Football: Fans brave unprecedented security for El Clasico in Madrid

Football: Fans brave unprecedented security for El Clasico in Madrid

Football: Fans brave unprecedented security for El Clasico in Madrid

MADRID (AFP) - Sniffer dogs, mounted
police, helicopters, security forces in
their hundreds and countless identity
checks greeted fans for Saturday's El
Clasico (Nov 21) at the Santiago
Bernabeu stadium.
Supporters flocking to see the mammoth
clash between Real Madrid and
Barcelona in the Spanish capital were
confronted with an unprecedented
security display for what is widely
regarded as the biggest game in world
football, just over a week after the
deadly Paris attacks.
"I'm 20 and in 20 years that I've been
coming here, it's the first time I've seen
something like this.
"There's always police, but nothing like
today," said student Borja Jimenez, as he
stood having a drink before entering the
mythic stadium in Madrid.
"It's super secure, there's no way anyone
can bring in a bomb here," added the
Real Madrid supporter, who had to go
through three checks before he was able
to enter the ring of security laid out by
authorities in streets adjacent to the
ground.
Some 1,000 police have been deployed to
protect the stadium and another 1,400
security guards are also keeping a
watchful eye on a game that has an
estimated global television audience of
500 million.
Spanish authorities have labelled the
game a "high risk" one after the Stade de
France was one of a number of targets
struck during the Paris attacks last week
that left 130 people dead and more than
350 injured.
In the days following the attacks, Spain's
friendly against Belgium in Brussels was
postponed due to the elevated terror
threat and Germany's meeting with the
Netherlands called off by a bomb threat,
as jittery authorities feared a repeat
incident.
In Madrid, as supporters queued to enter
the 81,000-strong stadium and have
their pockets and bags searched, armed
police stood watch every few metres,
other security forces on horseback
passed by and still others walked around
with sniffer dogs.
But the heightened security appeared not
to have dampened the excitement of the
thousands who flocked to the stadium,
some from as far away as Tajikistan.
Some from France, like Melanie Bezzazi,
had relatives who were worried about
her travelling to Madrid for the game.
"We can't deprive oneself of everything,
cancel everything... They cancelled quite
a lot of stuff in France, quite a lot of
events so we came here hoping to enjoy
things a bit," the 25-year-old said.