The fuss started in the street. As juznifront.com reported, 30 minutes before the game a group of Grave Diggers were gathering at the southern side of the stadium with torches, when gendarmerie forces appeared and clashed with them. The result: 12 fans arrested (4 of them are foreign citizens).
Inside the stadium hell broke loose.
Some reports talk about Grave Diggers getting into the eastern tribune, where they clashed with the fans of the home team. Yet nobody talks about how they could get to the eastern side at all, when they were (allegedly) allowed only to the southern side. Other sources report about Russian guest fans and their provocation behind the entire war. A big group of Spartak Moscow fans arrived in Belgrade just for the eternal derby (Spartak fans traditionally keep up good relations with red fans).
It doesn't matter though who started it and where, it ended in a big fight.
A mere thought from the outsider: how could it happen that guest fans could get on the eastern tribune? What kind of security measures have been there, for God's sake? A regiment of gendarmerie was sent to the stadium, and even they couldn't provide secure surroundings. Tax payers' money have been paid for this, a lot of it, and knowing this, it would have been their first and foremost duty to provide the security of citizens. Or, if they can't do it, then they should all go and work as rope-dancers, together with the minister of home affairs.
And it was still not the end.
Hell extended towards the northern tribune, the place of Zvezda-fans. Home fans clashed with the gendarmerie. Result: 35 policemen injured, more than 40 people arrested, half of the stadium is ruined. There was such a big fight that gendarmerie had to ask for re-enforcement. (You can hear Partizan fans in the video to sing and chant while police forces were beating the hell out of Zvezda-fans.)
Still before the start of the game a few images went viral on the internet. These ones are the winners of the "Funny" category:
(photo: Twitter)
This is the top of all. It deserves a Pulitzer. Parrot at the eternal derby. A parrot. A parrot!!!
(photo: Twitter)
This one goes with no comment.
(photo: hotsport.rs)
Yes, dear fellow fan, you see it well. In the picture there is Nebojša Čović personally, the mighty boss of KK Crvena Zvezda, surrounded by gendarmerie forces. The question comes up immediately, why is a Čović-sized person not in the VIP-section
yes, yes, we all know, the mighty boss sometimes has to show off among the poor, if not else, then for the PR
and what is he doing at the northern tribune, right next to the ultras?
Dear Mr. Čović, for God’s sake, are you really this very stupid? Is PR more important than your health? Have the remainings of your common sense just waved goodbye to you, right now, when you were with your family members? Did you really want to appear among ordinary fans right on derby day, right next to Sever, where hardcore fans live?... You are crazy. If something had happened to you, gendarmerie might have not been able to save your stupid ass from the raging crowd. That’s why VIP-sector was invented, because over there your body and health are not in danger. Mr. Čović, let me tell you, just in a friendly way, a person like you does need a sense of responsibility, at least by your position. I try to put it short and clear, so you will surely understand: You. Must. Not. Do. This. Especially not on a derby match.
Referee Mažić sent back both teams to the locker rooms before the kickoff. The first substitute players appeared at the tunnel around 18:37 walking towards the bench.
The match could have had a great start. All 22 players as well as the 5 referees walked to the kickoff wearing these T-shirts, just like the basketball team did a few days ago:
What is more, referees had a special, purple jersey, made especially for this eternal derby.
The two teams appeared at the tunnel at 18:40, and the 148th eternal derby could start after almost a half-time of delay. Kátai instantly kicked Drinčić to the ground. Zvezda was sniffing around our penalty area in the 3rd minute, but our defenders cleared. We could run up for a counter-attack, but Babović was kicked off very roughly. (In front of our goal line Andrija Živković was laying on the grass, after a God knows how brutal clash.) Free kick, Drinčić stood behind the ball and kicked from 35 metres. The ball dropped out next to the goalpost. Meanwhile a defender was pulling Volkov by his jersey, but eventually Volkov got a yellow card for complaining.
In the 5th minute red defenders could barely save from Grbić. We still possessed the ball, after Volkov’s throw-in Branko Ilić got the ball. He passed it back to Volkov, who kicked it to the middle, where defenders desperately saved to corner.
In the 10th minute Branko Ilić was fumbling too long and he lost the ball. A Zvezda-player was sneaking around there and he immediately grabbed it. For our great luck Živko Živković was also at the "crime scene" and kicked the ball out to the half-line.
It didn’t take more than 5 seconds, but it caused two heart attacks.
The truth is, at this point Partizan put Zvezda under heavy pressure. The home team was locked into their own half, playing bunker football.
One of the mass scenes at Zvezda’s penalty area
They could cross the half-line and reach our half in the 18th minute, but they did it only to lose the ball and give us a chance for a counter-attack. Grbić got a giant pass, he was running up, but the ball rolled out of the field near the goalpost.
In the 23rd minute Lazović sent a sudden, distant shot to our goal line from 20 metres. Živko Živković saved it with great self-confidence. In the 28th minute Balažic made a fantastic save, Grbić was about to run up for a counter-attack, but he was kicked brutally to the ground.
