A football match in Prague was abandoned on Saturday after fans invaded the pitch and attacked a player in shocking scenes. Slavia Prague hosted local rivals Sparta Prague and led 3-2 in their top-of-the-table clash in the Czech first division, with victory for the hosts securing them the title.
Chaos Erupts in Stoppage Time
But in the seventh minute of stoppage time, the game descended into chaos as hundreds of home supporters invaded the pitch, carrying lit flares. Some supporters threw their flares onto the pitch while others approached the away end and launched missiles into the area.
The players desperately ran off the field towards safety, but Sparta goalkeeper Jakub Surovcik collapsed to the turf and claimed he had been struck by one of the pitch invaders. 'To have someone run up to me during the match, threaten me to my face, and attack me is absolutely unacceptable,' he wrote on Instagram.
Assaults on Players and Staff
Local reports also claim Surovcik's teammate Matyas Vojta and a member of the club's medical staff were also assaulted. The referee immediately suspended the match and fans who elected to remain in their seats chanted furiously at their fellow supporters who had caused trouble, with the team just three minutes away from celebrating a famous title victory.
The game was later called off and the visiting team swiftly left the Eden Arena. Slavia are awaiting potential sanctions from the Czech governing body for Saturday's unsavoury scenes.
Chairman's Apology
Slavia chairman Jaroslav Tvrdik said: 'I'm truly sorry to say this because I thought we would celebrate the title together. But things turned out differently, as two Sparta players were physically attacked. The opponent has already left the stadium, and the match officials, security, and police have decided to end the game.'
