THE TEL AVIV derby has been called off before a ball was even kicked amid violent scenes.
The scheduled Israeli Premier League match between rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv and Maccabi Tel Aviv was forced to be called off by local police after chaos erupted in the stadium ahead of kick-off.
Fans of both clubs are reported to have lit and thrown flares, smoke grenades and even stones from the stands.
The scenes lead to an initial decision to send the players back to their dressing rooms and officially postpone the game.
But the unrest grew in the ground, with Police claiming several officers and civilians were injured in the chaos, per Walla Sports.
A police spokesperson said: “Disorderly conduct, riots, object throwing, smoke grenades, fireworks, injured police officers, and damage to stadium infrastructure – this is not a football match, this is a serious public disturbance and violence.”
“In light of the disturbances and the endangerment of human lives ahead of the scheduled football match at Bloomfield Stadium, The Israel Police has informed the teams, team management, and referees that it has been decided not to allow the match to take place.
“We call on the fans to remain in place until a calm and orderly dispersal takes place.”
It was the first derby of its kind in over a year after Hapoel spent a season in the second-tier following a relegation.
THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..
The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheSunFootball and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball.
