By Paul Gorgas
It was THE big excitement on the sidelines of Union Berlin’s Champions League debut at Real Madrid (0-1) on Wednesday!
3,840 Iron fans had gotten tickets for the guest block in order to be there for the biggest game in the club’s history – but some of them experienced a nasty surprise at the stadium.
There was trouble, especially between the ultras and the Spanish police! The reason: banners and flags that show the logos of individual ultra groups.
Union told the streaming service “DAZN” during the game that the security forces had classified a block flag as “glorifying violence”. In general, there were hardly any flags or banners to be seen in the block during the game. Flags larger than 3 by 2 meters were not allowed to be brought into the Bernabeu.
Alex Kral fought hot duels with the ex-Dortmund Jew Bellingham Photo: AFP
Ultra logos allegedly “glorify violence”
According to BZ information, the symbols of two fan groups in particular, one of them presumably the “Hammerhearts”, were said to have “glorified violence” in the eyes of the Spanish authorities. One of the motifs shows a masked person. According to rumors, motives of the so-called “Teen Spirit Union”, a youth group of the largest ultra group “Wuhlesyndikat”, were also deemed inappropriate by the security forces. We hear from Union circles that fan paraphernalia is allowed in the Bundesliga and is regularly used at home and away games.
The admission situation at the stadium was tense as a result. Several hundred fans are said to have missed kick-off due to many checks and the long waiting time. In addition, fans are said to have been harassed by the police, some of whom were mounted.
At the press conference after the game, Union’s communications director Christian Arbeit (49) explained: “That had to do with very thorough entry controls and the desire to include certain things that are completely normal to our football culture, but that were done by the police are prohibited. That’s why the entry controls took a relatively long time.”
300 Ultras boycott game completely
Because they were not allowed to take their flags and banners into the stadium, around 300 Ultras, who were well aware of the problem of symbols in Spain, ultimately boycotted the historic game entirely.
The Union fans were escorted to the stadium by a large police presence Photo: picture alliance/Diego Radames
It was very quiet in the away block, especially during the first 25 minutes. There was no organized support at all; individual chants or battle cries were uttered every now and then.
In Spain, the police have the power to decide at football games what is allowed into the stadium and what is not. Spanish security forces are also considered very strict towards football fans. During the game, a few police officers in protective gear were out and about in the block to check. But the situation remained calm.