Barcelona have made it clear that those wearing Inter shirts or other identifying colours will only be allowed in the away sections of Camp Nou for tonight’s Champions League clash.
The announcement from the Blaugrana yesterday noted that ‘access to the areas reserved for home fans will not be allowed to those wearing Inter colours’, meaning Inter fans wearing shirts or scarves cannot watch the match from anywhere except the away section of the stadium. It was a decision made by Barcelona after consulting the authorities and did not involve UEFA.
It was an unexpected move by Barcelona, especially because there is no precedence of trouble between the two fanbases. It’s therefore likely that the decision was made because of the heated nature of their previous meeting in San Siro, where Inter edged out a controversial 1-0 win that was marred by confusing officiating.
Questions are now being asked about the mandate given to stewards and security staff during the match, such as the plan should a group of fans cheer for Inter in the home section without wearing the black and blue colours.