Rangers were last night fined £8280 for the behaviour of their supporters during the UEFA Cup tie against Osasuna, but the Spanish club must pay almost four times that amount as punishment for the crowd disturbances in Pamplona.

UEFA's control and disciplinary body found Osasuna guilty of deficiencies in organisation and segregation, handing down a fine of £31,050 after clashes between Spanish police and a section of Rangers fans inside the Estadio Reyno de Navarra on March 14.

European football's governing body listened closely to the intensive lobbying undertaken by the Ibrox club in the weeks since the game. An extensive dossier, featuring testimonials from around 75 injured supporters, was submitted as part of their case. The Herald understands that the UEFA disciplinary inspector was convinced Osasuna should be held accountable for gross lapses in security and ticketing arrangements, as well as the fact that alcohol was readily available in the stadium environs.

It's believed the fine imposed on Rangers relates mostly to the discriminatory chanting at the end of the game, which was subsequently posted on the YouTube website. The club had initially feared much heavier punishment, particularly after being fined £13,300 for a similar offence against Villarreal last season, but UEFA are understood to have been swayed by the self-policing drive launched by Rangers in the aftermath of the Osasuna tie.

In April, David Murray, the Ibrox chairman, delivered his strongest warning yet about the future consequences of any sectarian behaviour. The measures which were then implemented for their remaining away games in the league, in conjunction with supporters' organisations, will be reviewed at the end of the season. Rangers will then decide whether or not to accept ticket allocations for future away matches in Europe.

"The club understands that the penalty reflects mainly discriminatory singing at the end of the match," said a statement from Rangers. "However, we believe that, in coming to their decision, UEFA has acknowledged the great efforts the club and our supporters have made in tackling sectarianism with measures including the fans' self-policing drive.

"We also understand UEFA has listened carefully to the very strong case the club and its supporters made in relation to the treatment of fans at the match and the woeful segregation arrangements. The club is grateful to our supporters for their co-operation in putting together our case."

UEFA explained the decision in a short report on its website. "Osasuna have been fined 45,000 euros for serious deficiencies in the organisation of the game on March 14, as well as for the improper conduct of their supporters. Rangers, meanwhile, have been ordered to pay 12,000 euros for the latter offence involving visiting fans of the Scottish team."

Both clubs have been given three days to appeal, but it's unlikely Rangers will follow that route once they receive the written reasons for the ruling.

The Ibrox club raised security concerns in the build-up to the tie, with Laurence Macintye, their head of security, submitting a report to UEFA. The governing body then issued a letter to Osasuna from its own security chief, Marc Timmer, which stated the Spaniards were responsible for "ensuring the safety and security of all involved before, during and after the match".

As well as the official 1400 allocation, it's estimated that an additional 2000 Rangers fans, including some suspended or banned indefinitely by the club, were able to gain access to the ground. Some tickets were put on sale by Osasuna on the day of the match while others were offered on the black market by home fans.

Tension began as Rangers fans were shepherded towards the ground, with some supporters claiming excessive force was used by the Spanish police. Inside, they were grouped into three sections, with the worst trouble witnessed during the second half when police drew batons to restore order. Martin Bain, the Ibrox chief executive, later claimed the club's fans had been subjected to "heavy- handed intimidation".