RB Leipzig warns own fans against Belgrade
RB Leipzig has expressly warned its fans of the dangers of the away match against Red Star Belgrade. The club called on its supporters not to wear their fan paraphernalia conspicuously in the city around the Champions League match today (21:00/DAZN). In addition, fans should only use authorized cabs and exchange money at official points. Around 500 Leipzig fans will be in the stadium.
The club also links to a fan guide for Belgrade compiled by an RB supporter, which reports on the experiences of fans of Young Boys Bern. According to the guide, cab drivers demanded excessive fares and allegedly extorted payment at gunpoint. There were also cases of passengers not being dropped off at the desired location. Belgrade played against Bern at the beginning of October, the game ended 2:2. RB fans are now to be taken from the city center to the stadium in shuttle buses.
The club itself is also taking precautionary measures in its own ranks. The U19s, who will play in the Youth League against Belgrade's youngsters at 4.00 p.m. this afternoon, will attend the professionals' match in the evening. According to a report in the newspaper "Bild", the players will not appear in RB clothing, but in civilian clothes.
Spectator penalty for Red Star Belgrade
Red Star was fined by UEFA for the match against Leipzig. Because Ultras paid homage to an attack by Serbian extremists on the police in the Kosovan village of Banjska with a choreography during the match against Bern, a maximum of 45,000 fans were allowed into the stadium instead of over 50,000. Serbia does not recognize Kosovo's autonomy and is demanding the return of the province with a majority Albanian population.
The first leg in Leipzig was relatively quiet for the more than 2,000 Red Star fans who had made the journey. In the fan block, the supporters fought amongst themselves. Outside the stadium, there was damage to property, bodily harm and breaches of the Explosives Act. There was also theft from a supermarket. The police deployed 800 officers to deal with the violent Belgrade fan scene.
RB Leipzig's fans are advised to watch their belongings closely during the Champions League match against Red Star Belgrade, given the reported incidents of cab drivers demanding excessive fares and allegedly extorting payment at gunpoint in Belgrade. Despite thewarnings, RB Leipzig's U19 team will still attend Red Star Belgrade's Youth League match against them, dressing in civilian clothes instead of their usual RB attire.
Source: www.dpa.com
