Real Madrid have promised to take action after members of the Ultras Sur, a banned supporters’ group, were present at their Champions League fixture against Braga in Portugal earlier this week.
The move comes after 150 other Madrid supporters’ groups from around the world released a letter calling on the club to prevent the Ultras Sur from gaining access to tickets and investigate how its members were able to attend the Braga match.
The Ultras Sur is a right-wing Madrid fans’ group which was banned from the Santiago Bernabeu by club president Florentino Perez in December 2013. But the group has still been able to attend away games, especially in the Champions League.
Videos on social media showed the Ultras Sur directing racist and fascist chants during and before the Braga match respectively.
During the Braga game, the letter says Madrid fans in the away section of the Municipal Stadium felt like they were “treated as an undesirable and dangerous group” due to the strong presence of armed police. The letter says this was caused by the attendance of the Ultras Sur, whose members are distinguishable through their all-black clothing.
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In a statement to The Athletic, Madrid say they will take action in response to the letter: “Deeds and not words. We are working on it. They (the Ultras Sur) are scoundrels and they are going to pay dearly.”
Among the measures that Madrid are considering is withdrawing membership cards from club members who provided tickets to Ultras Sur.
The letter is also critical of such individuals.
“Thanks to them (members who sold on tickets),” it reads, “they (the Ultras Sur) can continue to stain throughout Europe — and throughout Spain, just remember the Cup final in Seville — the image of Real Madrid, sadly tarnished by violence and abuse.
“The club has to know perfectly well who are these members and these supporters clubs that use the tickets of visiting fans to give assisted breathing to the Ultras Sur and therefore to promote, in the nuclei of visiting fans of the stadiums and cities that Real Madrid visits, violence, racism and discrimination.”
The Athletic has contacted Braga for comment.
(Photo: Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
