Season 14/15 - April

UEFA open probe into Georgia, Irish and Poland incidents - 01/04/2015

Source : https://fr.sports.yahoo.com

UEFA have opened disciplinary procedures against the federations of Georgia, the Republic of Ireland and Poland after various incidents during the recent Euro 2016 qualifiers, European football's governing body announced on Wednesday.

Georgia are accused of failing to control their fans during a pitch invasion in their 2-0 home defeat to Germany on Sunday and of "insufficient organisation", including the blocking of stairs and a lack of body searches.



Ireland have been charged with "improper conduct" after picking up five yellow cards during their fiery 1-1 home draw the same day against Poland while the Polish Football Federation has been charged for the setting off of fireworks by their fans at the same game in Dublin.

The respective cases will be examined by UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body on May 21.

Italy: Security will be tight for Roma-Napoli game after shooting - 02/04/2015

Source : http://news.yahoo.com/

Security will be tight Saturday for Napoli's first visit to Roma since a fan of the southern club died following a shooting before last season's Italian Cup final.

Residents of the entire Campania region that includes Naples are barred from buying tickets for the match and 1,000 police officers have been called in to maintain order.

"This tragedy should unite the two cities and I hope that the match is played in Ciro's memory," Roma Mayor Ignazio Marino said.

Napoli fan Ciro Esposito was shot away from the stadium before kickoff of the game last May then died of his wounds in June.

Antonella Leardi, Esposito's mother, presented a book titled "Ciro Lives" at Rome's Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday.

"The fact that there won't be Neapolitans is a defeat for the sane fans," Leardi said.

In another move linked to violence concerns, the match will have an early 12:30 p.m. (1030 GMT) kickoff.

England: Police re-appeal for information over Cambridge United fan Simon Dobbin attack - 02/04/2015

Source : http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/

Police have re-issued an urgent appeal for information in connection to a brutal attack on a Cambridge United fan.

Simon Dobbin, from Mildenhall, was kicked in the head during an attack after a Southend United match more than a week ago.

He was transferred to Addenbrooke's earlier this week where he remains in a medically induced coma in a critical, but stable, condition.

The 42-year-old had left the Blue Boar pub and was walking with a small group of other supporters to Prittlewell train station at about 7.15pm on Saturday, March 21.

They were assaulted in East Street by a group of men who came out of the nearby Railway Tavern.

DCI Martin Pasmore, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, who is leading the investigation, said: "Mr Dobbin is an entirely innocent victim in this attack, he is a decent family man who was simply enjoying a day out with a friend. My heart goes out to his family at this very difficult time.

"I believe Mr Dobbin's attacker was among a group of men who came out of the Railway Tavern with the intention of attacking the Cambridge supporters.

"It is clear that motorists and pedestrians would have been stopped by the disorder and I need anyone who saw any aspect of this incident to get in touch. I also need anyone in the Blue Boar or Railway Tavern at the time to contact police.

"Some of the Cambridge supporters are still to be traced and I appeal to them to make contact as soon as possible.

"It is my intention to identify everyone involved in this sickening attack and bring them to justice."

Mr Dobbin's family would like to thank everyone who has supported them during this difficult time and are very grateful for the messages of support from well-wishers.

Four men have been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm; three men from Southend, aged 19, 22, and 33, and a 23-year-old from Westcliff. All have been bailed until May 27, pending further enquiries.

Polish police hunt football hooligan who chopped off rival fan's HAND in Krakow - 02/04/2015

Source : http://www.irishmirror.ie/

Wisla Krakow fan Dominik Luty, 22, was drinking in Krakow with some friends when he heard supporters from rival team Cracovia were in town

Polish police are searching for a football hooligan who chopped off a rival fan's hand with a machete.

Wisla Krakow fan Dominik Luty, 22, was drinking in Krakow with some friends when he heard supporters from rival team Cracovia were in town.

Ten of the Wisla supporters went to hunt for their rivals, carrying a host of weapons including axes, clubs, knives and machetes.

The group came across a man wearing a Cracovia hat, and savagely beat him. Luty, known as Baca to pals, then chopped off the man's hand with a machete, before the group fled the scene.

