Swedish AIK Fear Retaliation by Bulgarian Hooligans

View of the windowshield of the Levski bus after hooligan attacks in Stockholm last Thursday. Photo by Aftonbladet.

Swedish champions AIK are arriving for their Thursday match in Sofia with local Levski with upped security after last week Swedish hooligans attacked the Levski delegation guesting in Stockholm for a Europa League playoff.

After the 0:0 draw last Thursday at Stockholm’s Råsunda Stadium, AIK hooligans attacked the Levski bus, throwing stones, bottles and other projectiles at hand. Five from Levski – two players, a masseur, the press officer, and the club's owner Todor Batkov – were slightly injured in what media described as violence unseen in recent years. The UEFA delegates and referees were also attacked.

This Thursday’s game at Sofia’s Georgi Asparuhov Stadium is decisive about which team will go to the Europa League group stage.

AIK leadership has expressed fears of hooligan retaliation in Sofia and has taken all measures to defend its delegation, including bigger security staff.

The Levski management, on its part, has called upon the team’s supporters to behave peacefully and in a civilized manner with respect to the Swedish guests.

AIK has announced that up to now it has managed to sell only “about a dozen tickets” for coming Thursday’s game in Sofia and expects to sell little more.

UEFA was not swift in reacting to last week’s Stockholm incident, assuaging fears it might throw AIK out of its tournaments. A hearing is expected for September 23, with the maximum punishment being a EUR 1 M fine.

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