Serbia, Albania match abandoned

FREE FOR ALL . . . Albania forward Bekim Balaj is struck by a chair thrown by a Serbian fan as tensions boiled over during the Euro 2016 soccer qualifying clash on Tuesday night. — Mailonline

LONDON. — Serbia’s politically-charged Euro 2016 soccer qualifier against Albania was abandoned after Serbia defender Stefan Mitrovic pulled down a flag carried by a drone — leading to chaos on the field and in the stands of the Partizan Stadium and the arrest of the brother of the Albanian Prime Minister. Uefa banned Albania fans from attending the Group I clash in Belgrade on Tuesday night but elected to allow the two countries to face each other, despite long-standing political tensions.

And when the Albanian flag — accompanied by a map of Kosovo and the message “autochthonous”, meaning indigenous — was flown above the pitch using a remote-operated drone, Mitrovic’s actions led to fighting between players and officials and havoc in the stands.

Olsi Rama, the brother of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, was arrested in the VIP box for allegedly instigating the stunt, confirmed CNN.
He was arrested on suspicion that he masterminded and executed the incident in which a flag with a map of greater Albania was flown over the pitch and the terraces, after which the match between Serbia and Albania was abandoned, Serbian state television said on its official website (www.rts.rs).

Uefa have also launched an inquiry into the violence. Serbia refuse to recognise Kosovo as an independent nation — an issue that is hotly disputed by Albanians who dominate the population.

English referee Martin Atkinson interrupted the match in the 41st minute after Mitrovic grabbed the flag and Albania’s players tried to protect it. Several Serbian fans invaded the pitch and clashed with Albanian players.

One invader was the notorious Serb hooligan Ivan Bogdanov, who is part of the hardcore Red Star Belgrade fans, the Ultra Boys and of Movement 1389, a far-right nationalist group which has been involved in rioting against Kosovo Albanians and their western backers.

The Albanian players had to flee the field, followed by Serbia’s XI that included the likes of English Premier League stars Branislav Ivanovic, Matija Nastasic, Aleksandar Kolarov, Dusan Tadic and Nemanja Matic. — Mailonline.