Spanish police said they arrested five Eintracht Frankfurt fans in Seville late Tuesday night after almost 200 German fans attacked Rangers fans ahead of the Europa League final.
Police said it was the first violent incident in Seville ahead of Wednesday’s match as the Spanish city prepared to host some 150,000 fans from German and Scottish clubs.
“The accident happened around midnight in front of the Seville Cathedral and the police quickly intervened to prevent an attack by Eintracht Frankfurt fans on Rangers fans,” the statement said.
Then the German crowd attacked the police and threw them “bottles and fireworks”.
And the head of the Spanish police warned of the possibility of “serious problems” in the police operation, which will be one of the “difficult tasks” his forces have ever faced.
Spanish authorities have sent 3,100 national police officers to Seville, where three mass zones are being prepared. About 2,000 civil guards and local police will be stationed in the city.