Horrified passer-by Jakub Nowak, 34, said: "I came round the corner and saw this man covered in blood.

"He was unconscious and had wounds to his legs and his hand was lying a few centimetres away." Football fan left fighting for his life after sickening attack moved to specialist care unit

The victim was taken to hospital where doctors rushed him into surgery.

A police spokesman said: "This was a vicious attack on an innocent man whose only crime was that he supported a different team.

"He has lost a well-paid job as a result and will find it difficult to recover emotionally from his ordeal."

Police arrested 10 suspects and now say they are hunting Luty who has gone on the run.

The spokesman said: "It is clear that he is the one who chopped the man’s hand off and if anyone knows his whereabouts they should contact us immediately."

Trabzonspor - Fenerbahçe - 04/04/2015

Source : http://www.bbc.com/

Fenerbahce football team bus shot at after Turkey match

Fenerbahce's team bus was shot at by a gunman after the Turkish Super Lig leaders' 5-1 victory at Rizespor.
The driver was taken to hospital but no players suffered any injuries in the attack, which happened while they were travelling to Trabzon airport.
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu says an investigation is under way.
The Turkish Football Federation condemned the attack and the club's general secretary Mahmut Uslu said the incident was "very wrong".

"We come here to do sport, we come to play football," Uslu said.
The governor of Trabzon, which is in the north-east of Turkey, had initially said the bus appeared to have been hit by a stone but he later released a second statement, saying it seemed to have been a bullet.
"The latest situation is that it appears to be a gun," governor Abdulcelil Oz said. "It is too soon to say anything definite, but it appears to be a type of bullet fired by a rifle."

Large crowds of Fenerbahce fans waited at Istanbul Airport to welcome the players back.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is a Fenerbahce supporter and reportedly called the local governor to inquire about the investigation into the incident.

AS Roma - Napoli - 04/04/2015

Source : http://forzaitalianfootball.com/

Roma Fans Unveil Banner Criticising Ciro Esposito’s Mother.

During Roma’s 1-0 win over Napoli at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday, the Curva Sud unveiled a banner criticising Ciro Esposito’s mother.

Napoli supporter Ciro Esposito was tragically killed by a gunshot wound before the Coppa Italia final between the Partenopei and Fiorentina, following an altercation between ultras of Roma and Napoli.

The away fans unfurled a banner which read “Ciro Forever” as Napoli took to the field against Roma, though the Curva Sud was critical of Ciro’s mother Antonella Leardi who has recently released a book titled ‘Ciro Lives’, and is a fervent campaigner against violence at football matches.

The banner unfurled by the Curva Sud read,”How sad. Gaining from the funeral with books and interviews.”

Leardi responded to the banner after the game, and was visibly hurt by the suggestion she is profiting from Ciro’s death.

“I saw the game on TV and was hurt by those words,” she told ANSA.

“It hurts to hear horrible things about a child who is lost.”

EA Guingamp - Lyon - 04/04/2015

Source : http://www.ouest-france.fr/

Lyon

Arsenal Tula - Torpedo Moscow - 05/04/2015

Source : http://rt.com/ + http://rsport.ru/

Rival football fans clash during match in Russia’s Tula

Some 15 people have been detained after violent clashes broke out in the middle of a football match in the Russian city of Tula, where fans of Torpedo Moscow broke the fence of the ‘away’ sector and attacked the supporters of FC Arsenal Tula.

Around half an hour into the first half of game, the match was stopped and riot police had to quell the fans from opposing sides clashing with each other.

The fighting started when Moscow fans began throwing fireworks and pelting Tula’s fan sector in the stadium, according to the head of security of Russia’s Premier League, Aleksandr Meitin. Tula fans started chanting offensive slogans towards the visiting Moscow team, provoking Torpedo fans to tear off the fence of the ‘away’ sector and attack supporters of Arsenal.

Fans were met by riot police, who “normalized” the tensions quickly. While police report no injuries, social media claim a few fans have been hurt.

After a brief five minute interruption, players returned on the field to finish the match, which Moscow won 3-1.

