France bans all visiting team fans from soccer matches in wake of Paris attacks (VIDEO)

French authorities have extended an extra measure of security by banning fans of visiting teams from attending soccer matches in the wake of the Paris attacks.

The French football league said all professional matches this weekend all across the country will be played without visiting fans in accordance with a decision by Interior Ministry.

Officials said the measure will be implemented during Champions League, Europa League, French league and French Cup matches until mid-December "because of a lack of availability of security forces under the emergency state" as well as due to a major climate change meeting in Paris from November 30th to December 11th. 

Away fans banned from soccer matches in France https://t.co/WMv5i8ua1U (News) #brisbane #qld

— Brisbane News (@BrissieLiveNews) November 26, 2015

But the lack of support didn't seem to bother the visiting Belgium's Gent team as the players still celebrated in front of the empty stands where their fans would have been seated Tuesday night.

Geweldig beeld. Spelers @KAAGent lopen vierend naar het lege uitvak. #OlyGnt pic.twitter.com/C3PEKjI1FD

— Jonas Van De Veire (@Jonasvdv_) November 24, 2015

Security checks including metal detectors, bag searches and body pat-downs have been reinforced at stadiums after ISIS affiliated terrorists targeted France's national stadium as well as bars, restaurants and a concert hall in Paris, killing 130 people and wounding hundreds two weeks ago.

Less people in the stands will make that task a little easier for now.

Diego Costa mooned by fan during penalty kick, then suffers nasty leg injury (VIDEO/PHOTOS)

To say Diego Costa's Sunday on the pitch wasn't all it was cracked up to be depends on how you look at it.

First, the Atletico Madrid star was mooned by a fan as he attempted to take a penalty shot — in which he failed miserably. 

It was not clear whether the fan distracted Costa as he took the crack at goal.

Later, in the same match, the 25-year-old striker was stretchered off the pitch with a nasty looking split shin after slamming into a goalpost while scoring in the  2-0 victory against Getafe.

But, even after the rough afternoon for Costa,  there were at least two pieces of good news for Atletico — his team won and his injury was not considered serious. Costa will be fit to face Chelsea in the Champions League on April 22 and could even return in Friday's Primera Division clash with Elche after being bandaged up at the stadium.

While his teammates looked distraught as he writhed on the pitch, Atletico said less than 10 minutes after the match on Twitter: “Luckily Diego Costa only has a cut after hitting the post.”

“He’s fine, calm, a cut doesn’t do any more harm,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone added about his leading scorer.

As for that moon shot — that's something he may never recover from.

Bayern Munich faces fine after fans display controversial 'Gay Gunners' banner (PHOTO)

UEFA are expected to begin disciplinary proceedings against Bayern Munich after their fans displayed an offensive banner against Arsenal at the Allianz Arena, referring to the North London club as 'Gay Gunners'.

The homophobic banner was shown by fans during the 1-1 draw in the Champions League match Tuesday night.

The banner featured an drawing of Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil standing without pants in front of the club's signature cannon. It was unfurled ahead of kick-off.

Despite the small size of the banner, the Bundesliga champions could well find themselves on the end of a very large fine if previous incidents are anything to go by.

The chief of press for UEFA, Pedro Pinto revealed the proceedings on Twitter earlier today.            

He posted: "UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Bayern Munich for an offensive banner at last night's UCL game against Arsenal."      

The 25-year-old Ozil was withdrawn at half-time, after injuring his hamstring, before his team lost 3-1 on aggregate.

Soccer star Pepe gets gash on face stapled shut on pitch (GIF)

Real Madrid defender Pepe got his face busted open during a Champions League match today. He then got the gash on his face stapled closed right there on the pitch.

The soccer star opened a gash near his left eye during a head-to-head collision with Daniel Braaten of Copenhagen in a Champions League match on Wednesday night. With blood seeping from the cut as he lay on the grass at the Bernabeu, the defender was attended to by a team trainer.

Madrid held a slim 1-0 lead by way of Cristiano Ronaldo at the time of the Pepe-Braaten clash in the 38th minute of the first half. Rather than remove Pepe from the game for stitches, a trainer merely closed the wound closed with what else... a stapler.

Luckily, those eight years at Kinkos U didn't go to waste.

Here's the bloody proof.

FC Copenhagen to bar fans with 'non-Danish' sounding names from home games

A professional soccer team in Denmark has opened up a a discriminatory can of herring by implementing a controversial plan to bar fans with "non-Danish" sounding names from their home stadium.

FC Copenhagen are refusing to sell tickets for their upcoming Champions League home games to fans whose surnames most likely don't end in sen or gaard.

The controversial system is designed to stop trouble caused by away fans buying tickets and sitting in the home stands of Parken Stadium.

Copenhagen face Real Madrid, Juventus and Galatasaray in Group B and club officials are concerned that the limited away allocation will result in opposition fans attempting to sit in among the home crowd Danes.

Some home fans applying to attend the three matches have already been told that they cannot purchase tickets because of "security reasons" and others have had ticket purchases cancelled outright.

