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Sevilla FC’s ongoing turmoil both on and off the pitch came to a head on Sunday, as their LaLiga fixture against Atlético Madrid was briefly suspended following a coordinated fan protest inside the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium.
The disruption occurred in the second half when frustrated home supporters in the north stand hurled pieces of yellow card onto the field, targeting club president José María del Nido Carrasco. Chants demanding the resignation of the board and banners calling for “Junior” — a widely-used nickname for Del Nido Carrasco — to step down, echoed through the stadium.
Match official César Soto Grado was forced to halt proceedings for several minutes as stewards cleared the debris, which had notably filled the penalty area of Atlético goalkeeper Jan Oblak. Stadium authorities issued multiple warnings over the PA system, urging fans to stop throwing objects onto the field.
The protest was the latest in a series of demonstrations from an increasingly vocal fanbase frustrated by the club's recent decline. Once one of Spain’s top sides, Sevilla are now struggling mid-table, currently sitting 11th in LaLiga, and recently fell to local rivals Real Betis in the Seville Derby — their first league loss in the heated fixture since 2018.
Tensions have been simmering for months, exacerbated by Sevilla’s financial instability, a revolving door of managers — five in just over a year — and a lackluster domestic campaign. The team has collected just 13 points from their last 10 matches and exited both the Champions League and Copa del Rey early.
Around 1,500 fans gathered outside the stadium before kickoff, according to local outlet Mundo Deportivo, with chants of “Board resign” and “Junior, go now!” ringing out in a coordinated show of opposition.
The club's leadership crisis has also played out behind the scenes, with Del Nido Carrasco clashing publicly with his father, José María del Nido Benavente, a former club president and major shareholder who has been pushing to return to power.
Despite their recent Europa League triumph in 2023 — the seventh in their history — Sevilla's current trajectory has alarmed supporters who once viewed their club as a perennial contender in Europe. Sunday's protest was a vivid reminder of the growing disconnect between the fans and the boardroom.
Featured Image Credit: Pixabay / jorono, X.com @tsf_podcast
