December 12 – In an 11-hour move that marked a new and depressing low in French football, Sevilla fans have been banned from travelling to Lens for their final Champions League group stage match tonight.
French interior minister Gerald Darmanin announced the measures in an interview on Sunday night and they have now been confirmed by a local government order which ruled that “any person showing themselves to be a Sevilla supporter, or behaving as such, would be forbidden from entering Lens’ Bollaert-Delelis stadium or its surroundings.”
Neither Lens nor Sevilla can reach the Champions League knockout stage but they are battling to finish third and claim a playoff spot in the Europa League, a competition Sevilla won last season for a record-extending seventh time.
The Pas-de-Calais department said it had taken the decision since the presence of Sevilla fans “posed a serious risk to security”.
It cited “attempts at contact” between Lens and Sevilla fans trying to “organise a fight” before their first match in September and the reputation of Sevilla fans in past clashes with opposing supporters.
But Sevilla immediately lodged an appeal with French authorities over the ban, imposed as a result of a fan being killed ahead of a Ligue 1 game earlier this month which, however, had nothing whatsoever to do with any overseas opponent.
On December 2, a Nantes supporter died in a stabbing incident before their match at Nice. In response, the Interior Ministry last Friday announced a ban on away fans for a number of league and cup games at the weekend. That was suddenly and surprisingly extended to include Sevilla supporters and the Spanish club were only informed of the decision on Monday, prompting outrage.
“We have lodged an urgent appeal against the administrative decision to ban all of our fans from several areas and zones including in Lens and Arras, as well as against the French Ministry of the Interior’s plan to ban flights,” Sevilla said in a statement.
“We are aware of the difficulty in changing the policy of the French administration but we will use all legal and diplomatic means available to try to get our fans to the game against Lens.”
Before the official confirmation, Sevilla said they were engaging with the Spanish government to stop the ban especially as many fans had already booked flights and made travel arrangements.
“Quite simply it just does not make sense to ban 300 fans from going to help their team. Dropping this bombshell at late notice is unacceptable,” Sevilla president Jose Castro told the media on arrival at Lille airport on Monday.
“There was no official word of warning and it is an absolute farce and a breach of the rights of Spanish and European citizens.”
Speaking at a news conference, Lens manager Franck Haise also spoke out against the ban.
“I regret the decision, especially given how late the information came,” Haise said.
“How are we going to manage the Olympic Games (this summer) if we can’t welcome 300 Sevilla fans on French soil? There is a big problem.”
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