REVEALED: Rangers’ move to ban away fans from Champions League clash with Napoli ‘will allow police to send 90% FEWER officers to Ibrox’… as more clubs face postponements due to stretched policing
- Rangers’ UEFA Champions League clash with Napoli has been pushed back a day
- The Scottish side have also decided to ban away fans from the match at the Ibrox
- The decision will allow police to send 90% fewer officers to the European match
- UEFA has banned Rangers fans from travelling to Naples for ‘sporting fairness’
Rangers’ decision to ban away fans from their Champions League clash with Napoli will allow the police to send 90 per cent fewer officers, as forces remain stretched due to restrictions with policing resources after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Government will hold a meeting with all major sports on Monday morning and the intention is for fixtures to go ahead wherever possible.
However, the strain on police resources before and during the Queen’s funeral a week on Monday may lead to more postponements in the Premier League this weekend.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side have had their first home Champions League group stage fixture in 12 years delayed because of concerns over policing in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II’s death – moving the match from Tuesday to Wednesday evening.
The move to both delay the fixture and ban away fans is understood to mean police numbers at and around Ibrox can be about a tenth of what they would be with rival fans attending, according to The Times.
Police Scotland resources will be heavily stretched on Tuesday, when the Queen’s coffin will be flown south, which also played a part in the decision.
Rangers’ move to ban away fans from Napoli match will allow police to send 90% fewer officers
It will be decided on Monday if football can resume after last weekend’ matches were called off
A club statement said: ‘This is due to the severe limitations on policing resources and organisational challenges related to the ongoing events surrounding the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
‘Rangers, of course, recognise this switch in date will inconvenience a number of our loyal supporters, and refunds will be available to those unable to attend the match.’
The club also confirmed that there will no Napoli fans at the match, which will allow them to make more tickets available for fans to watch Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side.
The same will be at the away fixture to support ‘sporting integrity’.
The fixture has been delayed and there will be no Napoli away fans present during the match
The statement continued: ‘Additionally, no away supporters will be present at the match, allowing the club to make additional tickets available to MyGers members as a priority.
‘UEFA have also confirmed that as a matter of sporting integrity, no Rangers fans will be permitted to attend the return fixture in Naples.
‘The club can only apologise for any inconvenience caused by the most unique and sad circumstances which are beyond our control.’
Rangers lost their opening fixture of the Champions League competition away at Ajax as they were beaten 4-0 at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
Napoli however started in fine fashion as they beat Premier League side Liverpool 4-1 at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.
Napoli beat Premier League side Liverpool 4-1 in their Champions League group-stage opener
Liverpool, who are in the same group as Napoli and Rangers, are due to host Ajax on Tuesday night but questions still remain over the fixture.
Manchester City and Chelsea have home matches on Wednesday in the Champions League.
There is also a full EFL programme expected to be played in midweek and full Premier League schedule at the weekend.
The football authorities plan for as many matches as possible to go ahead, but clubs’ safety advisory groups will make their decisions game by game, with the key issue being around police resources.
Extra police will likely be demanded in London while the Queen is lying in state at Westminster Hall and in the build-up to the state funeral.
Forces outside London may also have to send officers to the capital city.
That may affect some Premier League and Football League matches once again this weekend, but the Women’s Super League, National League and grassroots football games should be able to resume.