Fan ‘groped’ by steward prior to Reds’ tie in Seville

A FEMALE Liverpool fan has spoken of a horrendous ordeal she suffered in Seville as the club launched an inquiry into claims supporters were abused by Spanish police. One fan says her experience at the hands of a Spanish female steward at Sevilla’s Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan bordered on physical assault. Her story reflects what turned out to be a nightmare for many travelling Liverpudlians, who claim to have been subjected to aggressive and violent treatment by the authorities before, during and after the dramatic 3-3 Champions League draw. Vicki Kropp, 49, arrived in Seville on Sunday and says the mood around the city had been nothing but convivial, rival fans mixing without any problem. But once she and her husband reached the stadium the atmosphere became more sinister. She told Sportsmail: ‘I have been subjected to rough searches before, such as before Augsburg in the Europa League (in February 2016). This was totally different. ‘Normally you are asked to hand over your bag to be searched but this time it was grabbed off me. ‘I was then physically searched to such an extent the steward pulled the wires of my bra and then, effectively, groped both my breasts. I was then spun around and my legs kicked apart. She searched the inside of my leg and then, for want of a better word, grabbed my undercarriage.’ Liverpool said in a statement: ‘Following detailed and troubling accounts given by supporters attending the match against Sevilla, the club are seeking to establish the facts regarding their treatment at the hands of the host stewards and local police force. ‘The safety and security of our supporters is our paramount concern.’ UEFA said: ‘We are aware that there were some issues at the away supporters’ entrances in regards to fans accessing the stadium. We have no further comment to make at this stage.’