(Photo courtesy of the police spokeswoman)
Maccabi Haifa will host Juventus tomorrow (Tuesday) in front of a full Sami Ofer Stadium. Although the ticket panic is of a lower degree than the game against PSG, the police estimate that hundreds of tickets are circulating and being sold in the cafes. The police are on alert for the event: “The preparation is the same as for the game against PSG, it is a big and global event and we will do everything to make it pass safely and without any unusual incidents.”
250 policemen and 600 security guards and ushers will try to maintain order. A number of security circles are also expected tomorrow, when a fan who does not hold a ticket for the game will not be able to come near the stadium. In addition, the police will work to prevent the introduction of pyrotechnic devices after, in a game against PSG, Maccabi Haifa fans managed to bring dozens of flares into the stadium.
And what about fans breaking into the lawn? The police hope that the fact that the fan who hugged Messi spent time in custody and was removed from the pitches for an extended period will cause a deterrent.
At the same time, due to heavy traffic around the stadium, the police call on Maccabi Haifa fans to arrive with the help of the “matron” which will drop off the passengers near Sami Ofer. The stadium gates will open from 17:30, in order to avoid overloading the gates and the fans were asked to arrive early.
Sen. Haim Ezard, commander of the Haifa station, told the Sport Channel: “Approximately 250 police officers and 600 bouncers and security guards will be deployed starting at noon. The police will be deployed in the circles far from the stadium. Overt and undercover forces will respond to both IDF and criminal activities with an emphasis on Cafeterias. Patrol forces will do random checks for both pedestrians and vehicles in the distant circles. All in order to allow the fans a fun and violence-free sports experience.”