Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

FOOTBALL

Seville on alert after Frankfurt ultras attack Rangers fans

Five Eintracht Frankfurt fans were arrested in Seville on Tuesday night after an attack launched on Rangers supporters ahead of the teams' Europa League final on Wednesday.

Published: 18 May 2022 12:25 CEST
Seville on alert after Frankfurt ultras attack Rangers fans
Up to 100,000 Rangers fans and at least 60,000 Frankfurt supporters are expected to have followed their teams to the final, raising concerns about security. (Photo by CRISTINA QUICLER / AFP)

Several police vans were called at around midnight to neutralise ugly scenes in the centre of the Spanish city where glasses, flares and tables were being thrown.

There were no serious injuries, a police statement confirmed on Wednesday, although one Rangers fan sustained a head injury.

The statement said: “The events took place around midnight last night, when there was a massive fight in front of the Cathedral of Seville.

“The members of the Police Intervention Units that were located in the Plaza de San Francisco had to intervene quickly to break up an incident caused by a group of 200 Eintracht Frankfurt fans who were attacking Glasgow Rangers supporters.”

After seeing police arriving, Frankfurt fans “fled towards Paseo Colón, beating Rangers supporters as they fled and confronting police officers who were trying to prevent the Scottish supporters from attacking.

“The police proceeded to arrest four German fans in the vicinity of Paseo de Colón and another German supporter in Puerta de Jérez.”

Estimates suggest Seville will increase its population by a quarter on Wednesday as huge numbers of fans arrive in the city for the final at Sevilla’s Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán.

Up to 100,000 Rangers fans and at least 60,000 Frankfurt supporters are expected to have followed their teams to the final, raising concerns about security.

Frankfurt fans clashed with West Ham fans in Seville when the former were playing Real Betis and the latter Sevilla in March.

Rangers’ last European final the 2008 UEFA Cup against Zenit St Petersburg in Manchester was marred by violence as 39 people were arrested and riot police called in.

Police hope to separate fans without tickets for the match on Wednesday night.

Rangers fans not attending the game will be able to watch in a fan zone at La Cartuja stadium, located on the outskirts of Seville and nine kilometres from the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán.

Ticketless Frankfurt supporters will be urged to congregate at the Prado de San Sebastián, closer to the centre but six kilometres away from La Cartuja.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

CORRUPTION

Spanish govt to ‘oversee’ scandal-hit football federation

The Spanish government decided Thursday to create a commission to 'oversee' the country's scandal-hit football federation (RFEF) and try to pull it out of crisis.

Published: 25 April 2024 16:22 CEST
Spanish govt to 'oversee' scandal-hit football federation

“The Spanish government adopted this decision to redress the serious situation of the RFEF so that the organisation could enter a stage of renewal in a stable climate,” the National Sports Council (CSD), an agency dependent on the Ministry of Sports, announced.

Spain are set to host the 2030 World Cup along with Portugal and Morocco, but in recent months the RFEF has lurched from one embarrassment to another.

The CSD said it will create a “commission of supervision, standardisation and representation” led by “independent personalities” which will “oversee the RFEF during the coming months in response to the federation’s crisis and in defence of Spain’s general interests”.

According to the Spanish press, former Spain coach and 2010 World Cup winner Vicente del Bosque could be one of the members of this commission.

Former RFEF president Luis Rubiales resigned in disgrace last September after his forcible kiss on the lips of Women’s World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso and is now being investigated in a separate corruption probe.

The only candidate to replace Rubiales, Pedro Rocha, is also being investigated, while a report from the country’s leading sports court said the RFEF had taken decisions “beyond its remit”.

One such decision was the renewal of Spain coach Luis de la Fuente’s contract in February.

It was the sport court’s report that led to Thursday’s CSD decision to oversee the federation.

Elections for the RFEF presidency are currently scheduled for May 6th.

The Secretary of State for Sport and CSD president, José Manuel Uribes, on Thursday urged the RFEF “to limit its functions to the mere ordinary administration of the entity, as required by law”.

‘Unacceptable situation’

The CSD will meet again next Tuesday to analyse the situation and make a ruling, if necessary, on the corruption case opened by the sports court against Rocha, who took over from Rubiales on an interim basis.

In a year when RFEF will be responsible for Spain’s teams at the European Championship and the Olympic Games, the Spanish government is aiming “to restore the reputation, the good name and the image of Spanish football and complete the electoral process with a renewed assembly for the 2024-2028 period,” said Uribes in the CSD statement.

“We have to look after what we have in the future, the immediate future, which is the planning of the World Cup,” Uribes said in an appearance at Spain’s Congress of Deputies.

He pledged that the government will do everything to sort out the “unacceptable situation” at the RFEF.

Uribes also said he was “in constant communication with FIFA” regarding the RFEF.

“The CSD is going to guarantee that Spanish football maintains its excellence at the sporting level and also stands out as exemplary at the institutional level,” Uribes insisted on Thursday.

SHOW COMMENTS