Board spokesman Axel Hellmann has criticized the way Eintracht Frankfurt fans are treated around the Champions League away game at Sporting Lisbon.
“Our fans were harassed a bit on the way to the stadium, we will have to work through that,” said the 51-year-old after reaching the round of 16 in the premier class. The fan march had been so lengthened by the police that around 800 SGE fans missed the kick-off.
Over 10,000 Hessian supporters traveled to the Portuguese capital, only around a third of them were able to watch the 2-1 (0-1) live at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.
Eintracht Frankfurt boss Axel Hellmann: “The stadium wasn’t full, that saddens me”
“The stadium wasn’t full, that saddens me,” said Hellmann: “I’m sure we would regulate it differently. I have a different idea of how a football festival like this is allowed.”
More than 10,000 seats remained empty in the arena on Tuesday evening, but it was only possible to buy a ticket in the home areas as a Sporting member. “It’s just not European, how I would like it to be treated with football fans,” said Hellmann: “The way you call into the forest, it also echoes out.”
He “saw no signs at all in the city that a problematic game was imminent from a fan point of view,” he explained: “My wish in such matters would be to deal with it more openly and allow more.” Ultimately, given the positive outcome of the game, he was “glad that there is something like karma”.