This has left loyal fans upset with the club's decision and facing the prospect of missing out on arguably their three biggest games of the season.

One Copenhagen fan of Afghan descent, Masoud Barid, had his ticket cancelled because of his name. He told Danish newspaper Ekstrabladet, "This is the most degrading thing I have ever experienced.

"I have no relationship to any of the three teams Copenhagen are due to play. I just want to go in and support my team."

However club secretary Daniel Rommedahl denies that Copenhagen are discriminating against their own supporters.

"Safety is always our main concern when it comes to events at Parken.," he said.

"Therefore we make every effort to ensure that fans of our guests only have access to the away section.

'We were fully aware that our decision would cause a reaction, but it was he best solution. We are aware that everyone will not agree, but discrimination it is not."

Copenhagen hosts Italian club Juventus in their first game of this season's competition on September 17, and Rommedahl insists that honest fans will still be able to attend, even if their name doesn't sound Danish.

"If a dialogue with the customer shows otherwise, the purchase will be approved," said Rommedahl.

Is prune Danish-sounding enough?

Soccer star seeks to trademark iconic heart-shaped hand gesture

British soccer star Gareth Bale is looking to cash in on his signature goal celebration of putting his fingers into the shape of a heart by trademarking the common hand gesture.

The Tottenham winger has filed an application at the Intellectual Property Office to trademark a logo depicting his heart-hands celebration with the Welshman's No. 11 in the middle.

Bale, who filed the application on March 26, appears to have his eyes on a number of merchandising opportunities, including putting the logo on "clothing, footwear and headgear."

On the application, under "list of goods," it states: "Precious metals and their alloys and goods in precious metals or coated therewith, not included in other classes; jewellery, precious stones; horological and chronometric instruments, parts and fittings for the aforesaid goods.

"Leather and imitations of leather, and goods made of these materials and not included in other classes; animal skins, hides; trunks and travelling bags; umbrellas, parasols and walking sticks; whips, harness and saddlery.

"Clothing, footwear and headgear."

The owner's name is listed as Gareth Bale, courtesy of "The Stellar Group Limited."

Poor Sharon Osbourne. Looks like someone beat her to the punch.

Balotelli tells Real Madrid team they can 'sleep with my girlfriend' if they advance

Mario Balotelli has a reputation as a scoundrel and a troublemaker but the AC Milan soccer star might have pushed the envelope way too far this time.

In a bizarre comment Ballotelli might have thought was funny, the high-scoring striker was so confident Borussia Dortmund would qualify for the Champions League final ahead of Real Madrid he was reportedly quoted as saying he would allow the Spanish side's team to sleep with his girlfriend if they managed to upset the odds and reach the last match at Wembley, according to the DailyMail.com

The unflappable Balotelli is known for his controversial ways and off-the-wall statements but this crude offer might not go over too well with his girlfriend, the beautiful Belgium model Fanny Neguesha.

In Spanish newspapers AS and Marca, the Italy forward was quoted as saying: "If Real Madrid come back in Champions League, I’ll let my girlfriend sleep with them!"

Meanwhile, Balotelli, apart from reportedly making controversial comments about his girlfriend, is lighting up Serie A since leaving Manchester for AC Milan.

The 22-year-old has scored 10 times since exiting the Premier League, including a contentious penalty in last night’s victory over Catania.

Balotelli has previously spoken about his blossoming relationship with Neguesha. In an exclusive interview with Vanity Fair, the striker said his girlfriend was the "first woman I feel comfortable with."

I hope he's comfortable sleeping on the living room sofa.

Soccer star Luis Suarez apologizes for taking bite from opponent's arm, could be banned from English leagues

A lot of weird things happen at British soccer matches: punch outs, dropping trou and men acting like hooligans — and that's just on the pitch. Now Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has given more bad behavior for soccer fans to chew on.

Suarez's apparent bite on Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic has been called "embarrassing" and many believe the talented Uruguayan is now in the "last chance saloon" as a Reds player. In plain English — that means banned from English soccer forever.

The controversial forward has once more attracted headlines for all the wrong reasons after appearing to bite Ivanovic midway through the second half of Liverpool's 2-2 draw with Chelsea, an incident the FA say they are to review.

Isn't it supposed to be having Liverpool with some fava beans and a nice Chianti?

Suarez — widely considered one of the top players in the world —is no stranger to cannibalistic tendencies.  He was given a seven-match ban for biting another player in 2010.

To make matters worse for Chelsea, the 26-year-old scored a late goal to ensure that Liverpool escaped with a 2-2 draw against the Champions League contenders.

In addition to threatening to undermine what has been a promising season for Liverpool, Suarez makes his case to win the PFA Footballer of the Year, for which he is nominated, even more difficult with his history of bizarre behavior.

Suarez later tweeted an apology for turning Ivanovic's arm into a mid-day snack.

I'm sad for what happened this afternoon, I apologize Ivanovic and all football world for my inexcusable behaviour. I'm so sorry about it!!
— Luis Suarez (@luis16suarez) April 21, 2013