Our intrepid reporter Mark Szczuka visited Serbia to attend the Belgrade derby between deadly rivals, Partizan and Red Star. Here is his report.
The 148th Belgrade derby, between Red Star and Partizan, lived up to its reputation as being one of the most intense rivalries in world football.
On a warm sunny spring day in Serbia’s capital most of the action took place in the terraces rather than on the pitch, in what turned out to be a goalless draw.
As the players entered the field to start the match fighting broke out in the stands between the rival fans. The riot police managed to separate the fans but then the Red Star fans diverted their attention to attacking the police, throwing lit flares and plastic chairs they had torn up from the stands. The match was delayed by 40 minutes until riot police reinforcements entered the north stand where the problems from the home team were. They eventually managed to take control of the situation.
The fans of both teams created a colourful atmosphere throughout the rest of the match lighting hundreds of flares, setting of large smoke canisters and stun grenades and displaying numerous banners, setting fire to opposing team’s flags.
At one point in the 2nd half the match had to be stopped for 7 minutes as the smoke from hundreds of flares set off by the Partizan fans had made it difficult to see the part of the pitch next to the south stand.
The nil-nil draw suited Partizan more as they remain 5 points clear of their bitter rivals with just 6 matches to go in the season.
