ESPNsoccernet: Europe

Ligue 1 side Bastia has been hit with a three-game stadium ban by the French league in response to a series of incidents involving their fans during recent matches.

The Corsican club were also handed a fine of 30,000 euros ($40,000) and handed a suspended two-point deduction, the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) confirmed in a statement on its official website.

Bastia was hit with a two-match stadium ban after an assistant referee was hit by a missile during the Coupe de la Ligue defeat to Lille on Nov. 28.

A further one-game ban was imposed after fans of the club threw fireworks outside their stadium during a 2-1 defeat to Marseille on Dec. 12 -- a game which was contested behind closed doors because of incidents in a match against Ajaccio in October.

One match of this latest ban has already been served as their 4-2 win over Nancy on Dec. 22 was played in Gueugnon pending the outcome of the LFP investigation.

Bastia will now also meet Rennes and Evian at neutral venues on Jan. 20 and Feb. 2 respectively.

Bastia reacted with dismay to today's LFP ruling, branding it "unique in the history of the championship", and said that their formal response would be given to the media next week.

"Sporting Club de Bastia takes note of this new penalty, which is very severe," read a statement on club website sc-bastia.net. "A two-match suspension and a suspended two-point deduction for a reckless and irresponsible act against Lille is a big price to pay and unique in the history of the championship.

"For now, the priority is to prepare our records and our procedures, and it is only after this work that the club will react officially early next week in the form of a press conference."