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Spanish police boost security ahead of Bayern-Real Madrid match

Some 1,800 police officers will be deployed to the streets of the Spanish capital for Real Madrid's Champions League match against Bayern Munich on Tuesday night, city hall said.

Spanish police boost security ahead of Bayern-Real Madrid match
Police car patrols next to Bayern Munich's supporters gathered at the Plaza del Sol. Photo: AFP

The quarter-final second leg, which was declared “high risk” as is common for high profile Champions League games, comes after several European ties have been marred by violence.

“Nearly 1,800 officers will ensure that the match is held normally and that security is reinforced in and outside the stadium,” Madrid city hall said in a statement.

“The police presence will also be reinforced in tourist areas of the capital,” it added.

There were clashes last week in the heart of Madrid between Leicester City supporters and police before the English side's Champions League quarter-final at Atletico Madrid.

Fans claimed police used tear gas and rubber bullets against them as tensions boiled over in Spain and accused the authorities of being over zealous.

About 1,000 police officers had been deployed in and around Atletico Madrid Vicente Calderon stadium for Leicester's 1-0 first leg defeat.    

Three explosions hit the Borussia Dortmund team bus last Tuesday, injuring the club's Spanish defender Marc Bartra, ahead of its Champions League quarter-final, first-leg, against Monaco in Dortmund.

Turkish fans clashed with security forces in Lyon ahead of Thursday's Europa League quarter-final at Parc OL and left a steward injured.   

Some 4,200 Bayern Munich fans are expected to attend the match on Tuesday at Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu stadium, which seats around 79,000 fans.

RACISM

VIDEO: Spain’s La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

Spain's La Liga on Monday said it was reviewing a video of a child making racist insults towards Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during the 2-2 draw with Valencia at the weekend.

VIDEO: Spain's La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

“We’re in the process of studying and analysing the facts from a legal standpoint to see what we can and should do,” La Liga sources said.

In a video published by a journalist for ESPN Brasil, and picked up by Spanish media, a boy sitting in a woman’s lap can be heard calling Vinicius a “monkey”.

The Brazilian scored twice for Madrid as his team recovered from two goals down at Mestalla on Saturday.

Vinicius raised his fist in a “Black Power” salute after the first of his two goals at a ground where he was racially abused last season. Valencia subsequently banned three people from the stadium for life.

The 23-year-old has become a symbol of the fight against discrimination in Spanish football after suffering racist abuse on many occasions, and he was jeered repeatedly by home supporters on Saturday.

Jude Bellingham was sent off after the final whistle against Valencia for protesting after the referee blew the final whistle right before the England midfielder headed home what he thought was the winning goal.

READ ALSO: Football star Vinicius highlights racist behaviour from Spanish fans

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