Two arrested in Dusseldorf ahead of England's quarter-finals Euro 2024 clash with Switzerland
6 July 2024, 15:26 | Updated: 6 July 2024, 15:30
Two England fans have been arrested in Düsseldorf ahead of England's Euro 2024 quarter-finals clash with Switzerland, as fans descend on the city to cheer on Gareth Southgate's side.
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UK police confirmed on Saturday that two England fans had been arrested in the city on Friday night after a fight broke out at a local bar.
It's alleged the fight broke out after England fans began taunting German fans, after the home nation was knocked out of the tournament following their 2-1 loss to Spain earlier in the night.
It's estimated that around 6000 fans descended on the city on the Rhine last night ahead of the clash, with police adding that “the vast majority were extremely well behaved.”
Police said the arrests took place “following a small pocket of disorder, which was very swiftly dealt with.”
It comes as England prepares to take on Switzerland at the Dusseldorf Arena following a series of lacklustre performances that have seen Southgate face increasing pressure to step down as manager.
"The England fans were taunting the Germans about them losing to Spain and then they started singing songs like 'have you ever seen the Germans win a war?" one eye-witness told the Daily Mail.
It came just hours after England's star striker Jude Bellingham was fined €30,000 and given a suspended one-game ban for making an on-pitch gesture following his 95th minute showstopper against Slovakia in the Round of 16.
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The midfielder was seen to make a crotch-grabbing gesture - something Bellingham labelled an “an inside‑joke gesture towards some close friends who were at the game”.
He added that it was in no way aimed at the Slovakia bench.
England's right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold will once again remain on the bench once again, having not been selected for the starting XI.
It comes as former England player and pundit Jamie Carragher slammed Southgate's decision to not start a "world-class" player following his team's woes.
Despite a touch-and-go start, Southgate's England side have battled their way back from the brink to make it through to the quarter-finals stage.
It followed an unconvincing group-stage, with England making it through by the skin of their teeth.
England fans now hope the side has learnt lessons from its cautious performances leading to tonight's Switzerland in the last eight.
It's a draw that saw England avoided footballing heavyweights, dodging clashes with Spain, Germany, France and Portugal in their side of the draw.
It comes as England flags were strung along the railings outside Downing Street on Saturday morning ahead of the game, in what will be incoming PM Sir Keir Starmer's first full day in government.
