Football has been proven to be a game of emotions, and so was displayed by Ajax fans in their abandoned game against Feyenoord. Fans are the lifeblood of any team, so it’s no surprise that they are affected the most by whatever goes on in a football club – win, lose, or draw.
Coming to terms with the sad reality of their team being in decline after dominating the Dutch Eredivisie for a long time is not something the Ajax fans are ready to do, prompting a widespread riot born out of sheer bitterness from the team’s recent poor run of form.
De Klassieker gets abandoned after Ajax fans riot
Ajax’s recent decline proves that soccer might just be the most unpredictable sport. The Dutch giants have been bossing the league for years and even made a run into the UCL semi-final in 2019, beating the likes of Real Madrid and Juventus along the way.
Ajax lost the league to Feyenoord last season, signaling their imminent downfall domestically. The 36-time Eredivisie champions have endured a poor start to the season, picking up five points from four games, and languishing in 16th place, 10 points behind league leaders PSV Eindhoven.
Fans made their frustration known yesterday as they rioted in the stadium after their team suffered a 3-0 defeat in the first 60 minutes of the game, throwing flares on the pitch in an ominous show of rage. Despite a strong message of “Lighting of fireworks is prohibited” being displayed clearly on the stadium’s biggest screen, Ajax fans did not stop at the flares, prompting the suspension of the game until further notice.
“De Klassieker has been permanently suspended after repeated fireworks on the field. More information on playing out this game will follow later”, the Dutch league said in an official statement.
Sadly, the riot did not just end in the stadium. Fans took it to the streets, prompting a swift response from the city police, who charged at fans on horses in a bid to contain the situation.
Ajax parted ways with DOF Sven Mislintat
Ajax are a shadow of the football club they once were a few years ago. The Dutch giants had won seven of the last 12 Eredivisie titles until last season’s league title loss to Feyenoord. They also failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 13 seasons, compounding the club’s woes.
Things haven’t improved this season, and after yesterday’s riot, Ajax were forced to part ways with their director of football, Sven Mislintat. “Ajax has ended the collaboration with Director of Football Sven Mislintat with immediate effect. The lack of broad support within the organisation is the reason behind this decision”, the club said in a statement.
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