Sevilla appeal ban on away fans at Lens in Champions League،
Sevilla have filed an appeal with French authorities over the ban on their supporters attending Tuesday's Champions League match in Lens, which was imposed after a supporter was killed before a Ligue 1 match more early this month, the LaLiga club announced on Monday.
On December 2, a Nantes supporter died following a knife attack before their match in Nice. In response, the Interior Ministry announced on Friday a ban on away fans for a number of league and cup matches this weekend.
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This measure has now been extended to Sevilla supporters and the Spanish club was informed of the decision on Monday.
The French Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, announced on Sunday his intention to exclude Seville supporters in an interview with the media Brut and a decree from the Pas-de-Calais authorities confirmed the ban on their last match from Group B.
“We have lodged an urgent appeal jointly with the National Supporters Association against the administrative decision to prohibit all our supporters from accessing several zones and zones, notably in Lens and Arras, as well as against the proposed flight ban of the French Ministry of the Interior,” Seville said in a statement.
“We are aware of the difficulty of changing the policy of the French administration but we will use all legal and diplomatic means available to try to bring our supporters to the match against Lens.”
Ahead of the official confirmation, Sevilla said it was engaging with the Spanish government to end the ban, especially as many fans had booked flights and made travel arrangements.
“It simply doesn't make sense to ban 300 fans from going to help their team. Dropping this bomb late is unacceptable,” Sevilla president José Castro told the media on Monday upon his arrival at the Lille airport.
“There was no official warning and it is an absolute farce and a violation of the rights of Spanish and European citizens.”
Speaking at a press conference, Lens manager Franck Haise also spoke out against the ban.
“I regret this decision, especially given the delay with which the information arrived,” Haise said. “How are we going to manage the Olympic Games if we cannot welcome 300 Seville fans on French soil? There is a big problem.”
Neither Lens nor Sevilla can reach the knockout stages of the Champions League, but they are fighting to finish third and earn a place in the Europa League playoffs, a competition that Sevilla won last season for the seventh time, a record.
Lens has five points, three ahead of Sevilla, and a draw would therefore be enough for the French club.
A Sevilla victory, however, would see them finish third in the head-to-head tiebreaker after a 1-1 draw against Lens in Spain.