The Russian Premier League announced that it might introduce sanctions against Moscow Torpedo fans and fine the club. At the same time the league praised the police’s conduct for quickly defusing the tensions.

The instigators of disturbances were detained, authorities confirmed, saying that overall some 15 people were escorted to the police station.

Sunderland AFC - Newcastle United - 05/04/2015

Source : http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/

Police make 25 arrests during "passionate and peaceful" derby

POLICE have praised the majority of fans after a potentially volatile North-east football derby again passed off peacefully.

Almost 50,000 supporters witnessed Sunderland make history with a 1-0 victory over arch rivals Newcastle United, the Black Cats’ fifth successive derby win.

Before the match, concerns had been expressed that allowing such a highly-charged game to kick-off at 4pm on Easter Sunday could prove a recipe for disorder, but Northumbria Police said the game had been “passionate and peaceful”.

Although officers responded to “a small number of isolated incidents” with a total of 25 arrests, the majority of fans had behaved impeccably.

Chief superintendent Steve Neill said: “The vast majority of fans were great today: they represented themselves and their clubs impeccably and enjoyed the Wear Tyne derby for the great occasion that it is.

"The policing operation went well and I'd like to commend the professionalism of all those involved.

"A total of 25 arrests out of crowd of 50,000 is low and I'm pleased that the vast majority of fans who attended today were clearly there to enjoy the football and were not interested in causing trouble”.

An estimated 2,000 Newcastle fans travelled to the Stadium of Light by rail and another 1,100 on supporter coaches organised by The Magpies.

Of those arrested on the day, five were detained for entering the playing field at the end of the game.

Two men were arrested for breaching banning orders, three for affray, one for criminal damage, five for being drunk and disorderly, one for assault, one for breach of the peace, three for public order offences, two for possessing alcohol in a sports ground and two for possession of drugs.

Chf Supt Neill said: "I'd like to praise supporters from both clubs - they worked well with officers on the ground, were extremely patient and good natured and enjoyed the day in the best sprit.

“The holdback went very smoothly and supporters worked really well with police and stewards.

"Public safety is always our number one priority during any football match and the few people who chose to pose a threat to public safety were dealt with swiftly by police.”

Relations between the rival sets of supporters thawed this year after Sunderland fans put side tribal differences to join tributes to Newcastle fans killed in the MH-17 air disaster.

During today’s game, the Black Cats and Magpies once more shared a minute’s applause in memory of Liam Sweeney and John Alder.



Feyenoord fans with Sunderland ones

Marseille - PSG - 05/04/2015

Source : http://sports.yahoo.com/

PSG bus struck by projectiles ahead of Marseille clash

A bus carrying Paris Saint-Germain players to Marseille's Velodrome Stadium on Sunday was struck by objects thrown including a golf ball which smashed a window.

There were no injuries reported but a complaint has been filed with police, a source close to the Ligue 1 champions said Sunday.

Marseille supporters also hurled objects at police before the match with officers using tear gas to disperse troublemakers around the stadium. Eight OM fans were arrested.

PSG are bidding to reclaim top spot in the French top flight from Lyon, with Marseille in third.

Some 65,000 spectators packed into the Velodrome stadium for the match dubbed 'Le Classique'.

Brazil : Sport Recife - Santa Cruz - 05/04/2015

Source : http://www.espnfc.com/ + http://g1.globo.com/

Fans clash with police in Brazil

Police in Brazil are to investigate allegations they used excessive force to control fans of Sport Club and Santa Cruz in Recife.

France : Four Marseille fans in custody after Ligue 1 clashes - 06/04/2015

Source : http://english.ahram.org.eg/



Four Marseille supporters have been taken into police custody after violent clashes between fans and police forces in the lead-up to the French football league match between arch-rivals Marseille and Paris-Saint Germain, police said Monday.

Eight police officers were injured in the incident which saw groups of fans clash with police and stewards at the Stade Velodrome ahead of Sunday's late evening game.

The four fans are to be prosecuted for damages and violence to police. Four others have since been released.

A group of Marseille fans also threw stones at the PSG bus on its arrival at the Velodrome, breaking the vehicle's windscreen but injuring nobody on board.

