Borussia Dortmund have expressed frustration over the “disproportionate measures” taken by Italian authorities ahead of their Champions League clash with Atalanta.
The Bundesliga club confirmed that some supporters were denied entry into Italy, while others were visited by police at their accommodation.
In a statement, Dortmund said: “The club was not informed in advance about these disproportionate measures. The scope and scale of the police action are surprising. Measures of this intensity have never been applied to Borussia Dortmund’s international away matches.”
The club described the measures as “incomprehensible” and questioned the authorities’ behaviour.
One of Dortmund’s supporter groups called the situation “unprecedented,” noting that several fans “reluctantly decided to stay away from the match in Bergamo.”
Dortmund hold a 2-0 advantage from the first leg in Germany and are on course to meet either Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the last 16 of the competition.
