being handled as a first or lower-level case in this instance, at least. <\/p>\n
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