Fiona Govan
THE streets of Sevilla are filling with bare chested Rangers fans turning pink in the scorching sun as they drink pints ahead of one the biggest matches in the Glasgow club’s history.
Police in the Andalucian capital are expecting up to 100,000 Rangers fans to arrive in the city for the Europa League final against Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday evening.
Some 50,000 German fans are also expected to travel for the match.
But the vast majority of fans who have travelled to Sevilla do not have tickets for the game in the 42,700-capacity Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
Police warned fans of both clubs in both German and English not to head to the stadium unless they had a ticket.
Instead city authorities will open the 57,000-capacity Estadio La Cartuja for ticketless Ranger fans to watch the match.
About 5,000 police officers will be on duty in the city when the match kicks off at 8pm and many bars will be closed during the game, although it will be shown on big screens in various fan zones set up around the city.
Fans flocked in from across the globe, including a group from Australia who wanted to be in Sevilla despite not having tickets for the match.
Fans arrived on more than 400 flights arrived in the city on Tuesday, with a similar number – including 16 charter flights from Glasgow Airport – expected on Wednesday, with trains and coaches travelling to the city also full.
Revellers have been enjoying the party atmosphere, with some donning sombreros.
Terraces were full of fans drinking in the sun as temperatures soared in the first heatwave of the summer.
Spaniards shared images of social media of Scots burning in the sun.
Sevilla set up a festival area for the final as well as displaying a giant replica of the UEFA Europa League Cup Final for fans to pose with.
Inevitably clashes broke out between rival fans on Tuesday evening with police arresting at least five German fans who launched flares into a group of Rangers supporters.
READ ALSO:
- The 10 must-see tourist sites in Spain’s Sevilla (and how to see them all in one day)
- More than a football match: The Olive Press Guide to visiting Sevilla
- Prices soar as Spain’s Sevilla prepares for Scots invasion ahead of Rangers match
