Why can’t some so-called football fans behave themselves?

Over the last 24 hours, we have read reports about how so-called Liverpool fans have misbehaved ahead of the Reds Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona. There has allegedly been assaults, casual racism and incidents involving fountains.

The incidents filmed on mobile phones were not funny or banter. They were acts of a bunch of drink-filled idiots, who claim to be Liverpool fans. It is very important to say that it is a small minority of Liverpool fans causing trouble in the Catalan capital. I am sure the vast majority of Reds fans would condemn the poor behaviour.

Showing the city and country up

I am proud to be from Liverpool. It has been my home for the majority of my life. However, like any major city in England, it has a small minority of idiots, who spoil it for the normal hard-working people.

Unfortunately, due to this section of our society, the city has developed a less than wholesome reputation. The events such as the ones in Barcelona does nothing for the city or England’s reputation in general.

What bugs me about this sort of thing is that everybody gets tarred with the same brush. Not all Liverpool fans are idiots and not all ‘Scousers’ are either. It also leads to people on social media (not the best forum for sanity at the best of times) who have never set foot in the city deciding to sling insults. Some of these insults make these people look nearly as bad as the people involved in Barcelona.

Fans should suffer punishment

The fans responsible should suffer punishment, just like fans of other English clubs have suffered in recent times. Most right-minded football fans would agree that the ridiculous behaviour of the minority of Reds in Barcelona deserves punishment.

Why can they not just go to foreign places and just behave themselves? People claiming it’s because of a culture of drinking. That’s funny, I have been to lots of foreign places, drank and never acted like a mindless thug.

Then again, I can go out on a Friday or Saturday night out in a city centre without getting involved in a scuffle or bar room brawl too. It seems that some people cannot and decide to take their poor behaviour with them when abroad.

I cannot claim to be an angel myself. However, it is embarrassing behaviour, from so-called grown-ups. I have no doubt that the decent Liverpool fans will agree that this behaviour is unacceptable.

There is a game tonight

The activity off the pitch has taken attention away from the fact that Liverpool face La Liga champions Barcelona tonight at the Nou Camp. The team from Catalonia are favourites to record a victory in tonight’s match at odds of 10/11.

In reality, this tie could go either way, as these are two of the best teams in the European game at the minute. Barcelona’s Lionel Messi has once again enjoyed a fantastic campaign and in my opinion, the little Argentinian is the best player to ever grace a football field.

However, Liverpool’s attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino are a lethal threesome for Jurgen Klopp’s side. Both teams have improved defensively this season, but the tie should see goals.

A small defeat and an away goal would not be the end of the world for the Reds with the second leg at Anfield still to come. It is a difficult tie to predict. I just hope we are all talking about the game tomorrow and not more poor behaviour from the fans.

Will Liverpool leave Barcelona with a positive result?