Police officer dies after fans clash before Athletic Bilbao-Spartak Moscow tie - 7M sport

Police officer dies after fans clash before Athletic Bilbao-Spartak Moscow tie



Posted Friday, February 23, 2018 by Skysports.com

Police officer dies after fans clash before Athletic Bilbao-Spartak Moscow tie
A police officer has died in Bilbao after clashes between supporters

A Basque police officer has died following clashes between Athletic Bilbao and Spartak Moscow fans before their Europa League tie on Thursday.

More than 500 police officers were deployed in the city for the round-of-32 second leg, with a large number of visiting supporters expected at the match.

"We can confirm that a Basque policeman died Thursday," said a press spokesman for the Ertzaintza regional police said.

However, the spokesman refused to comment on Spanish media speculation that the police officer had died as a result of fighting which took place before the game.

Bilbao coach Jose Angel Ziganda offered his condolences to the family of the officer after the match.

"First of all I want to give my deepest condolences to the family of the deceased officer," he said. "I suppose that this needs a reflection, this must be eradicated.

"I don't know when it was or how it was. We didn't know anything. We found out when the game is over. I do not know if it was better or worse to suspend the game."

Basque police had made a number of arrests earlier in the evening after Spartak fans clashed with the authorities as well as rival supporters, with fireworks and other projectiles thrown.

"Five people have been arrested. We do not know if they are all supporters of Spartak, but many of them are Russians," the spokesman for Ertzaintza added.

Spartak won the match 2-1 but Bilbao progressed to the last 16 of the Europa League courtesy of a 4-3 aggregate win.



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