Bernabeu offers ‘dire match-going expertise’ British survey reveals
- The examine highlights hostile policing and restricted services on the Bernabeu
- German policing and match administration excels, different nations are missing
- Should Man United be pressured to pay greater than £60m for Dan Ashworth? They’re wrecking Newcastle’s enterprise – Listen to the It’s All Kicking Off podcast
One of citadels of European soccer – Real Madrid’s Bernabeu – offers a dire match-going expertise, with hostile policing, restricted services and a pitiful view of the match, a survey of British followers has revealed.
The survey of followers from 9 British golf equipment who’ve not too long ago performed in Europe – coordinated by the UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) and aimed toward serving to British followers who journey overseas – paints a blended image of continental experiences. The high quality of German policing and match administration make fan experiences there glorious – but Spain, Italy and France current a unique story.
Manchester City and Chelsea followers – whose groups performed Real Madrid in consecutive Champions League seasons – each describe policing across the Bernabeu as extraordinarily confrontational, with hour-long waits to depart the bottom. Chelsea followers advised the UKFPU’s survey that ‘Real Madrid was a disgrace of the highest order.’ City followers stated: ‘The attitude of police was confrontational.’
Fans described pathetic views of the match, excessive up within the stand and behind netting. It was like watching ‘a game of Subbuteo through a teabag,’ stated Simon Walker of the City Matters fan group, which has contributed to the survey.
The Santiago Bernabeu offers a dire match-going expertise, with hostile policing, restricted services and a pitiful view of the match, a survey of British followers has revealed
The survey painted a blended image of continental experiences (Man City followers forward of final 12 months’s Champions League ultimate)
Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association spokesperson Ted Morris described a ‘watershed’ in UEFA’s method to supporter welfare for the reason that Paris Champions League ultimate scandal
The fan expertise in Belgium, Denmark and at Dutch membership Ajax had been optimistic and the Liverpool Disabled Supporters Group spokesman, Ted Morris, whose group have additionally labored with UKFPU, described a ‘watershed’ in UEFA’s method to supporter welfare for the reason that Paris Champions League scandal of 2022.
UEFA now calls for a minimal 15 away fan wheelchair areas. In the previous, golf equipment like Real and Barcelona supplied 4 or 5 away wheelchair spots, in entrance of native Ultras.
But practically two years after the Paris ultimate, the survey offers proof of heavy-handed policing throughout France. Chelsea followers reported being tear-gassed at Lille final season, whereas Newcastle supporters describe being ’kettled’ on a stairway by offensive French police in Paris.
Brighton followers report being made to really feel ‘like hooligans’ when watching their group play at AEK Athens, with police unwilling to intervene when residence Ultras threw missiles at them and CS fuel blowing onto them when deployed on native hooligans.
Manchester United Supporters Trust has described followers’ experiences at Galatasaray earlier this season as among the many worst in trendy instances, with ‘dangerous overcrowding and some fans taking two hours to get into stadiums.’
Chief Constable Mark Roberts, head of the UKFPU, stated that 62-page survey doc had been circulated to nationwide soccer police items throughout Europe. At least one unit desires to actively have interaction with this course of and it’s hoped others will observe. UEFA is supportive.
One of the challenges is the decades-old popularity for anti-social behaviour which British followers take into Europe.
Roberts stated: ‘Some European forces have that opinion. But they don’t simply roll out this method for our followers. Some police British followers as they might Ultras as a result of at each home residence sport, they’ve individuals seeking to perform critical violence on one another.’
European soccer authorities will say that England should put its personal home so as – given how coked-up followers disgracefully pressured their method via safety and into Wembley earlier than the Euro 2020 ultimate at Wembley.
The high quality of German policing and match administration make fan experiences there glorious
European soccer authorities will say that England should put its personal home so as — given how followers pressured their method via safety and into Wembley earlier than the Euro 2020 ultimate
Roberts stated that adjustments had been made to make sure there can be no repeat at Wembley’s Champions League ultimate, to be held on June 1. There is a system of airlocks – electronically interlocked doorways that can’t be opened on the similar time. Security has been ramped as much as stop entry into Wembley and harder native bylaws will stop giant teams consuming within the streets.
Roberts stated: ‘Everyone is alive to the fact that we need a successful event before Euro ’28, which the UK and Ireland are internet hosting.’
Hundreds of 1000’s of British followers may even journey to this summer season’s European Championships in Germany, presenting an enormous policing problem, given the benefit of entry and the beer consuming tradition in that nation.
Roberts stated: ‘It’s the primary event since 2016 the place we may have that many followers from England going and for most of the youthful ones it is going to be a completely new expertise. That is a problem. But if there may be any abroad nation the place you’ll need a event,’ it’s Germany. The high quality of policing there may be glorious and we’re ready.’
