It is one of the most explosive derbies in world football. When Partizan plays against Red Star in Belgrade, the atmosphere in the stadium is always on fire. Both fan camps are deeply hostile. A win in the derby can save a messed-up season, a defeat can lead to boundless anger. The Partizan coach and team felt this after the heavy 4-0 defeat against Red Star.
The situation escalated even before the game. Outside the stadium, fans of both teams threw pyrotechnics and smoke bombs at each other. Inside the stadium, things remained relatively calm. Red Star won comfortably thanks to a hat-trick from striker Cherif Ndiaye and a goal from former Stuttgart player Silas.
The eighth defeat in a row was too much for the Partizan fans. They went wild after the game and broke into their team’s dressing room. There they are said to have thrown stones. Windows were broken and shards of glass flew everywhere. Partizan’s coach Aleksandar Stanojevic was hit in the face by a splinter and appeared at the press conference with a plaster over his eyebrow.
“It is a disgrace for all of us”
“There was no physical altercation, only the glass broke and there was blood. I felt uncomfortable appearing in front of the media like that, but I didn’t want to make a fuss. This is the worst defeat of my career, especially because it happened against our eternal rivals,” said Stanojevic. The 50-year-old apologized to the fans for the defeat and his team’s performance: “It’s a disgrace for all of us.”
The third derby defeat in a row was probably Stanojevic’s last game as Partizan coach. After only three wins in the last twelve games, he is facing dismissal. Stanojevic was already an assistant coach at Partizan for six months in 2006 before becoming head coach from 2010 to 2012.
