Europa League scandal! Hundreds of fans brawl in the stadium, referee reacts immediately
Anderlecht (Belgium) - Mass brawl in the stands, serious accusations of racism: The second leg of the UEFA Europa League play-off between RSC Anderlecht and Fenerbahçe Istanbul was overshadowed by a scandal.
Just a few minutes after kick-off, the Belgian club's match against the Turkish top club in front of a home crowd was temporarily interrupted yesterday evening.
The reason for this was hundreds of supporters from both camps clashing in the stands.
The Swiss referee Sandro Schärer (36) did not take long to react - and sent the players off the pitch together with their coaches.
Videos circulating on social media show a row in the stands near the halfway line: People attack each other and get into a fight. Meanwhile, stewards try to defuse the situation and put an end to the violent altercations.
Scandal overshadows Europa League second leg between RSC Anderlecht and Fenerbahçe Istanbul
According to initial information, racist remarks made in the direction of Fener player Bright Osayi-Samuel (27) are said to have triggered the riots.
This is confirmed by a stadium announcement that referred to the incident: "Please note that this is an important safety announcement. Due to the racist behavior of some spectators, which has had a negative impact on the game, the referee has declared that he may have to abandon the match," it echoed from the loudspeakers at the Belgian record champions' home ground.
"Rest assured that the match will be abandoned and interrupted if the spectators continue to behave in a racist manner." Around 20 minutes later, however, calm was restored and the match was able to resume at Lotto Park, which was packed with 13,724 spectators.
The final score was 2:2 (1:1), which was ultimately enough for the visitors from Turkey to progress thanks to a 3:0 win in the first leg - even if the four-goal spectacle became a minor matter in view of the unsightly scenes off the pitch.