Picture Credit: Twitter
The firework explosion on the field caused a 20-minute stoppage during the Europa League fixture between Malmo FF and Union Berlin at the Eleda Stadion in Sweden. Fans from both sides were seen throwing objects including fireworks and flares onto the pitch in the second half.
The game resumed and concluded in a 1-0 win for Union Berlin thanks to Sheraldo Becker’s goal in the 68th minute. Swedish media reported that fans of the German club threw fireworks onto the pitch shortly after the second half started and Malmo supporters retaliated by throwing a flare.
Union President Dirk Zingler wasn’t happy about the incidents that caused the stoppage of play and expressed that these actions are completely unacceptable. He then talked about how no one should attempt or even think about interfering with the ongoing game on the field.
He commented, "I'm happy about the victory because it is well deserved from a sporting point of view. But everything else that happened today is unacceptable. Nobody has any business in other blocks or on the pitch, we don't do that, and then suddenly we do. That really annoys me."
Similarly, Berlin coach Urs Fischer expressed his discontent with the situation. He further addressed his team’s performance and said, "We had a lot of opportunities in the end, and perhaps we should have made more use of one or two of them, but in the end, the one goal was enough. All I can say about the incidents is that I absolutely cannot understand it and something like that has no place in football. It is shameful."
