PRAGUE (CZECH REPUBLIC) (ITALPRESS) – The Prague derby between Slavia and Sparta turned into a night of chaos and fear. The Czech championship match, played at the Fortuna Stadium, was first suspended and then permanently interrupted after hundreds of home fans invaded the pitch in the final minutes of the match. Slavia was on the brink of a crucial victory: a win would have mathematically guaranteed the national title for the red and whites, leading 3-2, when the situation suddenly degenerated in the stands and then on the pitch. According to reports, hundreds of Slavia supporters broke through the security barriers and poured onto the pitch in scenes of total disorder. Many ultras were armed with smoke bombs and fireworks, some of which were thrown directly onto the pitch and towards the seat occupied by Sparta fans. Amid the general chaos, players from both teams hastily abandoned the pitch, seeking refuge in the locker room tunnel. Moments of high tension were also experienced near the away seat, where direct contact between rival fans almost occurred.
Sparta goalkeeper Jakub Surovcik also paid the price, having been hit by a smoke bomb during the clashes by a fan. He has already been given a lifetime stadium ban. The referee had initially opted for a temporary suspension of the match in the hope of restoring order. However, faced with the impossibility of ensuring safety inside the stadium, the final decision was to permanently abandon the match. The visiting team left the stadium shortly afterward on the club bus, while the Czech police intervened to restore calm inside the Fortuna Stadium. The derby between Slavia and Sparta represents the most heated and symbolic in Czech football. The two clubs are also the most successful in the country, and the rivalry between the two fan bases is historically among the most heated in Eastern Europe. Despite what happened, Slavia remains firmly at the top of the Czech First League standings and is close to winning a second consecutive title. However, disciplinary proceedings have been opened over the matter, and Slavia Prague risks a fine, as well as the possible closure of the stadium for some matches. The most serious scenario is a forfeit defeat to Sparta Prague, which would move to within five points of the top spot, thus reopening the title race.
– photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