PSG, whose 3-2 victory over Marseille in front of 65,000 spectators saw them go clear at the top of Ligue 1, are to file a complaint, a club source told AFP.

Another fight between fans broke out at the end of 'Le Classique', but the situation was quickly brought under control by stadium stewards.

Russia : Torpedo Moscow punished again - 07/04/2015

Source : https://www.supersport.com

Torpedo Moscow have been fined 900 000 roubles ($16 300) by the Russian Football Union for incidents involving their supporters during a Premier League match against Arsenal Tula.

Russian soccer's governing body found the Moscow club's supporters guilty of unveiling Nazi symbols at the game on Sunday and their fans were also involved in running battles with the police and rival supporters.

Torpedo will have to play two home games behind closed doors.

"We made an investigation into the banner, which supporters from Torpedo put up and one of them had a Celtic cross on it, which is a racist symbol and is used by white supremacy groups," the head of the Russian Football Union's Disciplinary Committee Artur Grigoryants told reporters on Tuesday.

Torpedo fans have been banned from attending the team's next three away games after being found guilty of offensive chants and throwing fireworks at Arsenal Tula supporters.

The Moscow club had already been punished three times this season for the racist behaviour of their supporters.

The last incident occurred on March 15 when they abused Zenit St Petersburg's Brazilian forward Hulk.

Torpedo will now play their next four home matches behind closed doors. They lie 12th in the Russian Premier League, with 19 points.

Italy : Roma sanctioned after supporters insult dead fan's mother- 07/04/2015

Source : http://www.eurosport.com/

AS Roma have been ordered to close part of their stadium at their next home game after fans displayed banners insulting the mother of a Napoli fan who died following clashes between rival supporters last year.

The banners caused an outcry after they were displayed by fans on the Curva Sud of the Olympic stadium during the Serie A match at home to Napoli on Saturday. Serie A's disciplinary tribunal said the banners were "by their content provocatively insulting to the mother of a supporter of the opposing team, who died in dramatic circumstances". The tribunal added that Roma fans were also guilty of discriminatory chanting "against people from a particular territorial origin" and ordered the Curva Sud to be shut for Roma's next home game. The banners were aimed at Antonella Leardi, the mother of Napoli fan Ciro Esposito, who died last year more than one month after being shot during violent clashes between fans before the Coppa Italia final in Rome. Although Napoli's opponents in that game were Fiorentina, the incident happened during clashes with Roma supporters. Leardi has since spearheaded a campaign against soccer violence.


(Archive)

Brøndby IF - FC Copenhagen - 06/04/2015

Source : http://localeyes.dk/

Only 7 fans were arrested said the police.

Greece : Olympiakos supporters banned from Cup semi - 08/04/2015

Source : http://www.globalpost.com/

Olympiakos supporters have been banned from attending their team's Greek Cup semi-final against Apollon on Wednesday over fears of violence, Deputy Sports Minister Stavros Kontonis said Tuesday.
The move was made after Kontonis said he was informed that Olympiakos and AEK fans had planned to meet outside Apollon's stadium in Athens for a violent showdown.
The decision by Kontonis also prohibits the sale of tickets to individual Olympiakos supporters.
Apollon issued a statement against the decision saying it would be impossible to distinguish Olympiakos supporters buying tickets for the match.


(Archive)

FC Utrecht - Ajax Amsterdam - 05/04/2015

Source : http://www.independent.co.uk/

Dutch police investigate 'burn the Jews' anti-Semitic chants at FC Utrect vs Ajax football match

Dutch police are investigating reports of football fans chanting anti-Semitic slogans including calls for Jews to be burned and sent “to the gas chambers” during a match at the weekend.

Videos have emerged online from FC Utrecht’s 1-1 draw with Ajax in which a group of fans can clearly be heard shouting the anti-Semitic songs and clapping.

According to Dutch media reports, the chants went on for several minutes and included a common refrain of: “Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas.”

Another chant, which was apparently filmed by someone in the stands and posted to YouTube, declared: “My father was in the commandos, my mother was in the SS, together they burned Jews, because Jews burn the best.”

