Rangers vs Real Betis declared ‘High Risk’ by Spanish officials amid fears of fan invasions
Spanish authorities have declared Real Betis vs Rangers as a “high risk” game in the Europa League next week due to potential fan invasion.
Rangers travel to Seville knowing a win will earn them top spot in the group, but defeat could see them crash out of the competition if other results go against them.
Because of the volatility of the situation authorities have declared the game “high risk”, using Celtic fans’ behaviour during their trip to Madrid in last year’s Champions League as a reason according to Mundo Deportivo (8 December),
“The Permanent Commission of the State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sports declared Betis’s match on the last day of the Europa League as a high-risk match on Thursday afternoon.
“A match that takes place at the Benito Villamarín stadium and where the Green and Whites host Glasgow Rangers.
“This suggests a possible invasion of Scottish fans and where many would also arrive without entry, as is usual in the movement of the Scottish tide.”
Typical
Somehow we’ve all been tarred with the same brush and Rangers fans are now likely to be given really harsh treatment in Spain when they travel in midweek.
Celtic fans behaved badly last year according to Spanish police and that means anyone travelling from Glasgow is going to have a target on their back now.
Spanish police have been known to be heavy handed in the past and the fans travelling to support the team and try to help them over the line in what has been a tough European group this season may now be punished for something that is not their fault.
The best thing Rangers can do is to just turn up, support the team and leave because any sort of trouble is clearly going to be blown way out of proportion and used as a reason to go after us.
What happens on the pitch is the most important, but it’s crazy that Celtic’s behaviour has somehow managed to affect us in another country.
In other Rangers news, Pundit backs Rangers to sign Sheringham-esque star after what he saw Clement do this week.