Serbia has threatened to leave the European Championship if UEFA does not impose strict punishment on Croatia and Albania following offensive chants during their clash on Wednesday.
The two nations played out an entertaining 2-2 draw in Hamburg, but their respective behavior became a major talking point in the hours that followed.
Both groups of supporters could be heard shouting “Kill the Serbs” during the confrontation. Understandably, this has not sat well with the Serbian Football Federation, which has called on European football’s top governing body to take action.
Serbia was also upset when a Kosovo television journalist pointed a sign with the Albanian “eagle” at its fans during a live broadcast of its opening match against England.
Arlind Sadiku, a journalist for the Artmotion television channel, has been excluded from the rest of the tournament for “misconduct.”
Serbia has threatened to leave the European Championship if UEFA does not take action against Croatia and Albania over their fans’ chants.
Chants of ‘Kill the Serbs’ were heard from both sets of fans during Croatia’s 1-1 draw with Albania.
The Serbian Football Federation is outraged by the “scandalous” event. In the photo: President of the Serbian Federation, Dragan Dzajic (center right) and Secretary General Jovan Surbatovic (right).
“What happened is scandalous and we will ask UEFA for sanctions, even at the cost of not continuing the competition,” said Serbian Football Federation general secretary Jovan Surbatovic.
“We are sure that they will be punished, because they have already responded to our call to remove the alleged Albanian journalist from the championship.
‘We will ask UEFA to sanction the federations of both teams. We do not want to participate in that, but if UEFA does not punish them, we will think about how to proceed.
‘We were punished for fishing cases and our fans behaved much better than the others. A fan was fined for racist abuse and we don’t want it to be attributed to others. “We Serbians are gentlemen and we have an open heart, that’s why I appeal to the fans to continue being gentlemen.”
The animosity of Croats and Albanians toward Serbs has its roots in the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1995.
The first meeting between Croatia and Serbia in 2013 was dubbed the “match of the decade” by media in both countries and tickets for the clash at the 34,000-capacity stadium sold out within hours.
Although there will be no visiting fans at the stadium, there will be 1,500 police officers patrolling the match to prevent any outbreak of nationalism.
Similarly, when Serbia faced Albania for the first time as independent nations, their Euro 2016 qualifying match descended into chaos on the pitch and in the stands, and the arrest of the Albanian Prime Minister’s brother.
Albania striker Bekim Balaj is hit by a chair thrown by a Serbian fan as tensions boiled over during the Euro 2016 qualifying clash.
Nemanja Gudelj holds the flag as Albania’s Bekim Balaj and Andi Lila try to protect it
A masked Serbian supporter flees with the drone carrying the controversial flag as players watch in the background.
UEFA had banned Albanian fans from attending the clash in Belgrade but decided 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”, that is, indigenous, was flown over the field using a remotely operated drone, chaos ensued.
Olsi Rama, brother of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, was arrested in the VIP box for allegedly instigating the stunt, CNN confirmed.
“He was arrested on suspicion of having planned and executed the incident in which a flag with a map of Greater Albania flew over the pitch and the stands, after which the match between Serbia and Albania was suspended,” the television said. Serbian state on its official website.
Serbia were eventually awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA after the match was abandoned, with their FA claiming that their team acted with restraint despite being provoked by the “offensive” flag and then being attacked when they attempted to take him off the field.
In Surbatovic’s statement on Thursday, he also made reference to the recent problems caused by his supporters at the tournament.
UEFA accused the Serbian Federation of two offenses following its defeat to England on Sunday: throwing objects and transmitting a provocative message “not suitable for a sporting event.”
UEFA has appointed an inspector to carry out a disciplinary investigation “into alleged discriminatory behaviour”
UEFA has already accused the Albanian Federation for problems with fans during the Euro Cup
The latter is understood to relate to the display of a flag linked to a paramilitary movement that engaged in ethnic cleansing during the Yugoslav wars.
The governing body also launched an investigation into allegations that the England players made monkey noises during the clash. An inspector has been appointed to carry out a disciplinary investigation “into alleged discriminatory behaviour”, although a resolution is not expected until after the group stage.
Meanwhile, the governing body directed four charges to Albania FFootball Federation for the incidents that occurred during the match played in Dortmund, which ended 2-1 against Italy. A field invader stopped play in the final moments of the game and that incident constitutes one of the charges.
The charges were for “throwing objects”, “igniting fireworks”, “invasion of the field of play” and “transmission of a provocative message inappropriate for a sporting event.”
It comes amid rising tensions between fans elsewhere at the European Championship in Germany.
Football hooliganism has made a shameful return to the Euro Cup. Before England’s opening match against Serbia. Some British fans are among those believed to have been injured after bloody clashes caused by Serbia’s arch-rival Albania who attacked Serbs outside a bar in Gelsenkirchen.
Riot police clashed with a crowd of supporters as violence made an embarrassing return to the sport, with police sources telling MailOnline that at least six people were arrested.
Serbia prepares to take on Slovenia at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena on Thursday afternoon.
Serbia’s extraordinary threat comes just hours before their second Group C match against Slovenia at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
Dragan Stojkovic’s side will be confident of achieving a victory that would significantly increase their chances of qualifying after putting pressure on England in their first match.