UEFA bans Dinamo Zagreb fans from away European games for 2023/24 season

After being knocked out of Champions League qualifying last night in dramatic fashion in Athens, UEFA has rubbed further salt into the wounds of Dinamo Zagreb. 

Domagoj Vida’s 100th minute goal for AEK Athens sent the Croatian champions out of quailing for Europe’s premier competition. Dinamo led 2-0 and looked to be on their way to the play-offs before they conceded late in the match and then were ruled to give away a penalty in added time. 

Dominik Livaković would save the penalty but Vida was first to the rebound to head home to make it 2-2 on the night and 2-3 on aggregate to the Greeks. 

Dinamo now move onto the Europa League play-offs and will face Sparta Prague over two legs. The first leg will be at Maksimir stadium on Thursday, 24 August, with the return a week later in Prague. 

Dinamo will not be able to rely on the support of their fans at away matches in Europe for the rest of the season after UEFA handed down punishment today for the role their fans played in Athens where violence erupted before the first leg when both sets of fans clashed. 

The full statement for UEFA is below. 

“UEFA has decided that fans of GNK Dinamo will not be allowed to attend any away matches as a minimum for the remainder of the 2023/24 season of UEFA club competitions.

Following the extremely serious incidents which occurred ahead of the postponed UEFA Champions League third qualifying round match between AEK Athens and GNK Dinamo Zagreb initially scheduled for 9 August 2023, in Athens, and which resulted in the death of a Greek national, UEFA has decided that fans of GNK Dinamo will not be allowed to attend any away matches as a minimum for the remainder of the 2023/24 season of UEFA club competitions.

Following an assessment made by UEFA, all matches involving visiting GNK Dinamo supporters are considered to be high risk and this was unfortunately confirmed by the extreme gravity of incidents due to the presence in Athens of GNK Dinamo supporters, in spite of the decision not to provide them with tickets for the match in question. It was also highlighted in the report containing information on the incidents provided by the Greek authorities to UEFA.

GNK Dinamo are furthermore requested, in conjunction with the relevant political, public security and football authorities in Croatia, to devise and implement a strategy to eradicate football related violence associated with their club. UEFA expects to receive a report in due course from the club, with detail of the action plan drawn up to address this significant problem.

While GNK Dinamo and their respective opponents must do their utmost to prevent GNK Dinamo supporters from travelling, visiting teams travelling to Croatia may continue to receive their full allocation of tickets and GNK Dinamo and the relevant public authorities must take the necessary measures to ensure the safety of visiting supporters.

UEFA will inform directly the competent authorities of the host countries/cities of this measure.”