07.09.2026 01:10
The Red Star-Partizan derby played in Serbia was the scene of controversial images that will go down in football history. While the Red Star stands created a choreography with a giant image of Ratko Mladic, convicted of the Srebrenica genocide and war crimes, a minute of silence was held before the match, with the players also present on the field.
The 180th "Eternal Derby" played between Red Star and Partizan in Serbia was brought to the agenda by scandalous scenes in the stands rather than the action on the pitch. Red Star fans prepared a giant choreography of Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb commander convicted of the Srebrenica genocide and war crimes, and a minute of silence was held for Mladic before the match. While the players waited on the pitch, chants in favor of Mladic rose from the stands.
MLADIC CHOREOGRAPHY FROM THE RED STAR STANDS
In the 8th week of the Serbian Super League, Red Star and Partizan faced each other at the Rajko Mitic Stadium in Belgrade.
What overshadowed the historic derby was an incident in the north stand of Red Star before the match. Fans prepared a giant choreography featuring the face of Ratko Mladic. A banner dedicated to Mladic was also unfurled in the stands.
In the match followed by approximately 30 thousand fans, Mladic's name was chanted in the stands.
A MINUTE OF SILENCE FROM THE FOOTBALLERS
The most striking part of the reactionary images occurred just before the match began.
While the players of both teams took their positions on the pitch, a minute of silence was held for Ratko Mladic. According to Mondo, after the official announcer said "May he have eternal glory," the players took their places for the match. Meanwhile, slogans in favor of Mladic rose from the stands.
UEFA HAD PUNISHED THEM ONLY DAYS AGO
The new images from the Red Star stands came just a few days after UEFA punished the club again due to Ratko Mladic.
During the Europa League match against Viktoria Plzen on August 27, Red Star fans chanted Mladic's name, gave military salutes, and unfurled banners with praise for Mladic. Red Star's official social media accounts also shared these images.
UEFA fined Red Star 90,000 euros for this incident. In UEFA's decision, the events were assessed under fan behavior, chants inappropriate for a sports competition, and "racist and/or discriminatory behavior." Additionally, the club was banned from selling tickets to its fans for its next away match in UEFA organizations. A second away ban was subject to a two-year probation period.
ALSO SHARED ON THE CLUB'S OFFICIAL ACCOUNT
Another detail that fueled the controversy in the August 27 incident was that Red Star's official social media account shared images of the banner praising Mladic.
While the banner read "General, eternal glory and thanks," the Srebrenica Memorial Center had filed an official complaint with UEFA. The Center argued that the club sharing images glorifying Mladic through its official communication channels could not be evaluated merely as fan behavior.
NOW ALL EYES ON UEFA
Immediately after UEFA imposed a 90,000 euro fine and an away fan ban for the same issue, Red Star fans unveiled a giant choreography of Mladic and held a minute of silence before the match, sparking a new controversy.
Moreover, this time the incident was not limited to just a banner or chant in the stands. A minute of silence was held for Mladic while the footballers were on the pitch.
Therefore, all eyes have turned to how UEFA, which had sanctioned Red Star days earlier due to Mladic, will respond to the new images.
RED STAR WON THE DERBY
Red Star won the match played in the shadow of the controversial images.
Partizan took the lead in the very first minute of the match, but Red Star won the game 2-1. Thus, Red Star emerged victorious from the 180th Eternal Derby against their arch-rival.
WHO IS MLADIC, THE "BUTCHER OF BOSNIA"?
Ratko Mladic served as the commander of Bosnian Serb forces during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War. He was found guilty of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and sentenced to life in prison.
Mladic was among those responsible for the genocide in 1995, when more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were killed in Srebrenica. He was also convicted for his role in the siege of Sarajevo.
MLADIC PASSED AWAY ON AUGUST 27
Mladic died on August 27, 2026, at the age of 84, in the UN prison hospital in The Hague, where he was serving his life sentence.
The minute of silence in the Red Star-Partizan derby was held 10 days after his death. According to the Serbian press, Mladic's funeral was scheduled for September 7 at the Topcider Cemetery in Belgrade.