Pablo Longoria, the president of Marseille, admits that he will not attend the match against Benfica scheduled for this Thursday if the French club’s fans cannot be in the stands of the Luz to support their team.
“I can say with confidence that I cannot support such a situation. And if that’s the case, then I won’t be attending tomorrow’s game. [quinta-feira] out of solidarity with our fans, but also because I do not believe that this is an unfair situation and for which everyone should be held accountable,” he wrote this Wednesday in a statement.
Benfica did not allow Marseille fans to attend the Europa League match. The Eagles said the French side would not be able to travel to the Estádio da Luz on Tuesday, just two days before the Europa League clash.
“I cannot accept that our fans, who have made huge sacrifices to travel to Portugal, are not being given access to the stands to watch a game that we are all looking forward to with great expectations in this difficult season. I cannot accept a situation that would be all the more deplorable as it would increase the risk to the safety of the thousands of Marseille fans who will meet outside the Estádio da Luz stadium.
The decision was a reaction to the position of the French authorities, who banned Benfica fans from attending the return match at the Velodrome. Unlike the discussions in France, Benfica’s decision was not based on any police opinion, a PSP source told the publication. Write down.
Despite her dissatisfaction with the situation, Longoria believes that it is still possible to turn things around and calls for it. “Despite the time already lost, I think it is still possible to find common sense and make the right decisions,” he said, also emphasizing the importance of this match for the French club’s universe: “Following our beloved team abroad, the discovery of another culture, another language “, a different stadium, a different style of football, a meeting with historic clubs of European stature: what could be more stimulating and bring more pride? Especially when you wear the Marseille badge on your suit, training suit, jersey or flags.”
Author: Write down This morning Post
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Dave Martin, and I’m an experienced journalist working in the news industry. As a part of my work, I write for 24 News Reporters, covering mostly sports-related topics. With more than 5 years of experience as a journalist, I have written numerous articles on various topics to provide accurate information to readers.