Serbia v Albania Abandoned

Shameful blot on what has been a decent night of International football.

Banter!

Serbia seem to be the Millwall of European football. Trouble follows them everywhere.

No place in football for that kind of thing.

If the game couldn't continue because of a pitch invasion during which Albanian players were assaulted, then UEFA ought to award the game 3-0 to the away team.

Bet they won't have the balls to do that, but I can't see how further international matches, at either club or country level, can be played in Belgrade until Serbia clean up their act.

see the fan who runs in from the bottom right at about 1m 51secs, gets bundled in the melee, then ends up walking down the tunnel.

Kolarov hates all this nonsense. He's already had a got at the Serbian fans for the way they treat the players and now he's been involved in this I wouldn't be surprised to hear that he'd retired. Must be miserable having to put up with stuff like this

Of course it was without trouble. There were only one set of fans there.

Form my Serbian buddy (living here, not at the game)...

There is a bit of traditional Serbian victimhood on show but in this case I have some sympathy with him for the obvious Albanian provocation. And I agree they should never have kept these two in the same group. UEFA like FIFA are not fit for purpose, but who can control those two bodies?

Mate,
Before you start sending me what Guardian write about match in Belgrade, just to share first thoughts from watching and following Serbian TV:
- Albanians refused for a days to accept proposal of Serbian FA that both games shall be without guest visitors. They accepted after Uefa pressed them but hesitated to turn back tickets they already got
- they refused to supply the list of names who will attend to game in special VIP lounge on the stadium although this is a must. Serb police therefore retained plane from Tirana on BG airport and allowed visitors to come after EU ambassador in BG insisted to do so.(will be important, see below)
- apart from some, for Balkans usual scenario (anti Shiptar songs and cheering), atmosphere was ok, game went normally. Until 40'.
- all of the sudden, dron appear above the pitch, carrying flag of Big Albania (including Kosovo and more parts
of Serb territory). One of our players managed to get it down (the flag), when few their players attacked to get the flag. Some small fights happened and several fans get on the ground trying to attack Albanian players.
- game was abandoned and after hour suspended
- just heard on the news that brother of Albanian PM who was in VIP lounge was arrested because he manipulated with the dron!?
- Uefa officials on the match insisted that game shall be continued, but guests refuse and immediately left to airport

Why Uefa allowed Serbia and Albania to be in the same group? In the same time Uefa decided that Spain and Gibraltar and Armenia and Azerbaijan cant be in the same group...
Why Uefa allowed guests to hesitate about tickets?
Why Eu ambassador (Davenport) insisted that guest shall be allowed to enter Serbia against the rules?

Just to remind that Putin is coming this Thursday, in event of 70th years celebrating Belgrade liberation.
Again, nice way to punish Serbs for being undisciplined again:-)
I'm curious how this will be illustrated in the world and democratic press.
Z

Shame for the Serbian players who acted very well and a lot more professional than there counterparts.

Crazy...

In England we get fans running on the pitch in joyous celebration and we're heavily criticised and warned not to let it happen again by the FA / UEFA / FIFA etc..

Same thing happens anywhere else in the world and the governing bodies just seem to shrug their shoulders, hand out fines that mean games are held behind closed doors and wait for the next time

ForeverAddickted said:

Crazy...

In England we get fans running on the pitch in joyous celebration and we're heavily criticised and warned not to let it happen again by the FA / UEFA / FIFA etc..

Same thing happens anywhere else in the world and the governing bodies just seem to shrug their shoulders, hand out fines that mean games are held behind closed doors and wait for the next time

Let's see what happens first before making judgement

And unfortunately in England it isn't always "joyous celebration" either.

'Pitch invasion' is a gross overstatement, a few presumably Serbian spectators got onto the pitch but were outnumbered by the players.
Two things: 1) The Serbs are not necessarily wholly responsible for this affair. The 'drone' towing the Albanian flag and the Albanian players response to the Serb player understandably grabbing the flag was the flashpoint ... 2) The roots of this situation have zero to do with football. The truth is that the Balkans has been a hotbed of inter community hatreds since the Ottoman Empire used the divide and rule principle to govern the area over hundreds of years. Many Albanians are Muslim, most Serbs are Christian Orthodox.
Albania is a NATO member and a candidate for EU membership. I trust that Serbia will not once again be subject to extensive bombing by 'the allies' as a result of this storm in a teacup

oohaahmortimer said:

Avi_dAddick said:

Charltonparklane said:

see the fan who runs in from the bottom right at about 1m 51secs, gets bundled in the melee, then ends up walking down the tunnel.

Haha, he got absolutely trucked when he tried to get in their way. Was wearing a man bag too.

i think he goes down the tunnel to get his rucksack after having a sit down for a bit to recover after the initial carnage

Unconfirmed rumours that both pencil case and niknaks are fine.