An Eredivisie showdown between Ajax Amsterdam and defending champions Feyenoord descended into chaos on Sunday as fans disrupted the game by throwing flares onto the pitch, resulting in the match’s abandonment. Outside the stadium, mounted police employed tear gas to disperse rioting supporters, adding to the mayhem.
The situation escalated when a group of irate Ajax fans attempted to forcibly enter the stadium after the game had been halted, prompting police intervention and the use of tear gas to disperse the crowd. Amsterdam police reported these events on the social media platform X.
The police statement read, “After the stopped game, supporters broke into the main stadium entrance. Order has since been restored.”
The abandonment of the match left Ajax coach Maurice Steijn deeply disheartened, who said, “It is a jet black day; this makes it even worse.”
Ajax found themselves trailing 3-0 in the second half when the game was initially suspended in the 56th minute. The club, which has endured a disappointing start to the season with just one win, currently occupies the 13th position in the 18-team Eredivisie. All three goals were conceded in the first half.
When flares were thrown onto the pitch for a second time, with many landing near the goal, the referee decided to halt the match, directing the players to leave the field and head down the tunnel.
Despite the club displaying a message on the big screen at the Johan Cruyff Arena that read, “Lighting of fireworks is prohibited,” the fans paid no heed to the warning.
The Eredivisie issued a statement confirming the abandonment of “De Klassieker” (the classic) and added, “More information on playing out this game will follow later.”
Feyenoord manager Arne Slot expressed his frustration that the game couldn’t be completed after what had been an impressive performance from his side. He said, “In this way, the chance for something very beautiful is taken away from us.”
The Dutch football association (KNVB) told broadcaster NOS that it intends to make a decision regarding the match on Monday but acknowledged that it might take longer.
Slot admitted that no outcome would be ideal. He stated, “The match will be played with or without an audience, or not, and it will be a legal victory for us. Whatever the case, in all cases there is distortion of competition. The question now is what the KNVB will do to keep this to a minimum.”
Ajax finished third in the Eredivisie last season and failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 13 seasons. Their recent track record includes seven league titles and five second-place finishes over the previous 12 seasons.