The Dutch football association, the KNVB, has denounced the chants as “reprehensible and disgusting” and said it was currently investigating.

The incident, during the Eredivisie match at midday on Sunday, has received widespread coverage in the Dutch news media after the discovery of the video.

Ard van der Steur, the Dutch justice minister, said he had been made aware of the incident and described the chants as “abhorrent”. He brought up the matter in the Dutch parliament and said such incidents had no place in society.

According to the daily newspaper Het Parool, the “SS” chant appeared to come from the hardcore section of FC Utrecht fans housed in the section of the Galgenwaard Stadium known as the Bunnikside.

In a statement published by the newspaper, FC Utrecht issued an apology and said it was assisting police and the KNVB with the investigation.

“Of course we will now do everything to trace these people and take appropriate action… Stadium bans could be a part of this.”

The club added that it felt punishment is “not the only solution”, and called for the issue of anti-Semitism to be tackled at its root in Dutch football.

Ajax is regularly the target for anti-Semitic chants because of the historical presence of a Jewish community in Amsterdam, according to the Jerusalem Post.

And Ronny Naftaniel, a prominent Dutch Jewish anti-discrimination activist, was quoted by the Post calling for Ajax to call a halt to future matches featuring anti-Semitic chants.

“When will Ajax players walk off the field?” he said. “Take action against anti-Semitism.”

An Ajax spokesman suggested the club was only aware of the chants through the football association. While Miel Brinkhuis condemned the anti-Semitic sentiment, he said the issue was “really something between FC Utrecht and the KNVB”.

Blackpool FC - Reading FC - 07/04/2015

Source : http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/

Blackpool supporters attack stadium after relegation to League One

Supporters were not happy with the relegation as they rioted outside of Blackpool’s stadium prior to their match against Reading, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

A group known as the Tangerine Knights organized the protest, in which flares, smoke bombs, fireworks and eggs were thrown at the director’s box and main entrance to the stadium.

There were no reported injuries and incidents with police.

The fans were most upset with chairman Karl Oyston, as chants of “Oyston out” and “we’re relegated because of your greed” rang out from outside Bloomfield Road.

Chorley FC - Barrow AFC - 06/04/2015

Source : http://www.nwemail.co.uk/

TWO Barrow AFC fans were arrested before the club’s bank holiday Monday match away at Chorley.

The Bluebirds drew 0-0 at Victory Park, Lancashire, in the Conference North match.

Police yesterday confirmed that a 23-year-old man from Ulverston and a 49-year-old man from Barrow were given fixed penalty notices for being drunk and disorderly.

Police said a group of Chorley fans were issued with dispersal notices.

A Lancashire police spokeswoman said: “The general outcome was that the game passed without incident and the behaviour of the Barrow supporters was praised.”

Bristol City - Swindon Town - 07/04/2015

Source : http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/

A LARGE police operation is underway in South Bristol to keep rival fans apart as Bristol City face Swindon Town.

A line of police officers, including some mounted units and dogs, was in place as a large group of Swindon fans was escorted to the stadium close to kick off.

A large group of home fans was kept at a distance as the away fans were led into Ashton Gate from the Cumberland Basin.

There were no reports of any arrests.

Scotland : Linlithgow Rose - Bo'ness United - 07/04/2015

Source : http://www.linlithgowgazette.co.uk/

Police officers were on the ball last weekend after some minor incidents of nuisance behaviour at the Linlithgow v Bo’ness match which were promptly nipped in the bud.

At one point a flare was set off in the away end of the stadium.

Although having the potential to cause crowd disorder the Linlithgow supporters were commended for their restraint in not responding to this incident.

The flare, which appeared to roll down the grass embankment came from an area containing a group of around 50 or so teenage supporters congregated on the hill.

An officer checked on the item but it had gone out by the time he got to it.

Five youths were removed from the game.

Russia awarded 3-0 win in Montenegro over crowd trouble by Uefa - 08/04/2015

Source : http://www.theguardian.com/

Uefa has awarded Russia a 3-0 win over Montenegro by forfeit after crowd violence forced their European Championship qualifying match last month to be stopped and later abandoned.

