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

Sevilla have lodged an appeal with French authorities over a ban on their 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 LaLiga club said on Monday.

On Dec. 2, a Nantes supporter died in a stabbing incident before their match at Nice. In response, the Interior Ministry on Friday announced a ban on away fans for a number of league and cup games at the weekend.

This has now been extended to include Sevilla supporters and the Spanish club were informed of the decision 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 their 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 they were engaging with the Spanish government to stop the ban, especially as many fans had booked flights and made travel arrangements.

"Quite simply it just does not make sense to ban 300 fans from going to help their team. Dropping this bombshell at late notice is unacceptable," Sevilla president Jose Castro told the media on arrival at Lille airport on Monday.

"There was no