Partizan Belgrade head coach Savo Milosevic is confident there will be no racist chanting from fans when his team face Manchester United after the hosts completed a two-match stadium sanction for racist behaviour.
The Serbian club has already served a ban following August’s Europa League qualifying match against Turkey’s Yeni Malatyaspor. Uefa allowed Partizan to invite schoolchildren to watch the second of those games, a crowd of 22,00 attending September’s 2-2 Group L draw with AZ Alkmaar.
Ahead of Thursday’s Europa League Group L match at Partizan’s home, Milosevic said: “I expect everything to be fair and in the spirit of the sport. We know of our supporters, we are aware of the importance of the game and we are also aware of the problems we have had in the past. But tomorrow [Thursday] will once again be a celebration of football, so I don’t expect any problems in that regard. We all know how important the support from the home fans can be.”
Milosevic’s club has additionally issued a warning on the club’s website to supporters. “Cheerfully and sportily [support the side] without discriminatory, chauvinistic, fascist or other outbursts,” the statement said. “Do not chant [at] opponents on a national basis [their nationality]. Do not express outbursts of hatred. Any such situation, call or chanting can lead to serious consequences and sanctions by the Uefa disciplinary board.”
Thursday’s match follows Uefa hitting the Football Association of Serbia with a two-match ban on spectators, the second of which is suspended for a 12-month probationary period, for racism in September’s 4-2 defeat by Portugal in Belgrade.
On Tuesday, United issued an indefinite ban to a fan for the alleged racist abuse of Trent Alexander-Arnold during Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Old Trafford. Earlier this month, England’s 6-0 Euro 2020 qualifier win over Bulgaria was twice halted due to racist abuse of Tyrone Mings and other teammates. United’s manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, is expected to address the issue during his press conference on Wednesday evening.
