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The first leg of the UEFA Conference League semifinals saw rival fans from Real Betis, Fiorentina and Sevilla clash violently. This caused chaos in the centre of Sevilla.
In scenes more suited to a warzone than a football fiesta, the Alameda de Hércules – one of Sevilla’s parks – was transformed into a battlefield as over 100 Italian ultras and a swarm of Betis hardliners squared off in a terrifying street brawl.
As the mobs rushed toward each other, witnesses reported that bottles, batons and flares were hurled into the air. Plastic piping, disguised as flags, was also thrown. Social media captured the chaos of a full-blown confrontation with police scrambling for control and flares being fired.
According to the National Police, a ‘preventative operation’ had already been in place when 150 Fiorentina fans were spotted loitering in the area around 10pm. Almost simultaneously, a fleet of Betis fans arrived – having reportedly driven in from across the city – clearly looking for trouble.
By 11pm tensions were boiling over and the fight erupted. The police intervened in seconds and deployed Prevention and Reaction Units to separate the two factions. The incident, which lasted for less than one minute, did not result in any injuries. However, it was a very intense moment that left the onlookers feeling shaken.
After the dust had settled, police identified Italian ringleaders and confiscated balaclavas and other weapons. In order to avoid any further incidents, police escorted Italians under heavy security to their hotels.
Despite the unrest, the atmosphere inside the Benito Villamarín Stadium was electric, with nearly 60,000 fans, including 1,500 Viola supporters, packing the stands. Betis, in their first ever appearance at this level of European competitions, defeated the visitors by 2-1, in a nail-biting, tense encounter.
