The Europa League final between British teams Tottenham and Manchester United resulted in chaotic scenes and security issues in Spain’s northern host city, Bilbao, where traffic restrictions, public transport closures, and segregated fan zones were not enough to prevent vandalism and violent clashes.
Dubbed “the greatest security challenge” the city has ever dealt with by Basque Government security minister Bingen Zupiria, the football final drew crowds of around 80,000 fans, though the San Mamés Stadium only has capacity for 53,000.
This meant screens and refreshment areas were also set up in various locations around the city, with reports of five times the usual number of police at a Bilbao match, composed of 1,500 additional armed “Ertzaintza” police, as well as hundreds of private security guards and local agents, deployed to keep the peace.
Ya han empezado los ingleses a destrozar el mobiliario urbano, en Bilbao, por la final de la Liga Europa.
— Ma Wukong 马悟空 (@Ma_WuKong) May 21, 2025
Estas cosas no se atreven a hacerlas en China, por lo que sea. Falta de libertad, supongo. pic.twitter.com/KnKJvu4rmR
Mass brawls and destruction
Although Zupiria had called for “patience, citizen collaboration, and common sense,” and Spanish authorities had liaised with British police, even visiting London’s Wembley to gain further insights into crowd management strategies, what should have been one of the highlight’s of the sporting calendar turned ugly.
Local accounts to a range of media outlets describe fans consuming unusually large amounts of alcohol and treating the “beautiful and historic” city with disrespect. Images and footage emerging on social media platforms reveal fires set in waste bins, the destruction of street furniture and traffic lights, as well as multiple fights and mass brawls breaking out around Bilbao. Fans scaled scaffolding and vomited in the streets, while on café terraces, tables were overturned and objects, including chairs, were thrown, forcing the closure of some business.
The following morning, locals captured clips of inebriated fans sleeping on the streets they had marched through chanting hours before.
Hooligans ingleses intentan saltar a la vivienda de un anciano en plaza Nueva de #Bilbao sin que acuda ningún ertzaintza.
— Donostia Bai 🌹 (@Erramun2014) May 21, 2025
Pero tranquilos que dicen en Teleberri/Pnv que "el ambiente es inmejorable y de gran armonía".
Por muchísimo menos asesinaron a Íñigo Cabacas. pic.twitter.com/kuohftCaes
Only eight arrests
Despite the disorder and residents’ discontent, officials initially said only seven arrests had been made, later correcting the toll to eight. “We have made seven arrests linked to incidents arising from the Europa League final,” a regional Basque police force spokesperson said, adding that “All are foreigners but I can’t confirm if they are all British. The arrests were for fighting, criminal damage, disobedience and assaulting a police officer.”
The state of this.
— Jayda Fransen (@JaydaBF) May 21, 2025
British men in Bilbao throwing beer at other British men because they support a different football team.
That’s it fellas, keep fighting each other over a game whilst our homeland is being destroyed from within.
Pathetic.pic.twitter.com/Kynj26dYjV
The British guests in Spain were not only among the perpetrators of criminal activity but also the victims, local reports point out, noting that at least three designer watches worth tens of thousands of euros were stolen during the competition. Some Manchester United fans however claim they were “robbed” by video assistant referee (VAR) errors during the match, which they lost 0-1 to Tottenham Hotspur.
