Could it be the fervent fan fury inhibiting further escalation during the derby?
Supporters of Hannover 96 and Eintracht Braunschweig are in an uproar. Surprisingly, their discontent isn't directed at each other; instead, they're upset with politics. Prior to the highly anticipated Lower Saxony derby, there are concerns about safety and the allocation of visitor tickets. Can these issues prevent hooliganism?
The Lower Saxony derby between Eintracht Braunschweig and Hannover 96 is causing a stir before the match. Before the 2nd Bundesliga clash on Sunday (13:30 CET/Sky and live updates on ntv.de), there was even a rare display of unity between the two opposing fan bases due to the exceptional circumstances.
On Thursday, sections of fans from both teams rallied in the opposing city. Hannover supporters gathered in Braunschweig, while Braunschweig supporters protested in Hannover. Their shared criticism was aimed at Lower Saxony's Interior Minister Daniela Behrens and her political management of the heated derby.
Following numerous incidents and the widespread use of pyrotechnics in previous editions of the traditional encounter, Behrens had threatened to exclude visiting fans from future derbies. For the match on Sunday, an initial partial exclusion was imposed. "The fact is, this is the last chance," Behrens said in September about Eintracht Braunschweig's "escalated security concept."
Only slightly more than half of the usual 2100 tickets were made available to Hannover fans, and choreographies and block flags were also reportedly banned. Therefore, the protest slogan of the Hannover fans was "for a free fan culture unhampered by political intervention." The Braunschweig fans plan to boycott "organized atmosphere" on matchday.
Both protests on Thursday were accompanied by a substantial police presence and remained peaceful. Despite or because of the restrictions, the police in Braunschweig are also on high alert for the derby on Sunday.
In terms of sport, the 181st installment of the traditional encounter has a clear favorite. While Hannover has started the season strongly and is eyeing promotion spots as fourth in the table, things aren't looking so bright for the home team. With only four points, Eintracht, who also lost to newcomers SSV Ulm last weekend (1-3), sit in 17th place.
Despite the political tensions and concerns about safety, soccer fans from Hannover 96 and Eintracht Braunschweig showed rare unity in their protests against the Interior Minister. The upcoming Lower Saxony derby between the two teams is generating interest, with Hannover having a stronger start in the season compared to Eintracht, who are currently in a challenging position.
