The massive fight that took place in the run-up to last Saturday’s Copa del Rey final did not only involve fans of the two clubs competing in the match. Radicals from at least four La Liga teams gathered during the preview of the final of Copa del Rey, which was played on Saturday at the La Cartuja stadium (Seville).
A coalition of ultras made up of Suburbios Firm (SF) of Atlético de Madrid and Supporters Gol Sur (SGS) of Real Betis, responded to the call of another far-right group with which they are twinned: Supporters Mallorca 99 (SM99). This triple entente faced nationalist radicals of Herri Norte Talde (HNT)the ultra group of Athletic Club de Bilbao, causing a pitched battle in the Alameda de Hércules area.
One of those involved in the pitched battle sported a tattoo of the Atlético de Madrid shield on his back, so there was speculation about the participation of the Atlético Front (FA) in the brawl. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Atlético de Madrid radicals who participated in said fight are precisely a group opposed to the Atlético Front.
Firm Suburbs are a split from the Frente Atlético, which is the majority faction of the ultras colchoneros. Although both have far-right ideology, both groups are at odds and have had fights between them on the outskirts of the Metropolitan stadium, as explained by El Periódico de España, from the same editorial group as this newspaper, in January 2023. That fight left a mark. injured, who was beaten by 7 people just before the match that pitted Atlético de Madrid against Barça.
Crusaders
It so happens that the Betis ultras find themselves in a similar situation: the majority radical group in Benito Villamarín is Supporters Gol Sur (SGS). At the same time, they have a so-called minority but very violent split called United Family (UF) with which they have also had fights even within their own stadium, for control of the megaphone with which the chants are sent during the games.
Interestingly, both teams have cross-twinning. That is, the Atlético Front (FA) is twinned with United Family (UF), while los Supporters Gol Sur (SGS) they are with Suburbios Firm (SG). The majority of Atlético have links with the minority of Betis and vice versa.
In this complicated game of alliances ultras, these coalitions are not made up of just two groups. For example, the union between FA and UF are also linked to the Boixos Nois (BBNN), Barça’s radicals. And the second alliance mentioned (SGS y SF) It is twinned with the ultras of Mallorca, which are called Supporters Mallorca 99 (SM99). All of them are far-right. That’s why they went to Seville, to fight the Bilbao ultras.
Far left
There the members of Herri Norte Taldea, the ultra group of Athletic Bilbao, were waiting for them. In this case there are no divisions or splits that give rise to confusion: Herri Norte Talde (HNT) It is the only ultra group from San Mamés. Its ideology is extreme left and nationalist, and it is considered one of the most dangerous ultra groups in Spain, with notorious fights against counterparts from Olympique de Marseille or Spartak Moscow.
Some sources pointed out that the Bilbao radicals formed a union in Seville with Bukaneros, the ultras of Rayo Vallecano, but police sources familiar with the ultra world have denied this information to this newspaper: “Maybe there were some members of Bukaneros in a personal capacity, because they are both extreme left groups. But Bukaneros, as a group, did not attend that meeting“.
“Bukaneros has active twinning with other groups such as Indar Gorri of Osasuna or Yellow Brigades of Cádiz. The relationship with Herri Norte is not bad, because they both share political ideology. The Athletic ultras go to Vallecas and have no problems. Those from Rayo go to San Mamés and the same thing. But the Bukaneros group, as such, did not go to the final to join others and fight, like SGS and SF did with those from Mallorca“, these same sources conclude.
Fall
The Copa del Rey final, however, was played between Athletic Club de Bilbao and RCD Mallorca. And both fans had their respective fan zones more than 4 kilometers away. The area set up to welcome fans of the Athletic Club de Bilbao was located in the Torre Sevilla area. And 4 kilometers away, in the Alamillo Park, the RCD Mallorca. A common measure in this type of finals: enable both spaces at a safe distance to avoid confrontations.
However, the ultras met halfway. The same members of Supporters Mallorca 99 published a statement on networks in which they urged fans related to their group to congregate in a different area, equidistant between both points, called Alameda de Hércules: “Remember that we have organized a Mallorcan meet-up in Alameda de Hércules, to experience a final atmosphere in the middle of the city and not in a tent on the outskirts.
The same sources consulted by this newspaper have explained that “it is most likely that they met through messages. The ultra groups usually use Telegram for this type of meetings. Those from Mallorca already publicly announced where they were going to be. Those from Athletic perhaps already “they were warned.” In addition to the ultras, there were numerous non-radical fans in the Alameda de Hércules, “because It is an area closer to the city center and because it is supposedly safe, since there is a police station next door,” police sources conclude.
The point is that both groups of ultras appeared there, unleashing a real pitched battle. The first to attack were the Basques, although “they ended up running. Those from Mallorca, along with those from Atlético and Betis, were more. The Beticos were in their city and many came to the event,” they tell this newspaper. However, the most seriously injured was one of the Atlético de Madrid players, who was shocked when he received a chair blow to the head. A fan who, for True, he sported a tattoo of a fascist eagle on his back.
In addition to the attacks, the radicals caused destruction in several bars in the area, after throwing tables, chairs and flares. The extensive police force deployed in the area has prevented things from getting any worse, since as confirmed by the Government Subdelegation in Seville to El Correo de Andalucía, from the same editorial group as this newspaper, action was taken in minutes and it was quickly dissolved. . The National Police identified five of those responsible for the brawl
2024-04-08 15:35:43
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