Nemanja Matic Reflects on Chaotic Serbia vs Albania Euro 2016 Match

While some believe football and politics should remain separate, such a stance is increasingly unrealistic in today’s world.

Few matches in recent years have erupted into chaos quite like Serbia’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Albania in October 2014.

The game was abandoned before half-time when a drone carrying a pro-Albania banner flew into the stadium, igniting trouble among the crowd.

Matic on Serbia’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Albania

Former Manchester United and Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic, who was central to the Serbian squad during that match, recalls the events with clarity even after a decade.

“They didn’t come to play football, but to provoke us,” he expressed. “On the pitch they knew they didn’t have much chance.

“They were smarter and our fans were foolish. They fell for the provocation and rushed onto the pitch, leading to the Albanian team retreating and their federation deciding to halt the match. UEFA eventually awarded them the three points, crushing our hopes of qualification. We later played in Albania and secured a 2-0 victory.”

Matic expressed disappointment over the match’s outcome, questioning if the decision to grant Albania a 3-0 win was unjust. “We wanted to continue playing, without any issues,” he said. “The drone’s provocation was deliberate, knowing it would provoke a strong reaction from Serbian fans.”

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