Fans of Brazilian team Botafogo invade club’s training ground and confront players in medical room – with police called as dozens protest against the side’s poor form in Brazil’s Serie A and current position in the relegation zone
- Police were called to the Espaco Lonier facility in the west side of Rio de Janeiro
- A video posted online showed fans storming into Botafogo’s medical offices
- Supporters also remonstrated with players about the side’s poor run o form
- Botafogo have lost four games in a row in Brazil’s Serie A and are in the drop zone
Dozens of supporters of Brazilian team Botafogo invaded the club’s training centre in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday to protest against the club’s poor run of form.
Local police were called to the Espaco Lonier facility in the west side of the city and images posted by organised supporter groups on social media showed people storming into the club’s medical offices and remonstrating with several players and officials.
Botafogo are yet to issue a statement and the police have not reported any arrests.
Dozens of supporters of Brazilian team Botafogo invaded the club’s training centre in Rio
Botafogo are currently in the relegation zone, with 12 points from 11 matches this season
The supporters’ anger follows a series of bad results for Botafogo, who have lost four consecutive games in Brazil’s Serie A.
They are in the relegation zone, with 12 points from 11 matches.
Botafogo supplied many of the big-name players to Brazil’s World Cup winning teams of 1958, 1962 and 1970, such as Garrincha, Jairzinho, Didi, Gerson, Mario Zagallo and Nilton Santos, after whom their stadium is named.
The supporters’ anger follows four consecutive defeats s in Brazil’s Serie A this season
However, they have faced serious financial trouble and have been relegated to Brazil’s Serie B three times in the last 20 years.
In January Botafogo’s board voted to abandon their traditional model of being a social club and sold 90% of their shares to U.S. businessman John Textor, owner of Premier League Crystal Palace.
He became a celebrity among soccer fans following his arrival at Botafogo, but the mood among the club’s fanbase has recently turned sour.