Five Chelsea fans who are accused of stopping a black man from boarding a train in Paris are set to fight a football match ban, a court has heard.
The Blues supporters are alleged to have blocked the man from getting on the Paris Metro train while fans sang racist chants.
During the incident, several Chelsea supporters are alleged to have chanted: "We're racist, we're racist and that's the way we like it."
Video footage of the incident, which is alleged to have happened ahead of the west London club's match against Paris St Germain last month, went viral after it was uploaded to YouTube.
Today during a preliminary hearing at Waltham Forest Magistrates' Court, the Chelsea fans indicated they would be contesting a ban against them attending future matches.
They were identified in court as Richard Barklie, 50, of Victoria Street, Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland; Dean Callis, 32, of Liverpool Road, Islington, north London; Jordan Munday, 20, of Ellenborough Road, Sidcup, south-east London; Josh Parsons, 20, of Woodhouse Place, Dorking and William Simpson, 26, of Hengrove Crescent, Ashford, Surrey.
Prosecutor Ian Rees Phillips told the court - which was packed with legal representatives and reporters from the UK and France - that the five men opposed the implementation of the banning orders.
District Judge Mary Connolly said the orders would involve severe restrictions to civil liberties. They are designed as a preventative measure to stop potential troublemakers from travelling to football matches at home and abroad.
The French commuter kept off the train, Souleymane S, has said the incident "destroyed" him and left him unable to work or travel on public transport.
He added his children had been left "traumatised" by reports of what happened and that he had become depressed.
Additional reporting by PA
