Spanish city taking measures against Feyenoord fans visiting for Champions League match
The Spanish city of Girona is taking measures against the Feyenoord fans for their arrival in the city for the club's UEFA Champions League match on Wednesday, October 2. According to Spanish media outlet Cadena Ser, the municipal government sees Feyenoord as "the most problematic team" that will visit the city during this Champions League campaign.
Measures include closing various bars near the stadium, blocking off a wooded area near the stadium, which has views of the pitch at certain angles, and having dozens of police officers walking around the city to uphold the peace.
"We are new in this situation, and that is why we want to guarantee that nothing goes wrong and that everything is under control," a spokesperson told Cadena Ser. The city is new to this, as this is the first time the club has qualified for a European competition.
Girona's stadium, the Estadi Montilivi, has a capacity of 9,500 for Champions League matches. Feyenoord has 492 tickets for the match. However, the municipality is more concerned about fans traveling to follow their team who do not have tickets. Police in Girona will also hand out flyers warning people in the city to prepare for the club's fans.
Feyenoord fans' reputation in Spain suffered due to incidents during the match against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last season. There were several incidents in the home supporters section, which led to a journalist who was present, Bruno Alemany, warning the local authorities in Girona to prepare for the arrival of the Rotterdammers.
The club's fans have also been involved in disorderly behavior incidents in Europe in the past. This included riots in Rome in 2015 that damaged a fountain. Since the incident, the Rotterdammers have been banned from traveling to Rome to watch their team play.
Girona finished third in the Spanish league, the Primera Division, last season. Their first match in the Champions League group stage was a 1-0 loss against Paris Saint Germain. Feyenoord was also unsuccessful in their first match, losing 4-0 against Bayer Leverkusen in Rotterdam.
There are about 15 flights operating between airports in the Netherlands and Girona from Friday through the day before the match. The Spanish city is also about 100 kilometers away from the airport in Barcelona, which has flights arriving daily from the Netherlands.
