Tottenham-Man.United final/ English fans "invade" Bilbao, riots in the city

Bilbao has been engulfed in chaos ahead of the Europa League final between Tottenham and Manchester United, as thousands of English fans have "invaded" the city, causing anger and shock among local residents.

Around 80,000 fans from both teams descended on the Basque city, turning the centre into a scene of chaos, fights and anti-social behaviour.

Hundreds of Tottenham fans gathered on the city's main boulevards, blocking traffic and drinking beer for hours.

Some of them, often shirtless, climbed lampposts, destroyed traffic lights and damaged public property. Police forced bars to close before midnight, while fans had been drinking beer for more than 12 hours.

Meanwhile, Manchester United fans "occupied" the historic Plaza Nueva square. One drunk fan attempted to climb onto a balcony via scaffolding, but was stopped by the owner of the apartment with a stick in his hand, amid cheers from others.

Meanwhile, on the streets of Bilbao, fans of two English clubs clashed with each other, creating chaos.

Police intervened after the first clashes broke out between United fans, with pub owners and residents expressing disgust. “I love football, but this behaviour is disgraceful,” said one elderly resident. “These are not fans, they are hooligans.”

In both areas where fans gathered, the presence of drug dealers was also reported, offering cocaine for around 100 euros per pack.

Due to high hotel prices in Bilbao, many fans have been accommodated in San Sebastian and Santander, where there were also incidents and clashes between fans.

Despite everything, no arrests or major incidents have been reported so far. Organizers have taken tight security measures with 5,000 police officers, three security rings around the San Mamés stadium and the division of the city center into fan zones. Giant screens have been set up for fans without tickets.

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