1. FC Union’s Europa League victory in Malmö has been overshadowed by riots. Firecrackers and pyrotechnics were set off, which had caused the interruption. The game was even about to be canceled for a short time.
Because of fan riots, the Europa League game of 1. FC Union Berlin at Malmö FF on Thursday evening was interrupted for about half an hour. In the 57th minute, firecrackers and a flare were thrown onto the field from the guest block. The Swedish police intervened a little later and cleared the adjacent block. Union coach Urs Fischer, who recovered at short notice, followed what was happening with obvious incomprehension.
1. FC Union celebrates their first Europa League win in the club’s history in Malmö
1. FC Union has brought in the first three points in the Europa League. However, the victory in Malmö was overshadowed by a pyro chaos that led to a long break in the game.more
It was initially unclear who fired the firecrackers and pyros. TV footage showed security forces taking fans from other areas out of the stadium. As reported by rbb sports reporter Jakob Rüger, there are said to have been arrests by the police in the Malmö fans’ block. Accordingly, fireworks were also thrown from the home area.
Storm masks in the Union block
Referee Halil Umut Meler from Turkey then sent both teams into the dressing room. At that point it was 0-0. The teams only returned to the pitch after around 27 minutes. Security forces stationed themselves in front of the block of guest fans, some of whom wore storm masks.
Officials from both clubs made it clear via stadium announcements that the game would be stopped immediately in the event of the next incident. When Sheraldo Becker scored to make it 1-0 in the 68th minute, pyros were ignited again in the Union block. However, the game continued because they stayed in the grandstand area and did not fly onto the field again.
Union President Zingler “pissed off”
“Of course it’s also a bit of a clouded victory. It’s unacceptable, nothing and nobody has anything to do on the lawn and in other blocks,” said Union President Dirk Zingler on the TV channel RTL +: “It really annoys me. We don’t know that, we don’t do it – and here we suddenly do it. I’m pissed about it.”
Zingler went to the guest block during the break and tried to talk the fans into it. Press spokesman Christian Arbeit also addressed the Union supporters via the stadium microphones to calm them down. “We will evaluate that with the scene, that’s very clear,” emphasized the Union boss: “In the end, there are always few. That It sounds like a cliché, but it’s the truth.” The television pictures also showed how discussions between supporters within the Union bloc broke out.
He is not worried about renewed riots in the second leg in a week’s time at the An der Alten Försterei stadium: “We are well prepared – and I’m looking forward to that.”
Malmö maintains fan friendships with city rivals Hertha BSC
Already in the run-up to the game, riots were warned. The reason for this is a fan friendship between Malmö FF and Hertha BSC. During the game, flags and banners from the city rivals were repeatedly presented in the Malmö block to provoke the Union fans. Supporters of the rival Berlin club BFC Dynamo are said to have been in the stadium alongside the Hertha fans.
“The whole day was a day full of provocations, the people of Malmö invite people from the capital, we invite people from the village – and then we don’t have each other’s guests under control,” President Zingler said angrily.
A Hertha BSC banner is presented in the Malmö block | Image: imago images/Matthias Koch
Broadcast: rbb24, October 6th, 2022, 9:45 p.m
