In the Nations League duel between Romania and Kosovo, there was a scandal shortly before the end and the match was abandoned. The visitors' footballers left the pitch in unison in stoppage time.
16.11.2024, 07:27
16.11.2024, 09:41
SDA
According to reports, the Kosovans were reacting to provocations from Romanian fans who were chanting "Serbia" in the stands. Just over an hour after the interruption began, UEFA decided to abandon the match for good.
UEFA has not yet communicated in detail what will happen next.
TV footage showed some players and supporters of the Kosovan team making the controversial double-headed eagle gesture towards the fans. This symbolizes the Albanian national identity and is often used by ethnic Albanians to express their attachment to their homeland. For many Serbs, however, the double-headed eagle is a reminder of the losses suffered in the Kosovo war of 1998 to 1999 and the secession of Kosovo from Serbia.
The Kosovo team and their German coach Franco Foda, who worked for FC Zurich in 2022, left the pitch at 0-0 after minutes of discussions with the referee in the eighth minute of stoppage time - which should only have lasted four minutes - and went into the dressing room. About three quarters of an hour later, the Romanians also left the pitch; after a loudspeaker announcement, the spectators left the stadium.
