Portugal's champion Porto has been banned from European competitions for a period of one year over a match-fixing scandal, UEFA says.

"The UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body has decided FC Porto will not be admitted to the 2008/09 UEFA Champions League after studying a matter involving alleged bribery of referees in Portuguese domestic matches," UEFA said in a statement Wednesday.

Last month, the Portuguese club was found guilty by the country's league of fixing two league matches in 2003/04, when newly appointed Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho was in charge of Porto.

As a result, the club has been fined some $230,000 and Porto president Jorge Pinto da Costa is suspended for two years.

Porto said in a statement on Wednesday that it intends to appeal the ban.

The Dragons won this season's league by a 20-point margin over rival Sporting Lisbon.

MD/RE