Eintracht Frankfurt Fans Attack Rangers Supporters In Seville Ahead Of Europa League Final

Spanish police have confirmed that five Eintracht Frankfurt fans have been arrested after a group of masked hooligans attacked Rangers supporters in Seville ahead of the Europa League final.

Up to 150,000 Rangers and Frankfurt fans are estimated to have travelled to the Spanish city ahead of Wednesday's final at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan stadium.

On Tuesday night, a group of Frankfurt ultras attempted to confront a large group of Rangers supporters who were drinking in the city on the eve of the match.

Video footage which has circulated on social media shows the group of Frankfurt fans throwing flares and other projectiles in the direction of Rangers supporters near to Irish bar O'Neill's on Paseo de Colon.

One Rangers fan can be seen throwing a missile back in the direction of the attackers before riot police separate the two sets of supporters.

Spanish police have confirmed that one Rangers fan suffered a head injury during the clashes.

A spokesperson for Spain's National Police said: "The National Police have arrested five Eintracht Frankfurt supporters for public order offences following the violence overnight in the centre of Seville.

"The problems occurred around midnight during a mass altercation opposite Seville Cathedral.

"Rapid police response units who were in San Francisco Square had to intervene to deal with an incident sparked by a group of 200 Eintracht Frankfurt fans who were attacking Rangers supporters.

"When they saw police arrive, the German fans started to flee in the direction of Paseo Colon, assaulting Rangers supporters as they ran and clashing with police trying to stop the attack on the Rangers fans.

"At that moment the Eintracht Frankfurt fans began to throw glasses, flares and tables at police officers.

"When they were 100 metres from the bars on Paseo de Colon where it meets Adriano Street, officers managed to neutralise the situation with a police line formed with riot vans and by firing warning shots in the air."

The spokesperson added: "There were no serious injuries as a result of these incidents, except for a Rangers supporter who suffered a head wound.

"The police arrested four German fans on Paseo de Colon and another German in a square called La Puerta de Jerez."

It is not the first time that Frankfurt fans have been responsible for violence ahead of a match in Europe this season.

Earlier this month, supporters of the German club attacked West Ham fans ahead of their semi-final second leg in Germany.

It came after the fans of the two clubs had clashed earlier in the tournament while they were both coincidentally in Seville, with West Ham playing Sevilla and Frankfurt taking on Real Betis in the round of 16.