STRASBOURG has imposed sanctions on its own fans following the backlash against club president Marc Keller and their BlueCo ownership.
Since BlueCo, who also own Chelsea, bought the club in June 2023, there has been constant attacks on the billionaires in charge.
That has come despite the French club qualifying for European competition and having some of the most exciting young players in the world on their books, including Kendry Paez and Mike Penders, on loan from Chelsea.
SunSport reported earlier this week that the club was on the brink of a civil war.
After a pre-agreement was struck for Emanuel Emegha to join the Blues in 2026, the Strasbourg captain was targeted by banners in the stands, and a public stand-off took place between the team’s ultras and head coach Liam Rosenior.
A fan told SunSport in April: “I’m not worried about losing our identity, we’ve already lost it. It’s like you are eating the master’s leftovers, but you are a slave.
“Some people might say, ‘OK, well that’s better than what we were used to’ but some others would say, ‘I’d rather be free, broke but free’.”
“The beauty of European football is that you have teams from different countries competing against each other based on merit, not because you are part of an ownership.”
It seems war has now been declared by Keller on the team’s ultras, known as UB90, through sanctions imposed on supporters.
In a press conference this week, he said, “Progressive measures will be explained to those concerned, which will change the framework we’ve had for 12 years.
“We are so heartbroken to see what’s happening to our bond.”
The depths of those sanctions have now been revealed by an email sent to supporters, saying: “Access to the premises provided by the club will only be allowed accompanied by the club’s security, and the space allowing them to create tifos and banners in the stadium is prohibited. Stewards will also be placed in their ‘kop’.
“Any material for political, ideological, philosophical, insulting purposes or containing discriminatory messages, violating dignity and/or likely to harm the physical and/or psychological state of others, insulting, offensive, racist, xenophobic, or homophobic, or conveying an insulting message will be refused.”
Tickets to games will now be named, and the ultras will no longer have privileged access to external ticketing after the sanctions have been imposed.
Strasbourg fans have already taken to social media to express their feelings.
They wrote: “Keller sold his soul to the devil; he doesn’t own up to it, but it’s not surprising. He’s the epitome of lukewarm tap water.
“What we liked was the atmosphere of this stadium. BlueCo is going to destroy everything, sanitise it… Keller is behaving like an autocrat.”
Alexandre, a spokesperson for the club’s supporters federation, told SunSport: “We received an email yesterday, just like the ultras. The same email with all the bans and restrictions.
“The four supporter organisations that are being targeted are now discussing together what they should be doing about that. We are agreeing on a plan.”
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