The discussion went on for weeks as to whether Frankfurt fans were welcome in Naples for the round of 16 second leg in the Champions League. The prefecture of Naples had banned fans from Germany from selling tickets. “It sucks that you can’t be there today. To be honest, you have to say that, but we have to accept it,” emphasized Sport Director Markus Krösche, explaining that he would have wished for more activity from the European Football Union beforehand. The fans are definitely frustrated. “They carried us through the Europa League last year,” said Krösche. As a TV expert on DAZN, ex-world champion Sami Khedira spoke of a “scandal” and a “no-go”.
Hundreds of supporters of the club from Frankfurt had come to Naples anyway. They gathered in front of their hotel on Wednesday afternoon and moved to the city center where the riots broke out. Masked German fans attacked police in the city center with firecrackers and chairs, who then used tear gas. Several cars caught fire.
The violent hooligans thus confirmed exactly what the officials of the city of Naples had apparently feared. Accordingly, Naples Mayor Gaetano Manfredi subsequently reported “crazy and unacceptable devastation”. Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD) wrote in the online service Twitter: “This violence tonight is to be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Violent and chaotic people are destroying the sport.”
According to the Italian media, Eintracht Ultras marched through the city together, singing provocative songs against Naples. After an initial reconstruction, the situation escalated when groups of Napoli fans attacked Frankfurt supporters and police officers in the central Piazza del Gesù.
“But the Napoli fans started” is an argument that might work in kindergarten. Those involved are certainly out of age. So what is this hooligan nonsense? Do these people have nothing else in life but football and violence? And what do employers actually say if you have to take sick leave because you got punched in the face? Or when you come to work with battle marks on your face? Should that be support for your own team when Eintracht coach Oliver Glasner has to stand up after the game and riots to say: “I condemn all forms of violence and crime, no matter where and when it happens in the world. That’s why my name is that’s not good.”?
What happened yesterday in Naples is grist to the mill of those who feared precisely these riots. So if at some point guest fans are no longer allowed in international games, the Eintracht hooligans have done the other away drivers a disservice. And that’s why, on behalf of all peaceful football fans: Thank you for nothing!
