Five Eintracht Frankfurt fans were arrested in Seville late on Tuesday after some 200 of the German club’s supporters attacked Rangers fans on the eve of the Europa League final, Spanish police said.
It was the first violent incident recorded in Seville ahead of Wednesday’s game, police said, as southern Spain’s largest city braces for the arrival of an expected 150,000 fans of the German and Scottish sides.
“The incident took place around midnight in front of Seville Cathedral and the troops of the Police Intervention Units had to intervene quickly to stop the Eintracht Frankfurt fans who were assaulting supporters of Glasgow Rangers,” Spain’s National Police said in a statement on Wednesday.
The German fans then attacked police, “throwing glass bottles, flares and tables” at the officers.
Spain’s chief of police has warned of the potential for “serious problems” in a policing operation that will be one of the most “difficult challenges” they have ever had.
They have deployed 3,100 National Police officers to Seville where three fanzones are being prepared. Almost 2,000 Guardia Civil and local police will be deployed in the city.
