JUST seven arrests were made among the 80,000 Bilbao Brits after Tottenham ended their silverware drought with a 1-0 win against Manchester United.
Spanish security officials deployed a ring of steel to fortify the San Mames Stadium as brawls had broken out and streets trashed ahead of the game.
ReutersOne football fan holding a traffic light in Bilbao on Tuesday night[/caption]
EPABasque Police line up as supporters leave the stadium after the UEFA Europa League final[/caption]
ReutersFans gather in Bilbao yesterday[/caption]
ReutersManchester United fans look dejected after Tottenham Hotspur’s first goal[/caption]
The Basque regional police force confirmed the handful of arrests related to incidents arising following the Europa League showdown.
Five of the detainees had already been released but would be summoned to appear before a judge at a later date, and two remained in police custody but were expected to be allowed to leave later today, a spokesman said.
The handful of incidents that marred what was otherwise a good-natured, boozy celebration included a fight between rival sets of fans in San Sebastian on Tuesday night.
Cops managed to defuse the situation without making any arrests.
And brawls broke out in the Spanish city yesterday, with one Brit filmed being pinned to the ground by cops with batons and guns and marched away in handcuffs after getting into a street punch-up with a rival fan.
Locals speaking to the Daily Mail yesterday branded the two teams’ supporters “drunken yobs”, with one pensioner claiming: “I’m used to seeing football fans coming to Bilbao from all over Spain and Europe because the ground is very close to me.
“But these English fans are like out-of-control animals.”
Despite Brits drinking Bilbao dry and a small minority displayed obvious anti-social behaviour, police confirmed today they had not had to deal with any major incidents and weren’t aware of any serious injuries.
The Ertzaintza spokesman said: “We have made seven arrests linked to incidents arising from the Europa League final.
“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.”
He also confirmed detentions were made from robberies that Spurs and Man United fans fell victim to.
At least three British nationals who had travelled to Bilbao for the game are said to have had expensive designer watches stolen from them.
One was worth £42,000, another £33,000 and the third £21,000, according to local reports.
Cops were only able to recover the second of the timepieces after arresting the offender minutes after he targeted his victim.
The crimes have been linked to the “state of drunkenness” the Brits were in.
City hall-employed local police in Bilbao, the other force responsible for policing the final, are expected to comment later.
Newspaper El Correo, which claimed overnight the total number of arrests stood at eight and said the vast majority were British, said in a report this morning: “A lot of police and few incidents in the Europa League final.
“Over and above a few disturbances which the authorities felt were inevitable, in a party where there were tens of thousands of visitors and litres of alcohol, the main objective was to try to guarantee general security and avoid large-scale serious fighting between supporters.
“And that is something the authorities consider they have achieved.”
GettyPedro Porro of Tottenham Hotspur lifts the UEFA Europa League trophy[/caption]
Spurs have now finally ended their 17-year trophy drough
ReutersManchester United fans react in the stands before the match[/caption]
Brennan Johnson‘s 42nd-minute strike was enough to seal a scrappy game for Spurs, with the winning goal bouncing in off England ace Luke Shaw.
Thousands of white-shirted fans went wild when the final whistle blew, meaning their 17-year wait for a trophy ended and the club qualified for next season’s Champions League.
Supporters leapt over barriers and flooded the north London pitch, as some even climbed on top of the giant screens waving their shirts in the air.
Within minutes of the game ending, north London was gridlocked.
Fans swarmed the streets with many holding white flares while chanting ‘North London is ours!’
The scrappy game saw United dominating possession but there were few clear cut chances – betraying both teams’ dismal Premier League form – as the tie lived up to its ‘El Crapico’ billing.
In Bilbao, the final was played out to a packed stadium with thousands waving flags and chanting.
On Tuesday, shocking footage emerged showing a brutal clash between the fans of the two football clubs.
In the video, a large group of hooligans are seen brawling as they throw objects and punches at each other.
Witnesses say the fight broke out when two large groups of supporters began shouting and hurling insults.
It quickly escalated into a full-blown brawl, with both Man Utd and Spurs fans grabbing whatever they could to throw at each other.
One hooligan overturned a terrace table and used it as a weapon against the other group.
Drinks and bins were also hurled, creating a chaotic scene that posed a serious risk to local businesses and passersby.
Several local police patrols rushed to the scene after reports of the brawl and quickly restored order.
ReutersGun-wielding cops walk through Bilbao ahead of the Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United match[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
