PAOK Salonika barred from UEFA Cup

Greek club PAOK Salonika have been barred from taking part in next season's UEFA Cup after UEFA ruled that the necessary financial guarantees had been submitted too late.

The announcement was made on the website of EPO, Greece's soccer federation, which last week gave the club the green light to play in the competition after it received a six-million-euro guarantee from the bank.

PAOK declined to comment on the decision but a UEFA press spokesman said there was no recourse to an appeal.

"This was an administrative matter and not a disciplinary one. In such cases there is no appeal system at UEFA," he said.

"If PAOK wants to appeal then it must go through the CAS."

Atromitos, who finished one place below PAOK, will now play in the UEFA Cup and Larissa in the Intertoto Cup.