Leipzig put on red alert as loyal bears snap up home end tickets

The Daily Record is reporting that thousands of Ibrox fans have bought tickets for the home section of the Red Bull Arena for next week’s Europa League semi-final tie. 

Tickets went on sale online with an unusual surge in purchases from Bridgeton, Larkhall, Airdrie, Bearsden and Kilwinning detected. 

Already this season there has been widespread trouble from Ibrox fans away to Brondby and Red Star Belgrade with the ingredients all there for more problems next week in Germany. The Red Bull Arena has a seated capacity of 42,000.

The Daily Record reports: 

Rangers fans are set to take over RB Leipzig’s stadium for their Europa League semi-final clash – after scores snapped up tickets for the home end. 

They piled into the German club’s online public sale after registering on their official website. 

A leading football safety expert yesterday urged bosses to relocate the canny Light Blues supporters in a separate section of the Red Bull Arena. 

Thousands of Gers fans are expected to make the journey for Thursday’s match despite the official ticket allocation being around 2,200. 

Peter Houghton, Director of Operations at England’s Football Safety Officers Association, said RB Leipzig must honour the tickets. 

He said the Bundesliga club should learn lessons from English clubs and allow Gers fans safe passage into the match. 

Houghton said: “I find it incredible the German police, the competition organiser and Leipzig have allowed this to happen.” 

Leipzig could cancel all ticket purchases for UK residents. It is believed that a large number of elderly and disabled fans are expected to make the trip from Scotland.

The Ibrox club have still to allocate their tickets with the process complicated by the £25,000 fine picked up from UEFA for damage to the stadium in Belgrade caused by loyal bears.