Eintracht protest fan ban in Naples, say it's now the norm in Italy | OneFootball

The case related to the presence of Eintracht Frankfurt fans in Naples for the upcoming Champions League match continues to fuel the debate on the management of security in Italian stadiums.

Champions League, from Frankfurt: Eintracht against the ban on fans in Naples. "In Italy, it is now common practice"

After the meeting with the Ministry of the Interior in Rome, the German club expressed strong opposition to the measure that prohibits its supporters from going to Maradona on November 4, on the occasion of the fourth matchday of the group stage.

READ ALSO - Napoli-Eintracht, away trip banned for German fans: the prefect imposes the ban

The position of Eintracht Frankfurt

The person to speak out was Philipp Reschke, a member of the board of the German company: "Unfortunately, we have to recognize that the strategy of excluding visiting fans from high-risk matches has now become a common practice in Italian football, both nationally and internationally."

The executive added: "We understand that, in light of the incidents of 2023, this match was considered particularly high risk. But fan bans remain the wrong answer. German stadiums show how security management can guarantee international club football without resorting to such decisions."

The decision of the Italian authorities

According to what emerged from the meeting with the Viminale, the ban will not be the only restrictive measure. The Italian authorities have in fact announced further checks and limitations to significantly prevent the away trip of Eintracht fans.

The club has announced that "the possibilities of success, the validity and the opportunity of possible appeals against the decree will be carefully evaluated", thus signaling a possible legal and institutional clash.

A heavy precedent: the clashes of 2023

The decision comes after the violent clashes that characterized the Champions League match Napoli-Eintracht in 2023, when the riots between German fans and law enforcement caused burned cars, devastated premises, and a number of injuries.

Since then, Eintracht is considered among the most problematic ultra groups in Europe, capable of mobilizing thousands of supporters on every away trip. Even in Rome, last year, the alert was very high during the Europa League match against the Giallorossi.

A very high-risk match

The match on November 4 between Napoli and Eintracht, valid for the group stage of the Champions League, is therefore confirmed as a very high tension appointment. The absence of visiting fans could reduce the risk of riots, but at the same time fuels the debate on how to reconcile security and the right to sports entertainment.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.