the travel ban on Sevilla FC supporters is “difficult to understand”, regrets the mayor of Lens

“We haven’t played the Champions League for 20 years, it was also an opportunity to end this group journey with a party,” laments Sylvain Robert.

The travel ban on Sevilla FC football supporters is “difficult to understand”, “it’s above all a festive spirit”, regrets Sylvain Robert, the mayor (PS) of Lens, guest Tuesday December 12 of France Bleu Nord. Racing club Lens plays Tuesday evening at the Bollaert stadium for the sixth and final match of the group stages of the Champions League against Sevilla FC. A few hours before the match, the Pas-de-Calais prefecture issued an order on Monday to prohibit the travel of Seville supporters, confirming the announcements made on Sunday by Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin.

Among the arguments put forward by the prefecture to prohibit the movement of supporters, there is the stake of the match. The loser may be eliminated from any European competition. And then there was also the death of a supporter in Nantes, ten days ago. “Compared to the various preparatory meetings that there were for the Sevilla match, it was not classified as a risky matchpoints Sylvain Robert, far from it even compared to what we have already seen in the Champions League or in certain championship matches. And then, we may be playing the rest of the European competition but it is above all a spirit of celebration. We haven’t played the Champions League for 20 years, it was also an opportunity to end this journey of groups with a party, with an audience complementary to the Lensois public.

Not a risky match, according to the mayor

According to Sylvain Robert, the number of supporters did not present any danger. “It was a gauge of 300 supporters so we were not on a massive trip of Sevillian supporters who came to accompany their team in the last match and at the same time to celebrate. The Seville club has filed an appeal, in conjunction with French supporters. It will be examined Tuesday morning by the Council of State, recalls France Bleu Nord. “I understand the reaction of the Sevillians. Like them, this ban is a shock. I support their approach,” supports the mayor.

“We must also salute the Lensois supporters who accompanied the Sevillian supporters with real values ​​of the territory because it is first and foremost a sharingunderlines Sylvain Robert. We push our teams, we push our colors, but at the end of the match, it’s also fair play. This limited gauge is a public that we could have brought to our sector, who would have discovered the Bollaert stadium with many assets to share. So many potential ambassadors who tomorrow will not be able to promote our territory, regrets the mayor of Lens. There, we want to keep the festive spirit of the European Cup.”