A thuggish group of Atalanta FC fans have attacked a hotel in Lisbon where Rangers‘ fans were staying ahead of their Europa League fixture against Benfica on Thursday evening.
Atalanta played Sporting Lisbon in their own Europa League clash on the same evening, with the minority of their “ultra” fanbase making headlines before the clash.
Clips on social media of hooded thugs approaching the lobby of the Eden Hotel in central Lisbon have made the rounds, highlighting the seriousness of the attack.
Armed with batons and sticks and covered with balaclavas and hoods, the group began to smash windows and attempt to gain entry to the lavish hotel in order to get to the Scottish fans inside.
A security guard for the hotel almost quelled the tensions from the Italian thugs, as he attempted to lock the lobby doors and barricade them out, but he was not successful in deterring their attack.
However, the tables turned when hoards of blue-clad Scots flooded from the hotel themselves to meet their opponents on level ground.
The Rangers fans response drove the Italian attackers into Rossio square, where the violence escalated further as both sets of fans took the fight to one another.
Horrified witnesses claimed that one ultra was forced into a corner and beaten mercilessly until he was unconscious, with many more videos of clashes between the fans making the rounds on social networks.
Happening Now!!
Lisbon – Rossio Square#Lisbon #Lisbonportugal pic.twitter.com/l3BlHczyN6
— Max Feehan (@Max_F123) March 6, 2024
Metal railings and chairs became part of the two sides’ arsenals, as the violence erupted in Rossio square.
The war-like clash was brought to an end as Portuguese Police flooded on to the scene, beating and arresting anyone they could lay hands on and driving off the rest back into the streets of Lisbon.
This insane violence happened on the same night that 2 Brighton fans were stabbed in Rome ahead of their own Europa League clash with Roma.
