Feyenoord Rotterdam supporters will not be able to travel to Lille to watch the final match of the first phase of the Champions League on January 29, a ban running from Monday to Wednesday, according to a decree from the Ministry of the Interior published this Wednesday in the Official Journal.
The movement of supporters of the Feyenoord East “prohibited between French road, rail, port and airport border crossing points, on the one hand, and the municipalities of Villeneuve-d’Ascq, Lezennes and Lille (North), on the other hand“, between January 27 at midnight and January 29 at midnight, wrote Bruno Retailleau in this order dated Tuesday.
“A real and serious risk of clashes between supporters of the two clubs exists during this meeting” which will be played on Wednesday January 29 (9:00 p.m.) at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium, justifies the Minister of the Interior.
The French authorities mention trips by the Dutch club “frequently a source (sic) of disturbances to public order due to the violent behavior of certain supporters or individuals claiming to be supporters of this team“.
Bruno Retailleau lists a certain number of examples, such as this meeting in May 2022 in Tirana (Albania) between AS Roma and FeyenoordWhen “violent clashes between supporters took place the day before and the day of the match“, with an Albanian resident”violently beaten with chairs by Dutch supporters“.
The authorities also point out the behavior of “some supporters” of LOSC at home.
-They give the example of a meeting Lille-Marseille a May 2023,”upstream of which Lille supporters attacked Marseille supporters near the stadium, causing the arrest of two supporters by the police, who were then subjected to projectile throwing“.
The Ministry of the Interior is also concerned about the arrival of “3,600 supporters including 500 identified as being at risk (…) while only 2,600 places were allocated to the visiting club“.
The authorities fear that some supporters of the Feyenoord without a ticket “attempt to force entry“.
Even if both teams “never met“, notes Mr. Retailleau, “the last two trips of Feyenoord supporters to France gave rise to serious incidents“, in 2006 at Nancy and in 2022 to Marseille.
The travel ban applying from Monday is justified by the fear of seeing supporters join Lille the day before the match “with the aim of confronting Lille supporters“.
Related News :