Approximately 2,000 police officers will be present at Arena Kombetare to prevent a repeat of the events that led to the match abandonment nearly 11 years ago.
Near Arena Kombetare, two men stood on chairs outside a cafe, attaching items to the awning. It was early Thursday afternoon, and Tirana was preparing for a highly anticipated match. Albania’s flag, featuring a double-headed black eagle, was easily recognizable. The second flag being displayed was also well-known. It carried the word “Autochtonous” and depicted a version of the “Greater Albania” map, which had escalated a football match into a significant diplomatic dispute in 2014.
By Friday morning, that flag had been replaced with a less provocative version. Perhaps authorities had intervened quietly. They aim to prevent incidents like the one in Belgrade 11 years ago, when a drone lowered the contentious image into Partizan Stadium during a European Championship qualifier between Serbia and Albania. The consequences of that night extended beyond sports, and there was relief when a rematch in Elbasan, Albania, in the following November proceeded without major issues.
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- Source: SCCGManagement.com