Can the terror of 1992 be repeated? Ferencváros takes on Slovan Bratislava, Hungarians throw stones at the opposing stars

Viktoria Plzeň starts in the European Cups on Wednesday evening, but the Ferencváros vs. Slovan Bratislava clash must be taken as the showpiece. The two biggest teams of their countries will meet in Europe for only the second time. And for the first time, real terror has taken place. Can it happen again, albeit on a smaller scale?

Derby will be spicy, Hungarians throw stones at Slovan stars

Ferencváros as the biggest Hungarian club, Slovan Bratislava has the same position in Slovakia. A big derby. Even between the national teams of both countries, it always boils not only on the pitch but also in the stands. And it will be no different here.

In fact, it’s already started. The Hungarian team is playing at home tonight. The Bratislava club has already moved to Hungary and had to deal with the first major inconveniences.

Several Ferencváros fans attacked the Slovan bus in which the players were returning from an evening training session at the stadium to their hotel in Budapest with stones.

According to Hungarian media, the Slovak champion’s bus had to be escorted by three police cars. However, even this did not prevent the Hungarians from attacking. However, no players were harmed and no one was injured in the attack. More or less only the bus was hit, with its side glass broken and its exterior damaged.

Besides, the Hungarians greeted the Slovaks with insulting banners.

Could there be a repeat of the 1992 terror?

Although it is not much discussed in the Czech Republic, the Slovak media have written many articles about it. Ferencváros and Slovan Bratislava have met only once in Europe, in 1992. At the time when Slovakia was slowly becoming independent. And the nationalistic Hungarians are famous.

The mutual history of the two nations is also quite piquant. That’s what it looked like at the first match in Bratislava. And in fact, even before that. To avoid a repeat, Slovan didn’t even offer tickets for the first game in Budapest for free.

What happened then?

As already outlined, there was terror then. The first match was played in Bratislava. Before that, however, Hungarians and Slovaks were fighting across the Slovak capital. There were constant assaults. And that was the day before the game. On the day of the match, however, it came to a head, especially in the stands at Tehelné Pole.

That day is also mentioned in the club chronicle, which was published on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Slovan. The publication shows that around 10,000 fans of the Hungarian club arrived in Bratislava. Most of them were said to have come from southern Slovakia.

“Although the police confiscated knives, boxers, sprays, iron bars and nunchucks from some Ferencváros fans before the match, most of the similar items were brought into the stadium by other people. Under such an organisation, one of the riskiest football matches in our history started at 17:00 on Wednesday 16 September 1992,” Sport7 quotes part of the publication.

Slovan outplayed its opponent in the match, which did not please Ferencváros fans. Cans, cups, pieces of concrete or iron started flying onto the pitch. “A piece of concrete broke the head of, for example, the photojournalist of the daily Šport, Dusan Koutny. Well-organised hooligans attacked the police and fought with Slovak fans,” the publication also says.

A reaction had to come and it did. Anti-terrorist commandos stormed the Hungarian fans’ sector. They beat the fans with batons. Tear gas was used. Hundreds of supporters were expelled from the sector. The rest of the stadium, i.e. the Slovak audience, applauded the intervention.

A rematch in Hungary? One Slovan fan got into the stadium

Obviously, it goes without saying that Slovak-Hungarian relations have only become more heated. Travelling to Budapest for the rematch was too risky and considered extremely dangerous. A severe rematch was expected.

“And yet, one brave Slovan fan was found. He was a 15-year-old waiter’s apprentice, Daniel Antosik, who arrived by train and was escorted to the away sector by a police escort. He greeted the coach in the stands, who came to shake his hand, and then hung the Slovan flag on the fence. The only Slovanist among the 20,000 Ferencváros supporters witnessed the advance.”

Antosik was rewarded for his courage. He flew home directly with the entire Slovan Bratislava team. And fortunately, the rematch was without great tragedy.

Source: Nemzeti Sport, Sport.sk, Sport7