5 times football team buses were attacked
Following football clubs and countries evokes a huge amount of passion in fans. Supporters fanatically follow their teams, touring different destinations with their teams, just to be a part. It is often said that one can change their wife, but cannot change the football club they support.
When such passions are involved, emotions are bound to spill over. Radical supporters indulge in football hooliganism to show their loyalty towards the club. These hooligans formed groups called firms. These firms undertook intimidation tactics and indulged in radical fan behaviour.
Football hooliganism has been under control for a while now apart from a few sporadic incidents. On Tuesday, West Ham fans let emotions get the better of them as they welcomed Manchester United in what was the final fixture at the Boleyn Ground.
The Hammers supporters did not let Manchester United get to the stadium in peace. They obstructed the path and threw metal cans and bottles on the window of the bus and shattered them. The match got delayed by an hour and the riot police had to be called in to control the crowds.
We list 5 instances where team buses were attacked by football hooligans.
1) Real Madrid bus attacked by Barcelona fans (2010)
Real Madrid were warmly welcomed by the Catalans when they arrived at the Barcelona airport. On their arrival to the team hotel, a group of radical Barcelona supporters going by the name of Boixos Noi stoned the bus carrying the Los Blancos.
The attack was fierce enough to shatter the glass next to defensive partners Alvaro Arbeloa and Raul Albiol who were fortunate to walk away unharmed from the incidents. No players from the Real Madrid squad were injured, although a member of the Real Madrid security detail was hit on the neck by a stone.
The resulting Clasico ended 5-0 in the favour of Barcelona, thus proving that such tactics do work even if they aren’t the right means to ruffle the feathers of the opposition.
A similar incident had occurred before El Clasico in 2006. Real Madrid were on their way to the stadium when their bus was pelted with stones, cans and bottles.