Madrid tightens security amid fears of Polish hooligans
PR dla Zagranicy
Paweł Kononczuk
18.10.2016 12:40
Spanish authorities are tightening security in Madrid, amid fears that fans of Poland’s Legia Warszawa football club will cause trouble during a match with Real Madrid on Tuesday, the Spanish daily ABC has reported.
Legia Warszawa players train ahead of the game with Real Madrid. Photo: PAP/Bartłomiej Zborowski
Three Legia fans were detained by the police in Madrid on Tuesday morning, and accused of vandalism, attempted theft, and of attacking two waitresses at a bar.
According to the ABC, 4,000 Legia fans will travel to Madrid on Tuesday to cheer for their club at the Champions League match.
The Spanish authorities will deploy 1,500 officers for the game, instead of the 1,000 usually provided at Real Madrid matches, ABC said.
In addition, the club will hire an extra 600 security guards, while Warsaw police will deploy their own officers to the match, the daily reported.
ABC described Legia fans as “some of the most dangerous in the world,” adding that some of them are “right-wing extremists, organized like a criminal group,” and known for their “racist and homophobic” behavior.
UEFA, European football’s governing body, ordered Legia to hold a 2 November Champions League home game with Real Madrid behind closed doors, as punishment for misbehaviour by fans.
Crowd trouble broke on 14 September at Legia’s first game in the Champions League in 20 years, when it was thrashed 0:6 on home turf by Borussia Dortmund.
UEFA said the Warsaw club was guilty over five charges: trouble in the stands, flares being set off, objects thrown onto the field, insufficient organization and blocked emergency exits.
Legia strongly denied accusations that fans chanted racist slogans.
(tf/pk)
Source: sport.pl, wyborcza.pl