Fan dispute forces Eintracht Frankfurt to forgo tickets for Napoli match in Champions League last 16

​​​​​​​By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - Eintracht Frankfurt forwent their allocation of tickets for Wednesday's UEFA Champions League last 16 match at Napoli after Italian authorities prevented the Naples club from selling tickets to away fans following altercations in the stands during the first leg in Germany.

The German club said in a statement that it will lodge an appeal against the new decree of the prefecture of the City of Naples, which does not let Eintracht Frankfurt fans attend Diego Armando Maradona Stadium to support their club during the second leg in Italy.

"There has been a new decree from the prefecture of the City of Naples attempting to achieve what resoundingly failed the first time around. On Sunday evening, it was decreed that SSC Napoli would not be allowed to sell tickets for the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg this coming Wednesday,15 March, to anyone resident in Frankfurt am Main. The previous decree extended the ban to people resident in Germany," Eintracht Frankfurt said in a statement.

For security concerns, Italian authorities did not let Napoli sell tickets to residents in Germany after the altercations between the two clubs' fans during the first leg on Feb. 21. The Frankfurt police made several arrests.

Napoli beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 in Frankfurt am Main to have a big advantage for the Champions League quarterfinals.

"We will therefore be forgoing our entire away allocation, unless some aspect of the decree should change at short notice, contrary to expectations," said Eintracht Frankfurt board member Philipp Reschke.

Reschke added that the new decree of Naples prefecture "is no less unlawful in its contents" and it is unsuitable because the majority of the German team’s fans do not come from Frankfurt.

Spending a dream season in the Italian league, Napoli will face Eintracht Frankfurt in Naples on Wednesday and the match will start at 2000 GMT.