Real Betis Balompié has publicly expressed its strong displeasure with the Spanish Government’s Subdelegation in Seville and the National Police Corps over what it considers an insurmountable gap between the club’s supporters and players when entering the stadium on match days.
In an official statement, the green-and-white club argued that in recent years, the distance between Betis fans and the team bus had been progressively increased at the Benito Villamarín Stadium, despite repeated requests from the club to make the connection more accessible. “With the move to La Cartuja Stadium, this separation has grown even wider, leaving no connection whatsoever between fans and the team at the entrances. All the requests and different alternatives proposed by Real Betis have been rejected by the National Police for the most important matches of the season. For tomorrow’s game against Elche CF, where we are fighting for UEFA Champions League qualification, we have once again received the same categorical refusal.”
“Real Betis Balompié has sought to encourage the fans to give maximum support to our players during these key matches of the season, both in the days leading up to the game and when the team arrives at the stadium and inside the venue. This practice is facilitated at all stadiums in Spain, balancing fan receptions with necessary security. In recent days, we have even seen how fan proximity to the Sevilla FC bus has been allowed. This has created a significant comparative grievance for Real Betis Balompié and its supporters. After submitting a written inquiry to the Spanish Government’s Subdelegation in Seville, we have received no response, only the refusal to make any changes for the match against Elche CF.”
The club wants “to inform all Betis fans of the current state of this situation after receiving numerous complaints and claims from our members. The club will continue working with these institutions to ensure safety at matches, which, as happens everywhere in Spain, must be compatible with the celebration of football.”
