Feyenoord Fans Banned From UEFA Champions League 2024–25 Match Against LOSC Lille Due to Violence Fears
Lille hosts Feyenoord on Jan. 29 at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy. The French authorities said Feyenoord's travels are often marred by “public order disturbances due to the violent behavior of certain supporters or individuals claiming to be supporters of this team,” and they cited several examples of fan violence.
Mumbai, January 23: Feyenoord supporters have been banned by French authorities from traveling to Lille for next week's final Champions League group game between the two clubs. In an order published Wednesday, France's interior ministry said there was a “real and serious risk of confrontation” between fans of the two teams. Lille hosts Feyenoord on Jan. 29 at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy. The French authorities said Feyenoord's travels are often marred by “public order disturbances due to the violent behavior of certain supporters or individuals claiming to be supporters of this team,” and they cited several examples of fan violence. Santiago Gimenez Scores Brace As Feyenoord Defeats Bayern Munich in UEFA Champions League 2024–25.
Justifying its decision, the ministry added that 3,600 fans — 500 of whom were identified as being dangerous — had planned to travel to Lille, although only 2,600 seats had been allocated to the Dutch club.
“Of the 1,000 supporters who have nevertheless planned to travel without a stadium admission ticket, it is feared that some will try to force their way into the stadium,” it said.
Later Wednesday, Feyenoord's match against Bayern Munich was stopped for seven minutes after kickoff because of poor visibility from clouds of smoke after fans lit flares and fireworks behind one of the goals. In May 2022, there were violent clashes in France between Marseille and Feyenoord fans outside the Stade Velodrome stadium before the return leg of their Europa Conference League semifinal. Real Sociedad Fans Attacked in Rome Ahead of UEFA Europa League 2024–25 Match Against Lazio .
One video showed a Marseille supporter apparently unconscious on the ground as he was helped by fellow fans, while another showed two groups charging at each other shortly before kickoff just outside the stadium.
Around 400 Feyenoord hooligans were present around the city's seaport and there were also clashes the night before the game and after the match. There were also violent clashes in Lille city center when the club played Bulgarian side Levski Sofia in the Europa League in 2010.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)