The Spanish National Police have identified 91 individuals during a special security operation ahead of the Copa del Rey final at the Estadio La Cartuja in Seville, where Atlético Madrid and Real Sociedad are set to face off on Saturday. Authorities confiscated a large cache of weapons, including knives, sticks, chains, balaclavas, and up to 95 iron bars.
The interventions took place on the A4 motorway near La Carlota (Córdoba), as well as in the city of Seville and at various points along the routes used by fans traveling to and from the match, according to police reports.
Around 9:30 PM on Friday, officers from the special unit—comprising more than 1,600 agents—detected two buses carrying radical fans from Madrid on the A4 highway heading toward Seville, near La Carlota. During the operation, 91 people were identified, and reports were filed for violations of the Sports Law and Public Security Law after seizing numerous blunt and dangerous items that were likely intended for clashes with rival supporters.
Among the confiscated items were a pistol holster and 26 wooden sticks disguised as flags, hidden inside one of the buses. In the other vehicle, authorities found a mouthguard, several balaclavas, two chains, a knife, spray paint, and 25 additional wooden sticks.
Throughout the night, police also carried out identification checks and controls in Seville city center on ultra fans arriving from the cities of the two teams. They seized dangerous items concealed in cars and vans, including a box loaded with 95 iron bars. Other dangerous and defensive objects were also intercepted, such as vests, 12 helmets, a knuckle duster, 31 flares, 19 flare launchers, two folding knives, three mouthguards, pepper spray, T-shirts with ultra symbols, hundreds of motorcycle gloves with protective padding, balaclavas, and a stab-proof vest.
The fan groups of both clubs are under intense surveillance, as memories remain fresh of Aitor Zabaleta, a young Real Sociedad supporter who was killed in December 1998 by an Atlético Madrid ultra near the now-demolished Vicente Calderón Stadium, just before a match between the two teams.
