They were 30,000, according to the Spanish press, maybe even more. And, to add insult to injury, their team color had to be white. White everywhere, therefore, at Camp Nou, to witness the qualification of Eintract Frankfurt at the expense of FC Barcelona in the quarter-finals of the Europa League. Real Madrid fans had to feast on their couch.
“It’s a shame that cannot be repeated,” reacted Blaugrana president Joan Laporta. We have information about what happened. It is outrageous and shameful. “Hardly less furious in private according to Mundo Deportivo, Xavi remained politically correct in a press conference. “It looked like a final, where half of the entries had been given to each club. The club is trying to see what could have happened. […] With us, that shouldn’t happen. »
Ticket resale problem
So how could this happen? 5,000 places were reserved for German supporters, and in theory, no supporter residing in Germany beyond this limit could have obtained a ticket for the meeting, question of IP address. Mundo Deportivo nevertheless announces the alternatives which enabled Frankfurt supporters to purchase tickets
- A Spanish resident makes the purchase for you
- Purchase on an unofficial resale platform
- Purchase made by a German citizen residing in Spain or who has Spanish documents
Another problem, Barça subscribers who do not warn of their absence in advance, making it impossible for the club to resell it (officially). Others have purely and simply chosen to resell them directly to opposing supporters. The Spanish press speaks of seats at 500 euros. “Everyone has the right to sell their places, but the reality makes it very, very sad to see a Camp Nou with so many rival supporters,” commented Enric Masip, adviser to President Laporta, on Twitter.
A fiasco certainly, but not the only reason for the sporting bankruptcy of Barça, according to Xavi. “It’s an additional disappointment, but it’s not an excuse. “Given the extent of the scandal, we suspect that it will not happen anytime soon.