Spanish police detain 23 before Copa del Rey final

Spanish police have detained 23 people in “incidents” in the southern city of Sevilla ahead of the Copa del Rey final that pits Barcelona against Valencia, they said on Saturday.

“Last night in Sevilla, police detained 23 people (who now won’t be able to go to the Copa del Rey final) and seized blunt objects during incidents in the Nervion area,” police tweeted.

Nervion houses the Sevilla FC stadium.

They added five police officers were slightly hurt.

A police spokesman could give no further details.

Local media, however, reported that those detained were members of the Boixos Nois, a group of ultra supporters of FC Barcelona.

Online sports site ElDesmarque reported they had been looking for a fight with ultra supporters of Sevilla.