Fans threw at least eight flares onto the pitch forcing the referee to halt the Croatia-Czech Republic Euro 2016 game for four minutes on Friday before the match finished in a 2-2 draw.
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Uefa has brought charges for the setting off of fireworks, the throwing of objects, crowd disturbance and racist behaviour by Croatia fans in Saint-Etienne.
The scenes we saw today were a repeat of those at an away game in Italy which was also interrupted with flares by Croatians.
In a notorious recent incident, veteran defender Josip Simunic was banned for 10 matches, including all of the 2014 World Cup, by Federation Internationale de Football Association after leading fans in chanting an Ustasha slogan after Croatia clinched its qualifying place. “These people are scary and I call them hooligans”, Cacic said.
The two teams met in the group stage at the European Championship eight years ago in Geneva, and Turkey came back from two goals down to win 3-2.
The Croatian football federation official in charge of security, Miroslav Markovic, said the federation had a “tip” there would be incidents in the 85th minute of the match, state-run HINA news agency reported.
Meanwhile the match was held up for several minutes after their fans threw flares on to the pitch and began fighting among themselves.
Croatia has a track record of disruptive fans, including at each game it played at Euro 2012.
Croatian football fans have a history flare-throwing incidents and the chanting of pro-Nazi slogans.
The “Torcida Split 1950” supporters’ group posted a layout of the stadium in Bordeaux where Croatia play against Spain on Tuesday (June 21) and their supposed plan of action.
A statement said: “UEFA strongly condemns such acts”.
Russian Federation already risk being thrown out of the tournament after being handed a suspended disqualification following disturbances inside the Stade Velodrome in Marseille during their 1-1 draw with England on Saturday and Croatia – already facing disciplinary action over disturbances during their opener against Turkey – could face the same threat.
The Croatian federation was fined 100,000 euros.
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Hungary supporters light a flare on the stands during the Euro 2016 Group F soccer match between Iceland and Hungary at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille, France, Saturday, June 18, 2016.
