Real Madrid’s matches against Hapoel Tel Aviv will be with restricted capacity, without rival fans and with greater security

The first two games of the Euroleague basketball quarter-final tie between Real Madrid and Hapoel Tel Aviv will be played with reduced capacity and with more security measures, such as access control with ID and without the presence of visiting fans.

Fans who attend the first two matches of the tie at the Movistar Arena on Wednesday and Friday of next week will find that the first rows of the pavilion will be empty, and they will also have to present their identification document to access the venue.

Hapoel Tel Aviv fans, for their part, will not be able to purchase tickets or go to the sports venue, which will also have reinforced entry control and will restrict access with entertainment elements only to the sports area. Access to the Movistar Arena will open earlier.

The security device approved especially for these matches will be made up of some 450 police officers, who will have the collaboration of a reinforced team of private security members.

This has been agreed after the coordination meeting for the security of these matches held this Thursday at the headquarters of the Government Delegation in Madrid, in which the police reports and the assessment of the National Sports Office have been taken into account.

In the current context, it has been decided to lower the risk level for this type of matches from high to medium, in which Israeli sports clubs participate in the context of the conflict in the Middle East, according to sources from the Government Delegation.

The Government Delegation has expressed its gratitude to Real Madrid for its “willingness to collaborate and responsibility.” The matches can be played safely and compatible with the right of assembly of the protesters who will gather outside the venue.

The last matches played by Israeli teams in the capital have been held behind closed doors after the Government Delegation in Madrid decided in coordination with the security forces and the Madrid sports clubs involved.

In fact, Real Madrid and Hapoel already played a Euroleague regular phase match behind closed doors at the end of March. These measures, aimed at guaranteeing security in the context of the matches, had been criticized by the Community and the Madrid City Council, pointing out the “incompetence” of the delegate.

Real Madrid basketball and Hapoel Tel Aviv will play on Wednesday and Friday of next week the first two games of the quarter-final tie of the Euroleague, the highest continental basketball competition