Then in the 31st minute Saša Ilić passed the ball to Babović with a movement that should be taught everywhere, in every football academy. All doors and windows were open, but Babović missed it out, with approx. 2 millimetres.
Had he scored, he would have been gone to heaven
Right after this Grbić tried, too, but his shot flew out above the crossbar.
In the 37th minute Andrija Živković sent a distant shot to the goal line, from the corner of the penalty area, but this one flew out above the crossbar as well.
Partizan kept the game under control for the entire first half. Zvezda was busy mostly with keeping our players away from their penalty area in every possible way.
In the second half, right at the beginning Andrija Živković tested the reflexes of the Zvezda goalkeeper. The shot was a bit weak, it was wide, too, but in exchange he was kicked to the ground a few minutes later.
Zvezda was playing a bit more confident in the second half. In the 53rd minute they got a free kick, about 25 metres from our goal line. Someone headed the kick too high, the ball flew out. 5 minutes later Parker headed a shot to our goal line, but it was too wide, thankfully.
In the 61st minute Grbić got a pass and immediately ran up with the ball. He shot, but the ball hit the crossbar. There was a big upheaval in the goalmouth, then the ball dropped to Brašanac. The midfielder shot, Zvezda’s goalkeeper was too far from the action, but a defender was standing right on the goal line and desperately saved it with a kick - right to Balažic. Balažic shot, but at this point goalkeeper Rajković was back and he caught the ball.
Two minutes later Brašanac tried with a shot, but it was too wide.
In the meantime Grave Diggers in the southern stands lighted torches and firecrackers. Smoke covered the field, Mažić paused the game.
We used this pause for water supplement and some discussion
The match continued after 4-5 minutes (in the 70th minute).
In the 73rd minute Saša Ilić was substituted (Šaponjić was his substitue). The Captain got a huge applause and chanting, even Zvezda-fans applaused.
Zvezda tried to take advantage immediately and attacked in the 74th minute. Jović ran away all of a sudden from between two Partizan-defenders. Živko Živković ran out from the goalmouth, but thankfully (mostly to him and to Brašanac) nothing dangerous happened. Three minutes later the opponent got a free kick, dangerously close to our goal line (almost on the penalty area line). Again Živko Živković, again his giant save.
Zvezda had a row of chances. Distant shots, free kicks, either Živko Živković saved, or another Partizan-player (e.g. Drinčić) threw himself into the way. Most important is that our net did not shake.
The 90+1st minute brought another dangerous try from Zvezda. We attacked, but the home team robbed the ball and ran up for a counter-attack. Jović got a long pass, he was all alone, but after this he instantly got two Partizan-defenders on his back. Finally Balažic cleared.
The game tore to pieces for the final minutes. There were a lot of fouls, Mažić whistled with almost every of his exhales. In the 90+4th minute Andrija Živković was tackling inside the red penalty zone, but his shot hit a defender. We had some attacks left even for the very last moments. In the 90+6th minute substitute player Ninković ran up, but the goalkeeper rushed out of the goalmouth and saved. Finally in the 90+7th minute we got a free kick from 18 metres to the goal line, but the shot was too wide.
Well-deserved celebration
Saša Ilić was put on a pedestal
Highlights (no official highlights, only this short video):
Facts:
Venue: Rajko Mitić Stadion, Belgrade
Number of spectators: 44 120
Referee: Milorad Mažić (assistants: Milovan Ristić, Dalibor Đurđević - 4th assistant: Dejan Petrović - goal line assistants: Danilo Grujić, Dejan Filipović)
Crvena Zvezda: Rajković - Cvetković, Pavičević, Jovanović, Anđelković - Kovačević - Lazović, Stojanović (Ristić, 66.), Kátai, Jović (Orlandić, 90+2.) - Parker (Bosančić, 82.)
Head coach: Nenad Lalatović
FK Partizan: Ž. Živković - Bandalovski, Balažic, B. Ilić, Volkov - Drinčić, Brašanac (Marković, 88.) - A. Živković, Babović, S. Ilić (Šaponjić, 73.) - Grbić (Ninković, 90.)
Head coach: Zoran Milinković
Yellow cards: Jovanović (3.), Volkov (5.), Kovačević (40.), S. Ilić (59.), Balažic (76.), Drinčić (85.), Kátai (88.)
Current championship standings:
1. Partizan 57 points
2. CZ 52 points
3. Čukarički 47 points
4. Vojvodina 40 points
5. Novi Pazar 39 points
6. OFK Beograd 35 points
7. Rad 34 points
8. Jagodina 30 points
9. Mladost 30 points
10. Borac 26 points
11. Radnički Niš 26 points
12. Donji Srem 25 points
13. Spartak Zlatibor Voda 25 points
14. Napredak 24 points
15. FK Voždovac 21 points
16. Radnički 1923 15 points
(Unmarked photos: Facebook/Fudbalski klub Partizan)
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