Sevilla fans will be allowed into their final Champions League group stage game against Lens on Tuesday night after the Spanish club successfully appealed a ban from French authorities.
An order from the Pas-de-Calais department on Monday said 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 from Tuesday-Wednesday as the presence of Sevilla fans “posed a serious risk to security”.
Advertisement
But the decision was reversed on Tuesday afternoon after Sevilla disputed the order with the French National Association of Supporters, a group of Sevilla shareholders, a major Spanish fans group and Football Supporters Europe (FSE).
A resolution from the French government said Sevilla were right to argue the move was a “disproportionate and serious infringement” on “these people’s fundamental liberties” and ruled the state should pay Sevilla and the other groups €3,000 ($3,200, £2,600).
Lens are third in Group B on five points with a chance of progressing to the last-16 while Sevilla are bottom on two points. Both teams remain in contention for a Europa League spot.
“Sevilla congratulates itself on its fans present in France and Lens’ surroundings finally being able to go to the match, but equally it regrets and will complain to UEFA about the damage that has been done to many other followers who, faced with the uncertainty and threat that the decree from the French department presented, gave up on travelling and going to the match despite having tickets,” a statement from the Spanish club said.
“Many thanks to our colleagues at the National Association of Supporters, FSE, to our members at Accionistas Unidos (the group of Sevilla shareholders), Sevillistas who mobilised against this outrage and to Sevilla for defending their fans,” FASFE, the Federation of Shareholders and Members of Spanish Football, said.
(Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
ncG1vNJzZmismJqutbTLnquim16YvK57lGpqamxkaXxzfJFsZmpqX2Z%2FcLjEp6pmq5Wrtq24wGaaoZmdpbawutJmo56Zl6qybrLAp6pmq6WlvbC%2B056prGc%3D