Ahead of the high-risk match between Albania and Serbia in the World Cup qualifiers, Amir Abrashi remembers the scandalous duel in 2014, in which he was on the pitch. He believes that things will be more civilized this time.
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- Albania and Serbia meet on Saturday evening as part of the World Cup qualifiers.
- In the penultimate clash between the two teams in October 2014, the situation escalated completely - the match had to be abandoned.
- Amir Abrashi was on the pitch for Albania at the time and talks to blue Sport about the 2014 incident and the upcoming match. He will be live at the game in Tirana.
Amir Abrashi, Albania play Serbia on Saturday evening. What kind of game are you expecting?
The game against Serbia has been a big topic for a long time. It's the game of games. I'll be in the stadium in Tirana. It will certainly be emotional. I'm looking forward to it and hope it goes off peacefully and is a fair game.
It will be the third clash between the two countries. I remember the game in Serbia in 2014, when there was a big scandal. You were on the pitch at the time ...
... I didn't know what to expect before the game. The preparation went normally. But the closer we got to kick-off, the more aggressive the fans became. The game was very aggressive and the atmosphere in the cramped stadium was charged. But up until the 44th minute, everything was still going well.
What happened then?
I remember it clearly: I was standing in midfield when suddenly stones and flares came flying onto the pitch. I was just about to tell the referee what was flying onto the pitch back there when suddenly this drone came.
There was a flag of Greater Albania on the drone.
I was standing next to the Serbian Lorik Cana. We only realized what kind of flag it was when the drone was already far down. Then everything happened so quickly. One of the Serbs wanted to grab the drone to take the flag down, and that's when things escalated. Fans stormed the pitch and pulled one of our players to the ground. At that moment I was just blocked, I didn't know what was happening. Then the panic set in. I kept looking behind me to make sure I didn't get hit.
The match between Serbia and Albania on October 14, 2014 escalated. A Serbian supporter attacked the Albanian players.
Image: KEYSTONE
Earlier, a large Albanian flag, suspended from a drone, hovered over the stadium in Belgrade.
Image: imago/Camera 4/International
Stefan Mitrovic pulled the flag down.
Image: imago/Camera 4/International
Fans threw flares onto the pitch.
Image: imago/Camera 4/International
In the middle of it all: Amir Abrashi.
Image: imago/Aleksandar Djorovic
After the escalation on the pitch, the players made their way to the dressing rooms.
Image: KEYSTONE
The match between Serbia and Albania on October 14, 2014 escalated. A Serbian supporter attacked the Albanian players.
Image: KEYSTONE
Earlier, a large Albanian flag, suspended from a drone, hovered over the stadium in Belgrade.
Image: imago/Camera 4/International
Stefan Mitrovic pulled the flag down.
Image: imago/Camera 4/International
Fans threw flares onto the pitch.
Image: imago/Camera 4/International
In the middle of it all: Amir Abrashi.
Image: imago/Aleksandar Djorovic
After the escalation on the pitch, the players made their way to the dressing rooms.
Image: KEYSTONE
What did you do then?
I just looked for the quickest way into the cabin. When things calmed down a bit, we all sprinted into the cabin. It felt like an eternity before we got there. We stayed in the cabin for around two hours. At some point, the police came into our dressing room and searched our luggage. They thought one of us had controlled the drone. When the fans had left the stadium, the Serbs asked us if we wanted to carry on playing. But that wasn't an option for us, as some of my teammates had been physically attacked shortly beforehand. The game was abandoned and we flew back to the airport and Albania as quickly as possible. I'll never forget that game in my life because I was really panicking at that moment.
You can tell it still moves you. Why do you think something like that can't happen again?
We also had a second leg in Albania and it went pretty peacefully. Nobody had expected the game in Serbia to escalate like that beforehand. The two associations have learned from this. The security precautions for the second leg were enormous. Of course there were emotions involved, there was a certain amount of aggression among us players. But all in all it remained fair.
Will it remain fair and calm in Tirana on Saturday?
Security will be a priority. There will be a lot of police officers on duty, controls outside the stadium will be tightened and tickets will be personalized. The federations will not allow a match like the one in Belgrade in 2014 to happen again.
Albania and Serbia are even co-hosting the 2027 European Under-21 Championship.
Exactly, and that's a great sign that this is about sport. It shows that the associations are working together. The political background will always be there, but it shows that sport and football are at the forefront. I am convinced that the 2027 European Championship will be a success. The associations have evolved in recent years. At the end of the day, it's about football and fairness. We want to be a role model for other countries.
Until recently, you played for the Albanian national team. Who is favored?
The quality of both teams is very high. It will be the Serbs' first qualifying match. We started with a defeat against the group favorites England and a win against Andorra. Now it's actually about second place against Serbia. The game in Albania is pretty crucial. We will do everything we can to win it. It's hugely important in sporting terms.
Let's talk about club football: when does GC's preparation begin?
On June 26. I now have a good three weeks off. It's good for me to switch off now. The last two years with GC have been very intense.
Are you getting any exercise during this summer break? Or are you just lying around?
(laughs) The first few days I really just lay around. I noticed how my body had to wind down from the emotions, all the adrenaline, the tension of the relegation battle over the last few weeks. You feel sick, you just want to sleep and you're tired. After four days, I went to the gym. Now I'm fine again and I have to get moving again, otherwise I get restless.
