Chelsea have been handed a drastically-reduced ticket allocation for next month’s Capital One Cup tie at Leeds United amid concerns over fan safety.
The Londoners have announced that they have been allocated 3,000 tickets for December 19’s eagerly-awaited quarter-final tie.
They have also revealed, however, that they initially asked for a total of 5,000 tickets.
A message on Chelsea’s official Twitter account said the 3,000 figure had been decided upon “due to fan safety”.
It also indicated that at one stage they were being asked to accept just 1,500 tickets.
A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “Following a series of meetings between officials from both clubs a decision was agreed that 3,000 tickets would be made available to Chelsea supporters.
“The safety of all supporters remains the overriding priority for all parties involved in the organisation of the fixture and an appropriate policing operation will be in place for the match.”
Next month’s tie will be the first fixture between Leeds and Chelsea at Elland Road for nine years.
The clubs have a bitter rivalry that can be traced as far back as the late 1960s.
Chelsea fans at the game will have seats in part of Elland Road’s John Charles West Stand.
The club has appealed to its supporters not to travel without tickets.
Chelsea are also warning that no alcohol will be on sale in the section of Elland Road allocated to away fans.
The game will be the biggest at Leeds since the visit of Manchester United in September last year.
That fixture was marred by violence outside Elland Road, with police making more than 20 arrests.
One officer broke his leg when he was knocked to the floor beneath a police horse.
Other cops were pelted with bricks, bottles and sticks.
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