War scenes, ‘trapped’ in stadium: fan after Flamengo v Medellín | OneFootball

What was the Flamengo fan’s account of the Independiente Medellín (COL) supporters’ protests like?

By: Pedro Paulo Catonho and Rodrigo Lima

The Flamengo fan traveled to Colombia to watch the match against Independiente Medellín (COL) in the Libertadores. However, what was seen in the stands of Atanasio Girardot Stadium were war-like scenes caused by the Colombian team’s supporters. Given the situation, Coluna do Fla spoke with a Rubro-Negro fan who was present at the ‘scene of the incident’.

In contact with Coluna do Fla reporters, Matheus Zidan described what he experienced before and after the match was canceled. Right away, the fan made it clear that he did not fully understand what was going to happen with the match because of the lack of information in the stadium, and said that the Rubro-Negro fans were trapped in the stands for more than an hour and a half.

“We were stuck in the stadium for more than an hour and a half because they wouldn’t leave the stadium. Outside, we heard the sounds of explosions, people fighting... And those who stayed in the stadium still had flares and were throwing bombs onto the pitch. We knew there were no conditions for the match to be played, we just didn’t know how long we were going to have to stay in there”, concluded Matheus Zidan.

Photo: Reproduction / Personal Archive

Another point that drew attention was the safety of the Rubro-Negro fans present at the stadium. According to Matheus Zidan, the Colombian police had no dialogue whatsoever with the Flamengo supporters, and they felt quite vulnerable regarding security.

“The Colombian police did not intervene either positively or negatively. At no point did they say what was happening, they didn’t ask us to stay calm, nothing at all. We only knew the news from the guy making announcements over the stadium microphone. Not from the police, much less the event security”, he said, before concluding:

“The visiting fans at that stadium don’t have a partition, a barrier... there’s nothing. The only separation was a tape and four or five security guards. So if they had wanted to invade the away section, there wouldn’t have been much that could be done, there would have been a fight”, Zidan concluded.

WHAT WAS THE REACTION OF THE MEDELLÍN FANS INSIDE THE STADIUM LIKE?

The anger of the Medellín supporters was directed only at the Colombian club itself. In his conversation with Coluna, Matheus Zidan said that the Colombian team’s fans were asking the Rubro-Negro supporters to stay calm in the stands, because it was nothing against them.

“The whole time, they said they didn’t want to fight with us. They told us to stay calm, because it had nothing to do with us. But they were throwing bombs onto the field, flares... So we didn’t end up feeling scared, because they made it clear it wasn’t aimed at us”,

SEE OTHER ANSWERS

Q: On the way out of the stadium and on the way to the hotel, did you see anything that scared you or made you afraid?

A: On the way out of the stadium, we saw a lot of destruction, iron bars on the ground, iron fencing on the ground. And I had to go around the stadium to call for transportation, because we did not leave under police escort. Some friends and I left the stadium on foot, with many police officers around the stadium.

During that walk around, we met some Medellín fans, who apologized to us for what had happened. They made it clear it was a protest against the club, and they called the board a disgrace.

A: How do you feel after what happened? You must have made a big investment for “nothing.” Are you thinking about suing Medellín or Conmebol?

P: I’ve already gotten in touch with a lawyer, who was also at the match, and he said he’s going to study the case. It’s a very complex case, because Conmebol is clearly at fault for not providing security at the event. I spent money on accommodation and travel, but there was no event.

But at first, the understanding is that Conmebol will shift responsibility to the country, which will then end up shifting it to the supporters and Independiente Medellín. I’m returning to Brazil today, but I’ll only arrive tomorrow, with a long layover. So it’s a very tiring trip to not even watch 15 minutes of the match.

WHAT IS FLAMENGO’S SITUATION IN THE LIBERTADORES?

Given the cancellation, Flamengo is waiting to be awarded the three points by W.O. in the match against Medellín. That way, the Rubro-Negro would book its place in the next stage of the Libertadores in advance.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.