The Champions League match between Napoli and Eintracht Frankfurt will be played as scheduled on Monday, November 4, at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, but without German fans in the stands. UEFA has rejected the Frankfurt club's request to move the match to a neutral venue or, alternatively, to play it behind closed doors, following the travel ban imposed by Italian authorities on their supporters.
The German club had justified their request with "security and organizational deficiencies" in Naples, citing events last season, when clashes between ultras alarmed both Italian and German authorities. But Nyon issued a definitive refusal: the match remains at its scheduled venue, with Eintracht fans prohibited from entering.
The German club didn't appreciate the decision. "The dramatically different treatment that various countries and federations reserve for high-stakes matches has now become a problem for European football culture and the integrity of competitions ," thundered Philipp Reschke, member of Eintracht's board. "It is unacceptable that in many countries visiting fans are welcome, while in others—like France and Italy—they are simply excluded by the authorities, even under equal conditions."
UEFA, while reiterating its decision, assured that the issue will be addressed more carefully in the coming months, evaluating possible changes to the regulations. "Despite our irritation at the circumstances we are once again forced to endure, " Reschke commented, " we consider this an encouraging sign." Meanwhile, in Naples, attention remains high: the match against Eintracht Frankfurt will be on hold, but the Maradona stadium will once again be a Champions League venue, albeit without some of its fans.
