Wide Security Enhancement for Real Madrid and Benfica Match

Real Madrid is preparing to face Benfica on Wednesday in the second leg of the playoff qualifying for the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, with around 1,800 security personnel deployed to ensure the safety of the match, according to the Spanish newspaper “Mundo Deportivo.”

The meeting was classified as high-risk by the National Committee for Combating Violence, Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance in Sports, requiring both clubs to take additional measures, including regulating the ticket sales system, separating fans inside the stadium, and organizing the entrances and exits of the stadium.

The security apparatus includes members of the Spanish National Police such as the Rapid Intervention Unit, the Regional Information Brigade, the Mobile Brigade, canine units, underground surveillance, and the air service with drones, in addition to the municipal police in Madrid.

The intervention also includes the civil protection unit, firefighters, and security guards and personnel affiliated with Real Madrid, with increased presence of monitors in the subway to facilitate the movement of fans and ensure security during the match.

More than 4,200 Portuguese fans are expected to attend a stadium with a capacity of 73,000 spectators, and everyone has been advised to arrive early to smoothly complete security checks and ensure their safe entry into the stadium.