MOSCOW, October 11, 2014 (AFP) – Russia’s reigning champions CSKA Moscow issued an appeal to the UEFA disciplinary panel against an order to to play their next five European matches behind closed doors, the club announced Saturday.

“We’ve sent an appeal to the UEFA board of appeal,” CSKA general manager Roman Babayev told the press.

“In case they dismiss our appeal we’re ready to address our complaint to the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Lausanne.”

Last week UEFA ordered CSKA Moscow to play their next three European home matches behind closed doors and slapped them with a fine of 200,000 euros (157,000 pounds, $250,313) for the racist behaviour of their supporters.

The Russian champions were also banned from selling tickets to their supporters for their next two Champions League away matches.

The punishments followed the incidents at CSKA’s 5-1 Champions League Group E defeat against Roma in Italy on September 17, when a number of arrests of their fans were made inside and outside the Stadio Olimpico.

CSKA have already played in an empty stadium during last week’s 1-0 home defeat against Bayern Munich as a punishment carried over from last season.

Last season, UEFA ordered the partial closure of their home venue following racist chants aimed at Manchester City’s Yaya Toure during a Champions League group match between the clubs.

UEFA later ordered the fan ban to apply to the whole stadium after further offences in the match between CSKA and Czech outfit Viktoria Pilsen.