Frankfurt admit fans will be in Naples as German minister laments ban

Natalie Portman
By Natalie Portman 4 Min Read
origin 1Eintracht players attend a training session for the squad ahead of Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg match against SSC Napoli. Arne Dedert/dpa

Eintracht Frankfurt have acknowledged that Bundesliga fans will be in and around the Napoli stadium for Wednesday’s Champions League round of 16 second leg despite a suspension.

After so much hustle and bustle, the Napoli authorities have blocked the sale of tickets to Frankfurt fans due to security problems following the troubles of last month’s first leg, won 2-0 by the Italian leaders.

But Dario Minden of Frankfurt’s fan department thinks the ban will be counterproductive.

“The safest thing is always to have people in a visitors’ block. Whether you think it’s good or bad, realistically Naples will not be a Frankfurt free zone despite all the efforts,” he told Dpa on Tuesday.

“The situation has become more dangerous due to the alleged security measures.”

German interior and sports minister Nancy Faeser said she had “little understanding” of the decision to exclude Frankfurt fans.

“In the case of high-risk matches, every possible security measure should be examined very carefully before excluding all fans of a team as a last resort,” he told Dpa. “Such a drastic measure may not contribute to de-escalation.”

Frankfurt’s lawyers have successfully appealed against an original decision by the Italian authorities to exclude fans from the German club, only for the authorities in Naples to re-impose a ban specifically blocking the sale of tickets to citizens of the city of Frankfurt.

Without evidence, German fans accused Italian police of trying to facilitate Napoli’s progress to the quarter-finals by alienating Frankfurt’s notoriously passionate fans.

They helped lead their side to Europa League glory last season, famously bringing 30,000 to Barcelona despite only having an official allotment of 5,000 tickets in their quarter-final clash.

Theoretically, Eagles fans living outside Frankfurt can get tickets to the Napoli game, but those who have already bought them and are based in Frankfurt will be hard-pressed to get their money back for flights and accommodation, according to an expert.

Tourism lawyer Paul Degott told dpa: “It’s a difficult and complex situation, but I think the Eintracht fans have been unlucky.”

Meanwhile, German sports lawyer Thomas Summerer says the steps taken by the authorities in Italy are disproportionate.

“Restrictive measures to maintain security and public order must comply with a strict framework. Given the difficulties of the first leg, there could be risks of problems in the second leg. But I do not think that this merely abstract danger is sufficient to justify a ban ticket total,” he said.

“The ban on entry to fans, who live in Frankfurt, is against European law.”

But the German police union (GdP) said excluding supporters from a certain city from football matches was “conceivable” in Germany as well.

“It should also be feasible if the police have the necessary information. However, such a measure can and should only be a very special exception,” Federal GdP chairman Jochen Kopelke told dpa.

origin 1Eintracht goalkeeper Kevin Trapp arrives on his bicycle for a training session for the squad ahead of Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg match against SSC Napoli. Arne Dedert/dpa
origin 1(LR) Eintracht’s Ansgar Knauff, Tuta and Djibril Sow attend a training session for the squad ahead of Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg match against SSC Napoli. Arne Dedert/dpa

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