Police officer dies after Athletic and Spartak Moscow fans clash in Bilbao

Fans of both teams came to blows outside San Mames ahead of their Europa League last-32 match

One police officer, 50-year-old Inocencio Arias Garcia, has been left dead in Bilbao after fans of and Athletic Bilbao clashed in the streets ahead of their last-32 match on Thursday.

Fans of the Russian and Spanish sides clashed with members of the Ertzaintza – the local Basque police force – near San Mames ahead of the second-leg meeting.

Around 200 Spartak fans made the trip from and arrived early near the stadium. Those supporters and Athletic fans were involved in altercations, with bottles and flares being thrown.

The Ertzaintza stepped in to keep the fighting from getting out of hand, and one of their members died of a heart attack following the conflict.

VÍDEO. Incidentes con los aficionados rusos. pic.twitter.com/cPFkoeBNrK — Radio Bilbao (@radiobilbao) February 22, 2018

The Spanish Football Federation confirmed in a statement that the officer fell after a flare dropped close to him and suffered the heart attack, passing away at the Basurto Hospital. The federation also expressed its condolences to the friends and families of the deceased and strongly conmdemed violence surrounding sporting events.

The Spanish national police also confirmed the officer's death in a tweet.

Un abrazo y todo nuestro cariño a la familia y compañeros del agente de @ertzaintzaEJGV fallecido en incidentes #AthleticSpartak en San Mamés.

NO a la violencia, las agresiones y la barbarie en el deporte.https://t.co/58Sv4Jo9MI pic.twitter.com/CXh3VWNqXU — Policía Nacional (@policia) February 22, 2018

Reports also suggest that at least four other people have suffered injuries in the fighting, and that multiple arrests have been made.