Bayern Munich filed suit Wednesday against the head of UEFA's disciplinary service and another official, after a magazine report claimed the duo were behind unsubstantiated corruption allegations against the club.
Bayern said it filed a criminal complaint with Munich prosecutors against Peter Limacher and fellow UEFA employee Robin Boksic, following the allegations in a report in Germany's Stern magazine.
Stern reported on its website that Boksic was the source of 2008 allegations that Russian crime bosses manipulated a UEFA Cup match between Bayern and Zenit St. Petersburg. German prosecutors said at the time they had no evidence to start an investigation.
Bayern said the magazine report indicates that the two officials discredited clubs "including FC Bayern Munich, with gross falsehoods and defamatory statements."
Bayern said the two officals "must be severely penalized." The club called for a statement from UEFA President Michel Platini and said it "expects immediate action with regard to the continued employment of Peter Limacher and Robin Boksic."
There was no immediate comment from UEFA.
Stern also reported that World Cup organizer FIFA had questioned the quality and accuracy of Boksic's investigative work when he was involved in anti-corruption operations during the tournament in South Africa.
"As a matter of principle FIFA does not discuss issues of security publicly," football's world governing body said in a statement to The Associated Press. "However, FIFA takes all initiatives available to it to protect the integrity of the game."
FIFA said it would not comment on legal action between UEFA and Bayern.
In the UEFA Cup semifinal match at the heart of the case, Bayern lost 4-0 away to Zenit in May 2008 after the sides drew the first-leg 1-1 in Germany.
Munich prosecutors were contacted several months later by a Spanish judge who was investigating Russian mobsters based in Spain, whom the judge suspected of involvement in fixing the return match in St. Petersburg.
