Fans residing in Frankfurt will again not receive tickets for the match in Naples

The two teams also met at Stadio Maradona in March 2023. IMAGO/Revierfoto

Eintracht Frankfurt fans are known for their love of travel. The second leg of the 2022 Europa League quarterfinal against FC Barcelona remains unforgettable, when around 25,000 of the Hessian fans made their way to the Camp Nou, demonstrating some ingenuity .

Just like the Catalan metropolis, Naples would have been an extremely attractive travel destination because of the southern Italian city and the renowned opponent, but a political decision has now put a stop to the Frankfurt team's plans.

A ban on ticket sales to Frankfurt residents has been imposed for the entire stadium, as Naples' prefect Michele di Bari announced on Tuesday. This measure, for the match on November 4 (6:45 p.m., LIVE! on kicker), was taken on the recommendation of the Naples police. They added that there are significant security concerns regarding a potential clash between the two fan groups.

The decision has a history: The teams had already met once in the Champions League round of 16 in March 2023, and the 2-0 win in the first leg in Frankfurt had already led to clashes between both fan camps.

Napoli responded by banning the sale of tickets to people residing in Germany for the return leg ( 3-0 ). Eintracht Frankfurt protested and filed for an injunction. This resulted in only people residing in Frankfurt being barred from the game, as is the case now.

Ultimately, several hundred Frankfurt fans traveled to the return match, which they lost 3-0, thus eliminating them. Serious riots broke out between fan groups in the city, and several people were arrested . Videos showed police officers being pelted with tables and chairs by masked ultras and hooligans. At least one police car was set on fire. According to media reports, the supporters attacked the police at key locations in the city.

"The chances of success, the purpose, and the purpose of any legal remedies against the decree are being carefully examined," Eintracht Frankfurt announced in a statement on its own channels. The club also complained in the statement that it had only been informed of this measure at the same time as the public, but that the reasons for the decision were subsequently "explained in detail and controversially discussed."

While the Bundesliga club shares the view that it was an "extraordinarily high-risk game," according to board member Philipp Reschke, "fan bans are and remain the wrong answer." In Italian football, the strategy of banning opposing fans has "now become common practice."