Man Utd & Spurs disabled fans criticise final ticket allocation

Disabled fans of Manchester United and Tottenham person criticised nan number of wheelchair tickets disposable for nan Europa League last arsenic "insulting" - pinch some clubs fixed 26 tickets each successful a adjacent 50,000-capacity Bilbao stadium.

Manchester United Disabled Supporters' Association and Spurs Ability, nan instrumentality groups representing abnormal supporters, person expressed anger astatine nan size of nan allocation, which includes an further 15 'easy access' seats, from an allocation of 15,000 tickets per club.

In response, title organiser Uefa said it had provided 75 wheelchair positions - including neutral spaces - astatine nan San Mames stadium, pinch free companion spot and guaranteed sightlines.

Uefa said 15% of those tickets remained unsold and disposable for acquisition arsenic of Tuesday morning. Both instrumentality groups disputed this declare to BBC Sport.

The stadium, location to Spanish top-flight broadside Athletic Bilbao, has a capacity of much than 53,000 but this has been reduced to 49,600 for nan last connected Wednesday.

The stadium is usually tin of hosting 208 wheelchair and 102 easy entree seats. That falls somewhat short of nan recommended proviso successful Uefa's ain guidelines for stadiums of its size.

But nan 2 supporters' groups and nan abnormal sports kindness Level Playing Field person calculated that moreover wrong nan San Mames' limitations, some clubs should still person 58 wheelchair spaces and a further 28 easy entree tickets.

Spurs Ability personnel Mark Spencer has spinal injuries but is not successful a wheelchair. He has travelled to Bilbao by car without a summons to watch nan lucifer successful a instrumentality park.

He told BBC Sport: "To opportunity I'm gutted is an understatement. I wasn't capable to spell to Madrid for nan Champions League [final] successful 2019 and I thought this mightiness beryllium my chance - but Uefa person conscionable not fixed america nan percent of seating that they should beryllium giving america nether their ain rules and regulations.

"You consciousness that you're being prevented from watching shot and supporting your squad because of a disablement truthful it's rather insulting and very disappointing."

Manchester United Disabled Supporters' Association caput Rick Clement said: "Uefa, ultimately, person a work to shot fans to support your team. That should see group pinch disabilities."

Dr Rita Egan, different personnel of Spurs Ability, said nan group has been "dismayed" by nan allocation and accused Uefa of having "ignored" complaints by not replying to correspondence.

Level Playing Field chair Tony Taylor said: "We person seen different nonaccomplishment from Uefa astatine a showpiece event.

"Accountability has been lacking earlier and now we tin spot much disregard for abnormal fans, which ignores nan governing body's ain guidance and under-utilises nan accommodation available, without capable justification."

In response, Uefa said it was "working difficult to amended some standards and experiences" for abnormal fans and that it took into relationship "the value of sightlines", "historical demand" and nan ratio betwixt capacity and accessible seating.

It stated that for nan Women's Champions League last past twelvemonth astatine nan aforesaid stadium, 59 of nan 60 allocated seats were sold, and for nan men's Europa League last past play betwixt Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen successful Dublin, only 41 of nan 93 allocated seats were sold.

Uefa besides told BBC Sport that it "investigated solutions" for much accessible seats and said to disablement entree officers astatine United and Spurs.

European football's governing assemblage added: "While some indicated they could waste much accessible tickets, they besides expressed a penchant for maintaining nan existent allocations alternatively than expanding numbers astatine nan disbursal of spot quality."