Uefa said its disciplinary panel ordered Montenegro to play their next home qualifier in an empty stadium. The Montenegro federation was fined €50,000.

The Russian federation was also fined €25,000 for improper conduct by supporters but Uefa opted not to activate sanctions deferred after disorder by Russian fans at Euro 2012.

The game on March 27 in Podgorica was called off at 0-0 after 67 minutes when Russia’s Dmitri Kombarov was hit by an object thrown from the stands.

Earlier, play was suspended for 30 minutes after the Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev was struck on the head by a flare just after kick-off.

Alfreton Town - Grimsby Town - 07/04/2015

Source : http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/

Two officers injured by Grimsby Town fans in Sheffield trouble

A large group of supporters spent several hours drinking outside the Graduate Pub, chanting, and smashing bottles on the ground in scenes some onlookers said they found intimidating.

British Transport Police is now appealing for anyone who witnessed anti-social behaviour by Grimsby Town football fans to come forward after disorder broke out in Sheffield city centre and spread to the town's railway station.

The incident occurred at around 12.20pm on Bank Holiday Monday, April 6 prior to the match with Alfreton Town.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Ian Grice said: “A number of Grimsby fans caused disorder in the city centre before heading to the station where their rowdy behaviour continued.

"Fans threw missiles and pushed and kicked at police officers resulting in two BTP officers being injured.

“I would urge anyone who witnessed this disorder to contact police immediately. Anti social behaviour like this, football related or otherwise, will not be tolerated."

After the problems in the city centre, disorder continued at Sheffield railway station.

British Transport Police said today that supporters had been throwing missiles and pushing and kicking officers, resulting in two being injured.

France : Fans to appear in court for violence - 08/04/2015

Source : http://www.supersport.com/

Four fans arrested after violence during last weekend's Ligue 1 clash between Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain have been ordered to appear in court in the southern city, legal sources said on Wednesday.

One supporter is accused of throwing a smoke bomb, while the others face public order offences after fans clashed with riot police outside the Stade Velodrome last Sunday.

A date for their court appearance has not yet been set.

Officers used tear gas to disperse troublemakers after some supporters tried to block traffic near the stadium, a police spokesman told AFP.

A bus carrying PSG players to the Velodrome was struck by objects thrown, including a golf ball which smashed a window.

PSG reclaimed top spot in the French Ligue 1 from Lyon after beating third-placed Marseille 3-2.

Some 65 000 spectators packed into the Velodrome for the match dubbed 'Le Classique'.

Bosnian Football Fans Chant 'Kill the Jews' in Vienna - 08/04/2015

Source : http://sputniknews.com/

In a ghastly spectacle highlighting growing anti-Semitic sentiment in Europe, Bosnian football fans in Vienna chanted “Kill the Jews” before heading into the Austria - Bosnia-Herzegovina game.

Chants of “Free Palestine” slowly morphed into something much more sinister when a single fan in the crowd began to yell “Kill the Jews.” Others joined in reciting the violent slogan. They soon began jumping up and down in a rage, screaming "Ubij, ubij Židove," or "Kill, kill the Jews."

It’s not an isolated incident. During an Amsterdam Ajax — FC Utrecht game on April 5, fans began chanting holocaust-related slurs, reports De Telegraaf. In that episode, dozens of fans chanted, “My father was in the commandos, my mother was in the SS, together they burned Jews ‘cause Jews burn the best” and “Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas.”
Dutch activist Ronny Naftaniel requested that Ajax put a stop to the anti-Semitic action.

“When will Ajax players walk off the field? Take action against anti-Semitism,” wrote Naftaniel, who is the executive vice chairperson of CEJI, a Brussels-based Jewish organization promoting tolerance through education.
This kind of anti-Semitic outburst has been on the rise in Europe since last summer, when growing animosity between Israel and Hamas reached a boiling point. In one particular instance, anti-Semitic rioters set cars on fire in Sarcelles, France, also known as “Little Jerusalem” for its large Jewish population.
FC Utrecht said in a statement it is investigating the incident and vowed to punish those identified.