Sevilla players were trapped inside their training facility overnight Saturday after a mob of furious fans responded violently to the team’s 3-2 loss at 10-man Celta Vigo, a result that left the club teetering above the La Liga relegation zone.
Roughly 100 ultras gathered outside the Jose Ramon Cisneros Palacios complex, hurling projectiles at the returning team bus and tearing down the main gate.
Social media footage showed pyrotechnics lighting the night sky as chants rang out in rage, with some fans attempting to breach the facility.
Police intervened to prevent further escalation, but the damage – physical and psychological – had already been done.
In an emergency statement Sunday, Sevilla FC condemned what it called “organized vandalism and extreme violence” by a “gang of radicals,” confirming that players, coaching staff, and employees were forced to remain overnight at the facility for their own safety.
“Sevilla FC will report the attacks on its players, technical staff, and management to the relevant authorities,” the club said. “We understand the frustration around our sporting results, but we absolutely reject any protest involving violence, threats, or criminal behavior.”
The club also denounced efforts to publicly identify and dox players and staff online, vowing to pursue those responsible for disseminating private data – actions it labeled “criminal offenses.”
Sevilla now sit 16th in La Liga, just six points clear of the drop with three games left. The club has not won in its last eight league matches. Tuesday’s home clash with fellow strugglers Las Palmas is now seen as make-or-break, with Real Madrid and Villarreal looming in the final two fixtures.
The seven-time Europa League winners – who lifted the trophy as recently as 2023 – have endured a turbulent season marred by poor results, managerial changes, and rising tension with supporters.
The club insisted it would assist law enforcement “relentlessly” in identifying the culprits and suggested that if any perpetrators are verified as club members, they will face consequences.