The rivalry in the Serbian capital between Red Star Belgrade and Partizan Belgrade has often resulted in clashes between fans that require riot police and other means of crowd control.
Saturday, that turned ugly.
According to the Associated Press, over 50 people were injured and 40 arrested as the two sides clashed before the match at Red Star Stadium in Belgrade. The riots caused a 40-minute delay to the match, and sent a number of fans to the hospital. This rivalry, often known as the Eternal Derby, has often caused unrest and violence among fans.
The report states fans flung stones towards each other and fought with sticks as riot police attempted to break up the clashes. Fans responded by throwing chairs and flares at the riot police, as crowds could be seen lighting flares of Partizan yellow and Red Star red. Smoke grenades were also tossed onto the field. The game finally got under way, but was halted in the second half again to let smoke clear.
The match ended in a 0-0 draw, maintaining Partizan’s five-point lead at the top of the table over the defending champions Red Star. The winner of the Serbian league earns a bid into Champions League second qualifying round, while the second and third place finishers find themselves among the Europa League.
