Tottenham Hotspur charged by UEFA over pitch invasions

London: Tottenham Hotspur have been charged by UEFA after their Europa League game against Partizan Belgrade on Thursday was suspended for several minutes following three separate pitch invasions which appeared to be part of an online prank.

European soccer`s governing body said in a statement on Friday that disciplinary proceedings had been opened and the case would be dealt with on Dec. 11.

Ukrainian referee Yevhen Aranovskiy took the players off the field after 38 minutes of the Group C game with the teams drawing 0-0. The players returned to the White Hart Lane pitch about 10 minutes later and Spurs won the match 1-0.

Police arrested the three pitch invaders who appeared to be wearing identical branded T-shirts, bearing the logo of a headphone manufacturer, which later condemned on Twitter what had happened.

A video posted online shows three men talking about invading the pitch ahead of the match.

"(For) all the people that love the game it was very disappointing, a very strange situation," Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino told reporters.

Legia Warsaw have also had disciplinary proceedings opened against them and have been charged with "racist behaviour" during their Europa League game against Belgian side Lokeren.