Seville (AP) – Five fans of Eintracht Frankfurt were arrested hours before the Europa League final of the Bundesliga soccer club against Glasgow Rangers in Seville.
According to the police, they were part of a group of 200 German supporters who are said to have attacked Scottish fans near the cathedral in the center of the southern Spanish city on Wednesday night. On Wednesday, the police confirmed reports from the Spanish media on request. The German fans are said to have thrown flares, tables and bottles at the officials. They are therefore accused of disturbing public order and aggression.
The police chief in charge, Juan Carlos Castro, had warned of “serious problems” shortly before the first riots on Tuesday. Around 150,000 fans are expected in Seville for the final on Wednesday evening (9 p.m. / RTL), 100,000 from Scotland and 50,000 from Germany. “This is outrageous,” said Castro. “That’s too many people with too much alcohol, most of them without a ticket to the game. And there are a lot of construction sites in the city. All of this can lead to serious problems.” 5,500 security forces will be deployed for the finale. Castro spoke of the “most difficult game in recent years” in the Andalusian metropolis.
Each club received a contingent of 10,000 tickets for the final. The Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán only offers space for about 44,000 spectators. Most of the fans who have traveled from Germany and Scotland will therefore follow the final in front of large screens in fan zones and in the Cartuja Stadium or in pubs.