VALENCIA have been forced to take action to deal with a RAT infestation at their stadium.
The iconic Mestalla Stadium has been struck down with the rodent problem due to a cleanliness issue caused in part by a bizarre Spanish football tradition.
AlamyValencia will be taking action to banish a rat problem at their stadium[/caption]
The iconic Mestalla opened in 1923Getty
While English fans might be used to tucking into a pie or burger at half-time, Spanish fans commonly snack on sunflower seeds during matches – also known as pipas.
Many fans scoffing on the seeds have the horrible habit of chucking the shells on the floor.
Those attending games in LaLiga will often have to wade through piles of discarded shells from previous matches.
At the Mestalla these shells have attracted a swarm of rats.
The club has also received complaints from aggrieved locals angry at the noise of machines used to clean the stands.
In order to address the situation, the club will reportedly ask its fans to stop consuming pipas in the stadium.
Valencia will be proactive by stopping the sale of the seeds in the arena as their first step towards dispelling their rodent problem.
The club will not stop fans from bringing their own seeds from home, but will ask supporters to bring a bag to dispose of them to stop the shells from accumulating.
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Marca report the plan will be put into motion when Aston Villa visit the Mestalla for the Taronja Trophy on Saturday.
It will then be rolled out for the rest of their home games this season.
The Mestalla opened in 1923 and seats 49,430 people.
On the pitch, Valencia have fallen from their former glory days.
They narrowly avoided relegation from the Spanish top flight by just two points last season.
Elsewhere in Spain, Barcelona’s Nou Camp looks completely unrecognisable as construction work commences to modernise the ground.
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