UEFA warns Porto may yet be banned from Champions League

By Mike Collett

MONACO (Reuters) - Porto, who were allowed to compete in this season's Champions League on appeal, may yet be banned from the competition in the future, UEFA general secretary David Taylor warned the club on Thursday.

European soccer's ruling body originally banned the Portuguese champions after they were stripped of six domestic league points by the Portuguese football authorities for allegedly bribing referees during the 2003-04 season.

The scandal only came to light last season and Porto were included in this season's draw here on Thursday after being reinstated by UEFA's appeals body.

Taylor, however, told reporters at a briefing on Thursday: "While Porto are in Thursday's draw, there are still matters being considered and investigated by UEFA's disciplinary committee.

"We have not ruled out the possibility that sanctions could yet be applied that would affect their future participation in the competition."

UEFA president Michel Platini added: "This is a very complicated case, but we are against any form of cheating and we will fight it. We have to abide by our procedures, but if it is proved that Porto cheated then they will have to be sanctioned."

Porto, who won the Champions League under former coach Jose Mourinho in 2004, won the Portuguese League for the third successive season last season, finishing 14 points clear of Sporting Lisbon.

In July, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected an appeal by Portuguese clubs Benfica and Vitoria Guimaraes to have Porto banned from this season's competition.

(Editing by Trevor Huggins)