Nothing or almost nothing at the end of the Europa League match won by Ajax Amsterdam against Maccabi Tel-Aviv (5-0) suggested such an outbreak of violence. A few hours after the final whistle, several fans of the Israeli club were attacked in the streets of the Dutch capital, on the night of Thursday, November 7 to Friday, November 8. Law enforcement made 62 arrests and several people were injured.
The matter sparked outraged reactions across the continent. Ajax Amsterdam said “horrified to know what happened,” After “a match (…) with good atmosphere » and has “condemn[é] firmly this violence”. A similar message was formulated by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), organizer of the Europa League.
“We trust that the competent authorities will identify and charge those responsible for such acts wherever possible. the agency wrote in a press release. UEFA will review all official reports, gather the available evidence, evaluate it and evaluate any other appropriate course of action in accordance with its relevant regulatory framework. »
UEFA is well aware of the explosive nature of the international context. Following the October 7 attacks against Israel and the response of the Jewish State in the Gaza Strip, it suspended, for two weeks, the holding of international matches on Israeli soil. The measure, quickly extended, remains in force. Until then, the organization had managed to avoid the worst case scenario.
Players insulted in Florence
During the 2023-2024 season, two Israeli clubs participated in the European Cup: Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel-Aviv, which therefore had to play their “home” matches in Serbia, Hungary or Cyprus. Without any problem.
Away from home, Maccabi Haifa, however, experienced some minor disruptions. On February 21, the club played its match against La Gantoise, in Belgium, in a stadium behind closed doors; The mayor, Mathias De Clercq, considered the organization of this meeting with the public too risky.
The following month, his players faced Fiorentina in front of a handful of spectators: 6,738, compared to 17,463 on average. A large part of the Italian fans had simply decided to boycott the match to denounce the complexity of the security measures taken by the transalpine authorities. “Would UEFA, from the height of its moral principles that it is proud to defend, have nothing to say about the ongoing massacre in Palestine? »He had also criticized, in a press release, the members of the Curva Fiesole, a group of supporters of the Florentine club. At the end of the match, the home crowd also insulted several Maccabi Haifa players.
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