Fans invade training ground to watch Brazil train

[May 26, 2018]    RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Fans eager to see Brazil's penultimate practice session before the squad leave for World Cup warm-up games in Europe invaded the training ground on Friday, although police stopped them reaching the players, witnesses and news reports said.

Neymar and head coach Tite talk with fans. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes

The supporter invasion came at Brazil's long-time training complex just outside Rio de Janeiro.

Fans arrived early and hundreds of people pushed against the gates, with some weeping children being lifted over the heads of adults to escape the crush. Other supporters pushed their way in, forcing police to chase them.

With numbers restricted some fans did not make it inside and chanted ‘7-1, 7-1’ in reference to Brazil's humiliating defeat by Germany in the World Cup semi-final on home soil four years ago.

Friday's training was the only one open to fans and the penultimate session before the 23-man squad head for Europe.

Brazil play warm up games against Croatia on June 3 in Liverpool and Austria in Vienna on June 10 before heading to Russia where they face Switzerland, Costa Rica and Serbia.

(Writing by Andrew Downie; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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