Uefa will bow to a storm of protest and scrap a decision to switch Liverpool's Champions League tie from Madrid next week.
European football's governing body had told Atletico Madrid their next two home games in the competition must be played 180 miles from their Vicente Calderon Stadium as a punishment for racist chanting.
But the ruling came after thousands of Reds fans had paid out for flights to the Spanish capital and booked hotels for Wednesday's match.
And late last night sources close to UEFA confirmed the ban will be delayed because it was imposed too late to make sensible alternative arrangements, particularly when it came to key security issues.
In a day of frantic negotiation, UEFA at first refused to budge, insisting the abuse aimed at Marseille players during a Champions League match at Atletico on October 1 warranted drastic action.
That effectively meant travelling fans might have only 24 hours to change plans.
Atletico's appeal was due to be heard on Sunday, with a decision on an alternative venue possibly being delayed until Monday.
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez, Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe and the FAall appealed for the ban on Atletico to start after the Reds' visit.
They all argued Liverpool fans would be hit hardest by being left out of pocket.
Atletico yesterday argued it was simply too late to make alternative arrangements to move the game 300km from Madrid because they would not be able to get adequate policing and security.
It seems UEFA have taken all the protests on board and are willing to delay the punishment. That is likely to be confirmed this morning.
Liverpool's role appears to have been the key to the decision.
Many in UEFA expected them to back the ban because it looked likely to make their visit easier without a hostile home crowd behind Atletico.
But despite that, Liverpool argued there was no time for their fans - with up to 5,000 travelling - to make alternative arrangements and without major financial loss.
Uefa also fined Atletico £120,000 for the racist abuse and banished their coach Javier Aquirre to the stands for two games for repeatedly swearing at Marseille midfielder Mathieu Valbuena.
That means he will not be in the dug-out against Liverpool.
The French club's team bus was also attacked on the way to the airport.
The ban will begin in two weeks' time when PSV Eindhoven are the visitors. It will be Atletico's final group game at home, so the punishment would carry over to the knockout stage should they get that far.
A repeat of the incident within the next five years would trigger a one-game home ban Benitez said: "Our supporters follow us all over Europe at great expense. That's why we were so worried by this ruling.
European football's governing body had told Atletico Madrid their next two home games in the competition must be played 180 miles from their Vicente Calderon Stadium as a punishment for racist chanting.
But the ruling came after thousands of Reds fans had paid out for flights to the Spanish capital and booked hotels for Wednesday's match.
And late last night sources close to UEFA confirmed the ban will be delayed because it was imposed too late to make sensible alternative arrangements, particularly when it came to key security issues.
In a day of frantic negotiation, UEFA at first refused to budge, insisting the abuse aimed at Marseille players during a Champions League match at Atletico on October 1 warranted drastic action.
That effectively meant travelling fans might have only 24 hours to change plans.
Atletico's appeal was due to be heard on Sunday, with a decision on an alternative venue possibly being delayed until Monday.
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez, Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe and the FAall appealed for the ban on Atletico to start after the Reds' visit.
They all argued Liverpool fans would be hit hardest by being left out of pocket.
Atletico yesterday argued it was simply too late to make alternative arrangements to move the game 300km from Madrid because they would not be able to get adequate policing and security.
It seems UEFA have taken all the protests on board and are willing to delay the punishment. That is likely to be confirmed this morning.
Liverpool's role appears to have been the key to the decision.
Many in UEFA expected them to back the ban because it looked likely to make their visit easier without a hostile home crowd behind Atletico.
But despite that, Liverpool argued there was no time for their fans - with up to 5,000 travelling - to make alternative arrangements and without major financial loss.
Uefa also fined Atletico £120,000 for the racist abuse and banished their coach Javier Aquirre to the stands for two games for repeatedly swearing at Marseille midfielder Mathieu Valbuena.
That means he will not be in the dug-out against Liverpool.
The French club's team bus was also attacked on the way to the airport.
The ban will begin in two weeks' time when PSV Eindhoven are the visitors. It will be Atletico's final group game at home, so the punishment would carry over to the knockout stage should they get that far.
A repeat of the incident within the next five years would trigger a one-game home ban Benitez said: "Our supporters follow us all over Europe at great expense. That's why we were so worried by this ruling.
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