Celtic fan hospitalised as brawl breaks out with Serbian hooligans ahead of Europa League clash against Red Star Belgrade

A Celtic supporter was hospitalised after being targeted by hooligans in Belgrade ahead of the Hoops' Europa League clash with Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday, according to Serbian reports. The incident occurred on Tuesday evening in the city centre, where a group of Celtic fans wearing their colours were targeted.

Celtic had warned supporters not to wear home strips in and around the city amid fears of violence and advised arriving at the Rajko Mitic Stadium using only club-arranged transport. Footage from the area showed overturned tables and chairs outside a cafe, with bottles flying in all directions. Local police rushed to the scene but the perpetrators had fled before their arrival.

The incident comes amid broader tension surrounding European and international games in Belgrade. Earlier this month, England played at the Rajko Mitic Stadium, and the Serbian football authority has faced scrutiny for crowd trouble in recent years, including a 15 per cent partial stadium closure last year after home fans were found to have engaged in racist behaviour during a victory against Andorra. In the past, England’s Under-21s suffered racism in a Krusevac fixture about 13 years ago, an episode that prompted public commentary from players such as Danny Rose and Andros Townsend and led to bans for several members of Serbia’s team and staff.

UEFA has fined the Serbian Football Association more than £600,000 over the last five years for a range of transgressions, including discriminatory behaviour from the stands at opponents’ venues. In the run-up to England’s arrival for this week’s match, Serbia’s FA issued a statement urging fans to create a positive atmosphere and to support the national team in a respectful manner, emphasizing that football should be a celebration of sport and mutual respect between rivals and nations. England went on to win the game 5-0.