Sevilla condemn ‘radicals’ after sleeping at training ground

Sevilla have condemned the violent acts by “a gang of organised radicals” that led to their players and staff having to spend Saturday night at their training facility.

A large group of Sevilla fans with pyrotechnics had forced their way onto the premises of the club’s training complex on Saturday after the team’s 3-2 loss at Celta Vigo.

Footage on social media showed fans tearing down a gate to the entrance of the training ground.

Players and staff of the LaLiga side were forced to stay inside the building following their arrival back from Vigo.

“Sevilla FC will report to the relevant authorities the unusually violent attacks suffered by its employees, players, technical staff, and directors upon their arrival at the training ground,” a club statement said on Sunday.

“These attacks forced the Sevilla first team to spend the night at the facilities. Sevilla FC requests that the security forces act with the utmost diligence to identify those responsible for these despicable acts, which were perpetrated by a gang of organised radicals who acted with extreme violence.

“Of course, it will report the assault on its facilities to the relevant authorities, as well as the acts of vandalism that took place in the first team’s area, which even ended with the invasion of the aforementioned area by a large group of violent individuals.”

Sevilla have not won a game since March 9 and have lost six of their last eight league games.

The seven-time Europa League winners are 16th in the standings, four points above the relegation zone with three games left to play.

Sevilla acknowledged their disappointing campaign and accepted protests but “under no circumstances will they be tolerated if they are accompanied by aggression, threats, or acts of vandalism.”

Sevilla host relegation strugglers Las Palmas on Tuesday and Real Madrid on Sunday before ending the campaign at Villarreal on May 25.