Dozens of Eintracht Frankfurt and Glasgow Rangers fans clashed just before the Europa League final in Seville, southern Spain.
The local newspaper “Dario de Sevilla” reported that around 6:00 pm, they threw chairs from street cafes, bottles and other objects at each other in the city centre.
One video showed how fights broke out and people lying on the ground were kicked. Initially nothing was known about the arrest. The opposing factions withdrew when the police arrived.
Five Eintracht fans arrested
Earlier in the day five Eintracht fans were arrested. According to police, they were part of a group of 200 German supporters who are said to have attacked Scottish fans near the cathedral in the city center during the night. Upon request, the police confirmed reports from the Spanish media.
German fans are said to have thrown flares, tables and bottles at the officers. So they are accused of disturbing public order and aggression.
Police warns of ‘serious problem’
Police Chief Juan Carlos Castro warned of “serious problems” shortly before these first riots. About 150,000 fans were expected to attend the final in Seville, 100,000 from Scotland and 50,000 from Germany.
“It’s outrageous,” Castro said. “It’s a lot of people with a lot of alcohol, most of them without tickets to the game. And there are too many construction sites in the city. All of this can cause serious problems.” 5,500 security forces were deployed for the finale. Castro spoke of the “toughest game in recent years” in the Andalusian metropolis.
Each club received a troop of 10,000 tickets for the final. The Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán only offers space for about 44,000 spectators. Most fans traveling from Germany and Scotland followed the finals in the final zone and in front of big screens at Cartuja Stadium or pubs.
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