Football Supporters Europe has released a statement in conjunction with Rangers fans, to request that arrangements are made to ensure their safety in Napoli next week.
As it stands there will be no away section, no allocation and no provisions in the city for any Rangers supporters who make the journey to Campania for the game on Wednesday.
Due to this position, with Napoli and UEFA refusing to budge on the initial stance, Rangers has released its own advice asking its fans not to travel.
📢 Football Supporters Europe and the @BCollective2021 urgently call on @sscnapoli and the Italian authorities to ensure the safety and security of fans travelling to Italy next week by allowing them to attend their #UCL game as planned. pic.twitter.com/JRDbXDi7MS
— FSE – Football Supporters Europe (@FansEurope) October 21, 2022
FSE, in partnership with Broomloan Collective has called upon Napoli, the Italian authorities and UEFA to reverse the prohibitions which were supposedly made in the name of sporting integrity.
Luciano Spalletti’s side have all the advantage they need on the pitch and are already qualified for the Last 16. A few hundred Rangers supporters in the away section will make no difference overall.
Difficult
Whether it is Covid restrictions, distance, allocation or whatever, Rangers supporters will find a way to get to the game to see their team. That was evidenced when the team went to Ufa (approx 840 miles from Moscow) and during the lock down period when there was significant hurdles in the way of fans wanting to attend games.
It is what the best committed supporters do and you can put Rangers fanatical band of followers in that bracket.
The difficulty this time is the safety aspect. Napoli, its culture and environment has to be respected and considered. It is not just like another away day nor is it the type of place to simply hang the flag and get the beers in.
Without being sensationalist, the latest example of a stabbing incident was when Ajax fans visited just last week and other issues with British clubs have been well documented.
Yes, there is a personal responsibility element here but also one of common sense, fans just like tourists will travel for their own experience and arrangements must be made for those who go to Napoli on Wednesday. That is the right thing to do.