VBefore the Champions League game between SSC Naples and Eintracht Frankfurt (9 p.m./live in the FAZ live ticker for the Champions League and DAZN), there were serious riots in downtown Naples. As could be seen on videos, tables and chairs were thrown at police officers by hooded ultras and hooligans on Wednesday afternoon. At least one police car was set on fire. According to media reports, the supporters of the Bundesliga soccer club attacked the emergency services at central locations in the city. A few hundred people from Frankfurt had previously walked through the city together, although it was initially quiet.
After a final decision by Italian courts, the authorities approved the sale of tickets to visiting fans, but they should not have been resident in Frankfurt. However, Eintracht rejected this unequal treatment of their own fans and waived the 2700 tickets they were entitled to. Even most of the members of the official delegation, as well as the chairman of the supervisory board, Philipp Holzer, and the board member, Axel Hellmann, stayed in Frankfurt.
Eintracht fans keep the police on their toes
Meanwhile, hundreds of fans still traveled to Naples, some are said to be in possession of tickets, possibly purchased by fans of Atalanta Bergamo, who have a fan friendship with Eintracht. Around 400 supporters are said to have arrived at the Naples train station on Tuesday evening, as expected they were received by a similar number of police officers, as videos from Naples show that are circulating on social platforms.
At least a few hundred Eintracht supporters traveled to Naples despite all the confusion.
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Image: dpa
Some of these supporters apparently stayed in a hotel not far from the team’s hotel, at noon they gathered near the port for a joint march to Piazza del Gesú in the historic center of Naples, as reported by the German Press Agency. The supporters were accompanied by police and carabinieri forces, and a helicopter was also circling overhead. There were initially no incidents during the march.
Although there was hardly any reliable news of clashes between fans of both camps until late afternoon, the Eintracht supporters literally keep the police on their toes because the security forces accompanied them at every turn throughout the day, as well as a video shows on Twitter.
The authorities recently justified their decision to exclude Frankfurt fans by saying that there were “dangers to the protection of public order and security”. In their justification, they referred to clashes around the first leg in Frankfurt, where Italians were attacked by Frankfurters.
UEFA President wants to change rules
However, before the second leg, there was great concern that violent criminals could gang up in Naples.
The decision in Naples also caused opposition outside of sport: “In high-risk games, every possible security measure should be checked very carefully before all fans of a team are excluded as the very last option,” said Sports Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD). “Because such a drastic measure may not contribute to de-escalation, so I have little sympathy for this decision.”
Dario Minden from Eintracht’s fan and promotion department even pointed out that the decision not only destroys the away culture and the magic of the European Cup, but also harbors risks that are difficult to calculate. “The danger situation has increased due to the supposed security measures,” Minden told the portal sportschau.de. “The safest thing is always to have people in a guest block. Whether you think that’s good or bad: Realistically, despite all efforts, Naples will not be a Frankfurt-free zone.”
Only shortly before the match day did UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin express his astonishment and announce the consequences. “We have to say that if something like this happens, they won’t play there. Very simple: We will change the rules,” Ceferin told ZDF.
In addition to all the unsightly side scenes, the Eintracht Frankfurt team has to prepare for the game. The team landed in Naples on Tuesday – in bad weather, as can be seen in a tweet from the club.