Inter have demanded an official investigation by UEFA into the reasons why Nerazzurri fans were denied entry into the Estadio do Dragao for yesterday evening’s Champions League round of sixteen second leg match.
In a press release on their official site, the Nerazzurri express their solidarity with those fans who travelled to the match with tickets but were stuck in a holding area for the duration of the match having been denied entry, and ask that UEFA shed light on the causes of the incident.
Several hundred Inter fans who had travelled to Porto were barred from entering the stadium yesterday.
Whilst the reasons behind this appear to have had to do with some form of security concerns, the exact issues that arose as well ass the timeline of the events have not yet been made clear.
For this reason, Inter have officially requested that UEFA open an investigation into the matter.
Their press release reads:
“FC Internazionale Milano expresses its utmost solidarity with its fans, coming from all over Europe and in possession of a valid entry ticket for last night’s match, Porto vs Inter, who were banned from entering the Do Dragão stadium.”
“As a result of Porto’s unilateral decision, a large number of Inter supporters, including many families with children, were segregated in a containment area near the visitors’ section and held there for the duration of the match, which they were unable to watch, thus exposing them to serious tension and potential danger.”
“FC Internazionale Milano asks UEFA to intervene so that light is shed on what happened and that situations of this kind, contrary to the key principles of sportsmanship, equality and inclusion, are never repeated, in defence of all fans, regardless of their football faith and nationality.”
