Simeone urges Atletico fans to keep violence out of football
'I don't think this (violence) has anything to do with sport and it seems they are using sport to make a greater impact'
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has called for an end to football-related violence as his team prepare to play their first game since the death on Sunday of a Deportivo La Coruna fan near the Atletico stadium.
The 43-year-old supporter had to be pulled out of the Manzanares river following what appeared to be an organised street battle between groups of radical fans known as "ultras" and died later in hospital.
"We condemn violence in every sense of the word and we hope that the people who are working on this can find a solution," Simeone told a news conference on Tuesday.
"Hopefully, people will be able to go to a football stadium in peace," the Argentine added.
Police, who have come under criticism for not doing more to prevent the violence, are seeking the culprits and the Spanish government, soccer authorities and clubs have vowed to banish ultras from stadiums and their surroundings.
Atletico said on Tuesday they had decided their main ultras organisation, the Frente Atletico, members of which were involved in Sunday's fighting, would no longer be considered an official fan group.
Their banners and flags would be banned from the Calderon stadium, the club added.
Deportivo announced they would close off a section of their stadium occupied by the Riazor Blues ultras, some of whom also took part in the fighting, for their next two matches.
Atletico's King's Cup last-32, first leg at third-tier Hospitalet on Wednesday is one of three matches this week to have been declared "high risk" by a government anti-violence commission.
Deportivo's game at home to Malaga on Wednesday and Valencia's match at Rayo Vallecano on Thursday are the others.
Ultras linked to Rayo were also involved in Sunday's fighting, police said.
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque added his voice to widespread condemnation of the troublemakers.
"I imagine that the Deportivo fans talk about football things, such as which player is going to play, but to talk about meeting up to fight by the river is difficult to fathom," Del Bosque was quoted as saying in Spanish media.
"And the same with the Atletico fans. I don't think this has anything to do with sport and it seems they are using sport to make a greater impact."
