Real Madrid ultras with sticks stopped at airport

Posted Wednesday, November 24, 2010 by YAHOO Sport

MADRID, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Spanish police have intercepted a group of radical Real Madrid supporters who tried to fly to Amsterdam on Tuesday morning with 19 sticks of various sizes that they intended to use to fight Ajax Amsterdam fans.

The group, members of the “Ultras Sur” faction, were stopped at Madrid’s Barajas airport at 6.30 a.m. local time (0530 GMT) after trying to check in a bag containing the sticks, said a statement on the Interior Ministry website (www.mir.es).

Officers confiscated the weapons and allowed the fans to continue their journey to the Dutch capital, where Real play Ajax in the Champions League group stage later on Tuesday (1945 GMT), the statement added.

“According to what some of them said, the plan was to travel to Amsterdam with the clear and specific intention of attending a ‘gathering’, that is to say, a fight with the Ajax fans,” police said.

“Seemingly, this is a continuation of certain attacks and provocations (by Ajax fans) during their match in Madrid (in September),” they added.

A police spokeswoman could not confirm how many Real fans were in the group but local media said there were about 165.

Real are top of Group G ahead of Italian side AC Milan and have already secured a place in the knockout round. Milan, who lead Ajax by a point, would join the Spaniards if they beat French club Auxerre on Tuesday and the Dutch team lost.