Lens have banned their own fans from travelling to Lille's away match in the Ligue 1 derby in northern France. The match is scheduled for Friday, October 30, and the club will not open the away fans' section.
The decision comes after incidents during the match against Bruges in the third round of the Champions League on October 21. Lens fans lit and threw fireworks, which the club described as "dangerous and hostile pyrotechnics."
“Following the incidents that occurred in Bruges in the third round of the Champions League, Lens informed all fan groups of its decision not to open the away section in Lille,“ the club said.
In its statement, Lens added that “a red line had been crossed“. The management informed fan groups of the decision on Monday, and the measure was also presented at an organizational meeting in the prefecture of the Nord department.
The incident also led to a sanction from UEFA. The appeals committee of the European football headquarters ordered Lens not to sell tickets to its supporters for the team's next two away matches in the Champions League.
The ban applies to the matches against RB Leipzig and Liverpool. Thus, the fans of the French club will not be able to support the team in both upcoming European away matches, in addition to missing the derby with Lille due to the club's decision and the measures of the French authorities.