While there was a big party in the two fan zones in the center of Tirana, until midnight, there were clashes elsewhere in the city between police and groups of Italians or Dutch. Ten police officers were injured and several police cars damaged, mainly due to violence by AS Roma fans.
Shortly after midnight, the police reported that they had arrested a total of 60 people: 48 Italians and 12 Dutch. As before in Marseille, the police in Tirana used tear gas. Fighting between the groups of supporters would have been prevented by the deployment of the police. There would have been destruction.
Police pelted with bottles, stones and sticks
Police say the groups have sought each other out. When the Feyenoord fans were stopped, they are said to have pelted the police with bottles, stones and sticks. Later, the Roma fans did the exact same thing, but in a different place in the city.
Striking: Around the same time, Erion Veliaj, the mayor of Tirana, shared a photo with his Rotterdam colleague Ahmed Aboutaleb who is invited to the final. “We call on everyone for a peaceful and joyful celebration of sportsmanship and respect for every team and for our city.”
Well into the evening, police cars were seemingly on the lookout at many intersections in the city, with their flashing lights on. It is very important to the authorities to ensure that the first European final ever in the country goes well.
‘Don’t be provoked’
Before match day, the state police say they are determined to ‘guarantee order and safety’, to prevent vandalism and to ensure that the match between Feyenoord and AS Roma runs smoothly. “We hope that citizens will not be provoked by individuals or groups of fans, who may be under the influence of alcohol.”
On Wednesday there will be a lot of police, many of them around the stadium. Most of the center is car-free, due to the arrival of many tens of thousands of supporters, the majority of whom do not have a ticket.
Above all party
Because the confrontations were at a distance from the two fan zones in the center, Tuesday evening went without a hitch for the majority of the supporters. In the Feyenoord fan zone on Murat Toptani there was eating, drinking and partying, with many Albanian spectators filming all the songs and all the crazy antics.
On the Skanderberg there was a cover band, with which Albanians in particular sang along. Images of the highlights of AS Roma and Feyenoord on their own were shown on a large screen Road to Tirana.
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