Leeds United have been left frustrated after German authorities said their fans are unable to attend pre-season matches in the country.
Daniel Farke’s squad are set for an eight-day training camp in Germany next month as they prepare for their eagerly-anticipated Premier League return. They are set to play a couple of friendlies to mirror last summer's preparations.
United say they received "written assurances" from the German Football Association and their tour operator that supporters could attend in 2025, having been told not to travel last year because of the resources needed to host Euro 2024. But the Whites revealed in a statement on Friday that the same stance has been taken this summer and supporters will be prohibited from attending the warm-up fixtures. United apologised "unreservedly" to fans following the latest development. The Leeds United Supporters Trust criticised the lack of "sensible explanation" for the decision taken and confirmed they would be contacting the German authorities to find out the reasons behind the move.
Police in Germany have today explained the decision. Chief inspector of police Pascal Pettinato, of the State Office for Central Police Services NRW, told the Yorkshire Evening Post: "There is an agreement between the Central Information Office for Sports Operations (ZIS) and the German Football Association (DFB) regarding international test matches. Every planned test match with international participation is checked for certain security aspects.
"These include, for example, that the venue must meet certain security-related requirements - such as the possibility of fan segregation - or that the local security authorities must not be required to request additional nationwide support forces.
"If even one of these security-relevant requirements is not met, such a test match can only be assessed negatively from a police perspective. To ensure that a match can still take place, the clubs have the option of excluding spectators from the event.
"At this point, I would also like to inform you that not every Leeds United match should have taken place without spectators. For example, there were initially plans to hold a match in Rostock where, as far as I know, spectators would have been allowed."
Farke's team, who won the Championship title on the final day of last season, entertain Everton in their Premier League opener on Monday, August 18.
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