Sports sociologist Ramon Spaaij is an expert in the field of football hooligans and knows the reputation of Polish football fans in Europe. “Jagiellonia is not as big as Legia Warsaw, for example, but they have also built up a reputation in recent years.”
Household in a city
“They often take many fans with them to European away matches,” says Spaaij. “Sometimes they cause problems in the host cities. It’s a bit of a feeling of wanting to take control in such a city and assert yourself there.”
This reputation is evident from the recent past. Last week, buses carrying supporters of Spain’s Rayo Vallecano were attacked by Jagiellonia fans on the highway and in March, supporters of Cercle Brugge from Belgium were beaten up by Polish hooligans.
Riots in Amsterdam
Last year the Polish club played against Ajax in Amsterdam and things went wrong then too. It was restless in several places in the capital and it came to a standstill on Dam Square a major confrontation with the police.
Three officers were injured in that confrontation. During searches, heavy fireworks, balaclavas, cans of pepper spray, a life preserver and mouth guards were found, among other things.
Text continues below the video of the riots in Amsterdam.