Football Coach Accuses UEFA Of "Punishing" Serbia

Serbia's national football team head coach Dick Advocaat has accused the UEFA's disciplinary body of "punishing" only Serbia in its decision about an abandoned Euro 2016 qualifier match with Albania.



According to a statement posted on the Serbian football association's website Friday, Advocaat said "only one side got punished and it is Serbia."



The UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body had reviewed a Euro 2016 qualifier Group I match between Serbia and Albania on October 14, which ended in chaos on the pitch.



"In group standings, an extremely interesting situation is seen. We played two matches and did not lose any of them, we won one match, but we have just one point. Albanians had a narrow escape. I do not understand why Albania has been fined. They did not want to continue the game under any circumstances," the Serbia coach said.



"I think that some people did not want Serbia to qualify for the Euro 2016 in France," he added.



The Serbian team will play the next two home games behind closed doors. The Dutch coach said he was confident his team would do its best to advance to the Euro 2016.



 



UEFA's decision over "abandoned" game



 



The UEFA Disciplinary Body had penalized both the Serbian and Albanian football associations. Each was fined €100,000 following the abandonment of last week's UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier Group I match in Belgrade that saw an outbreak of violence and a pitch invasion.



Serbia was declared the winner of the match 3 - 0 even after it was forfeited.



However, according to a statement published on the UEFA.org, the UEFA disciplinary body removed three points from the Serbian Football Association's in its current standing at the UEFA Euro 2016 Qualification stage; it also ordered the Serbia national football team to play their next two UEFA competition home matches behind closed doors.



Serbia is to host the Nordic side Denmark on November 14 and Armenia on September 4, 2015 in qualifying round matches.



The turbulent UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier game between Serbia and Albania was abandoned when large numbers of Serbian fans ignited fireworks and invaded the pitch in the 44th minute of the game. 



The unrest came after a remote-controlled drone carrying the flag of Greater Albania, which included Kosovo, flew over the pitch.



Serbian defender Stefan Mitrovic had grabbed the flag that led to a fight between players and team officials from both sides, while fans clashed with the police forces in the stands. 



Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and has a majority ethnic Albanian population.



www.aa.com.tr/en - Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina