Liverpool have released a statement condemning the actions of a section of travelling supporters following the arrest of six fans in Barcelona.
Jurgen Klopp's side are looking to seal their place in a second successive Champions League final, and take on the Catalan giants in the first leg of their semi-final on Wednesday.
Liverpool Football Club statement. https://t.co/kHE9TvLrT4
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 1, 2019
The build-up to the game has been marred with trouble, however, with a number of videos on social media circulating that appear to show an Asian tourist being pushed into a fountain, amidst a host of other incidents of vandalism and hooliganism in the Plaza Reial area.
Spanish publication AS report that the Barcelona Urban Guard have needed to intervene, with some hooligans throwing cans of beer and objects at police officers - leading to six arrests being made.
Fans bullying, mocking or racially abusing foreigners in Barcelona do our club and our city no favours. #LFC #Liverpool
— Peter Harvey (@peterjharvey) 30 April 2019
It is expected that more than 5000 Liverpool fans will be arriving in Barcelona for the semi-final clash, with some of them understood to be turning up without tickets for the game.
As such, AS claim that the Mossos d'Esquadra (the autonomous police force of Catalonia) have bulked up their security measures in preparation so that there are no incidents in particular in the tourist areas of the city and in the vicinity of Camp Nou.
In response to the acts, Liverpool CEO Peter Moore urged for greater 'respect' and 'humility' from travelling Reds fans in Barcelona, in a post made on Twitter.
We proudly sing that we’ve conquered all of Europe. But let’s treat this beautiful city with the respect that it deserves, and act in a manner that is befitting of LFC. By all means have a good time, but we are Liverpool, and as such,let’s visit here with grace and humility.
— Peter Moore (@PeterMooreLFC) 1 May 2019
Moore said: "We proudly sing that we've conquered all of Europe. But let's treat this beautiful city with the respect that it deserves, and act in a manner that is befitting of LFC. By all means have a good time, but we are Liverpool, and as such, let's visit here with grace and humility."
Source : 90min