Fans clash in Tirana after Conference League game

TIRANA, Aug 29 (TemA) – Clashes broke out late Thursday in Tirana after Dinamo drew 1-1 with Poland’s Jagiellonia in the Europa Conference League playoff.

Polish fans, in the Albanian capital in large numbers, had provoked locals earlier in the day, including making obscene gestures at the statue of national hero Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg in the city centre.

After the match, a group of Dinamo supporters attacked one Polish fan seen repeating such gestures, video footage showed. Police intervened quickly to restore order.

Escorted by police, Jagiellonia fans left the stadium by bus but faced further incidents on the road to Tirana’s international airport. Albanian youths hurled flares at the convoy.

The violence was fuelled by Polish fans’ chants of “Kill Albanians” and banners declaring “Kosovo is Serbia,” according to local media. Dinamo were eliminated from the competition despite the draw.