Chicanes before the CL premiere
Union fans are in massive trouble with the police
September 20, 2023, 8:35 p.m
The entry controls at 1. FC Union Berlin’s first Champions League appearance are causing considerable annoyance for some Iron fans. According to the club, around 300 members of the organized fan scene even decided not to go to the stadium despite having a ticket in protest.
Hundreds of fans of the Bundesliga soccer club Union Berlin missed the kick-off of the Champions League game at Real Madrid due to problems with entry. There was a dense crowd in front of the few entrances; videos showed police officers with batons drawn. Around 400 of the 4,000 Union fans who arrived did not make it to the stadium at kick-off despite arriving on time. They are said to have been escorted by the police for two hours and missed the start of the game in long queues.
Local fans reported to ntv.de that there was chaos because there were apparently tickets in circulation for places that didn’t even exist. In the rush, the police became increasingly aggressive. The mood in the stadium was initially low. Many Union fans refused support. It was only after a good 30 minutes that the guests’ chants became louder. On social networks, many angry fans posted their “contempt” for Real Madrid and the police officers who showed up in full gear.
The Berlin fan solidarity community Eiserne Hilfe reported on the major problems an hour before kick-off. “Many fans are still waiting outside. We would be interested to know whether Real regularly hosts international games. Or is this the first time with away fans?” wrote the fan support on X (formerly Twitter). She later called on all Union fans “who experienced harassment and/or suffered injuries of any kind in Madrid” to make a report and go to the doctor.
Problems also arose when Union fence flags were not allowed into the stadium. The fan scene then stopped organized support at the start of the game. In Spain, the label “Ultras” is often viewed as glorifying violence. Spanish newspapers also reported tensions with the police at the entrance before the Köpenicker game against the Royals. “A dream that became a nightmare for more than a hundred fans of the Berlin team for a few minutes,” wrote the sports paper “As”.