Athletic fans to go incognito in Marseille after colour ban | OneFootball

It is a bleak sign that ultra trouble is touching even pre-season friendlies. Athletic visit Olympique de Marseille at the Velodrome on Sunday at 17.30, but travelling fans have been told not to wear club colours.

The club said in a statement that, in line with measures adopted by the French authorities and relayed by Marseille, it is forbidden to display Athletic symbols, including shirts, scarves, flags or any identifying items, inside the stadium and in the surrounding area. The same guidance adds there will be no segregation of supporters.

Such restrictions have not featured in Athletic’s recent friendlies. The violent record associated with sections of Marseille’s ultras remains a factor.

The match is one of two Liga tune-ups, alongside a meeting with Atalanta. Marseille and Atalanta are the seventh and eighth opponents of an intensive Bilbao pre-season.

Many will remember Marseille’s 2016 trip to Bilbao in the Europa League round of 32, classified as high risk, when Athletic advanced. Serious disturbances preceded the tie after the arrival of around 1,000 visiting fans, including a large group of radicals.

Members of Herri Norte crossed paths with the visitors and police intervened with charges. Two seasons later the sides met again in the Europa League round of 16, and again there were serious incidents.

Source: as.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”