Sevilla appeals French ban on fans travelling for Lens Champions League game

Sevilla has lodged an appeal with French authorities over a ban on its supporters attending Tuesday’s Champions League game at Lens, which has been imposed after a fan was killed ahead of a Ligue 1 game earlier this month, the La Liga club said on Monday. France’s Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced the plan to bar Sevilla fans in an interview with media outlet Brut on Sunday and an order from the Pas-de-Calais authorities confirmed the ban for its final Group B game. “We have lodged an urgent appeal together with the Association Nationale des Supporters against the administrative decision to ban all of our fans from several areas and zones including in Lens and Arras, as well as against the French Ministry of the Interior’s plan to ban flights,” Sevilla said in a statement. “We are aware of the difficulty in changing the policy of the French administration but we will use all legal and diplomatic means available to try to get our fans to the game against Lens.” Before the official confirmation, Sevilla said it was engaging with the Spanish government to stop the ban, especially as many fans had booked flights and made travel arrangements.