By Can Erozden
ANKARA (AA) - Spartak Moscow on Monday reluctantly exited the 2021-22 UEFA Europa League after FIFA and UEFA suspended Russian clubs and national teams from international football competitions due to the Russia-Ukraine war.
"Spartak excluded from the 2021/22 Europa League," the Russian club said in a statement.
"This means that our round of 16 ties against RB Leipzig will not go ahead as planned," it added, referring to matches that had been scheduled for March 10 and 17.
The Russian team said that they were expecting it but criticized UEFA and FIFA, calling their decision "extremely upsetting."
"We believe that sport, even in the most difficult times, should aim to build bridges, and not burn them," Spartak Moscow said, adding that the club does not agree with this decision but must obey it.
"All Russian clubs and national teams are suspended from participation in both FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice," the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) said in a statement on Monday.
The decision also affects the Russian men's and women's national teams.
Under these circumstances, Russia will be ineligible to play against Poland in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification playoffs on March 24.
That means Russia will be automatically eliminated from the qualifiers.
Separately, in women's football, Russia cannot join the UEFA EURO 2022 to be held in England on July 6-31 if UEFA does not reverse Monday's decision.
Moscow’s war on Ukraine entered its fifth day on Monday, with the latest reports indicating that Russian troops were heading toward the capital, Kyiv.
The war has been met by outrage from the international community, with the EU, UK, Japan, and US implementing a range of economic sanctions on Russia.
At least 102 civilians have so far been killed in Ukraine and more than 500,000 others have fled the country, according to UN officials.
Ukraine says more than 350 civilians have been killed and over 1,600 injured during attacks by Russian forces.