Fears of violence at Marseille match

ONE thousand police officers are on high alert for a football match between Olympique de Marseille and Atletico Madrid after a supporter of the French team was given more than three years in prison by a Spanish court.

Marseille coach Eric Gerets has told fans to remain calm after the imprisonment of Santos Mirasierra who last Friday was given three and a half years for assaulting a police officer with a chair at a match against Madrid in October.

Gerets said he feared the match would end badly.

“We must do the impossible, even if it will be difficult for everyone, for the supporters, for the players. We must give an example and the best example will be for everyone to stay calm,” he said.

“I’m sending out an SOS because I’m worried that this match will end badly. I fear for the future of the club because if there are incidents they will cost us dearly,” he added.

Gerets called for Marseille’s Ultras – a group of around 4,500 hardcore supporters, including Santos Mirasierra to not boycott the match.

The Ultras have pledged to react with “rage but not violence”.

A petition calling for the release of Mirasierra has gathered 4,000 names. He is due to appeal today.

The two teams meet at the stade Vélodrome at 20.45 for the Champions League match which the prefecture of Marseille has classed as “high risk”.

The prefecture added their response was well above that reserved for normal matches.

Photo:Afp/Anne-Christine Poujoulat