Union Berlin fans are not welcome in Leuven or around the Den Dreef stadium on Thursday, when their club takes on Union Saint-Gilloise in a Europa League match.
   The decision to make these areas off limits for supporters of the German club was taken by Leuven Mayor Mohamed Ridouani and confirmed by the city's police. “That decision is a stick to catch possible troublemakers,” the police explained.
   It is part of the classic strategy in such high-risk matches, police spokesman Marc Vranckx said. “We are now putting maximum effort into communication towards the German fans," he added. "The aim is to make it clear to them that there is no point in coming down to Leuven, because they have no business here. With that decision, people who do make the long trip and cause trouble run the risk of being arrested.”
    “UEFA has imposed a sanction on Union Berlin after misconduct in Malmo,” Mayor Ridouani recalled. “That includes not being allowed to sell visitors’ tickets. We are taking measures that will make it possible to take action against Union Berlin’s hard core if they show up around the stadium without a ticket or to ban them from the stadium if they have obtained a ticket for the home team via roundabout routes.”
    Thanks to contacts at Union Saint-Gilloise and the Berlin police, it has emerged that some German fans obtained tickets in a roundabout manner anyway.
    The decision bars them from the city and Den Dreef area for 24 hours, from 10am on Thursday to 10am on Friday. Identity checks will be carried out at the entrance to the stadium.
    The president of the German team called the decision an “incomprehensible collective punishment.”