UEFA Europa League match overshadowed by political message

During the UEFA Europa League match between LOSC Lille and FK Crvena Zvezda, some Lille supporters displayed a banner with a political message depicting Kosovo as part of Serbia, accompanied by the slogan “Nema predaje” (“No surrender”).

The act was viewed as provocative and sparked reactions on social media, including the sharing of the image by the Serbian club’s official accounts. The situation was seen as a problematic mixing of politics and sport, generating debate and criticism over the introduction of political messaging into a sporting event, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.

As a gesture of appreciation, the Serbian club posted the photo on its official page.

The incident has attracted international media attention, prompting various reactions from fans and online commentators regarding the use of provocative messages in stadiums.

This is not the first time that provocative messages concerning Kosovo have appeared in stadiums, while reactions from UEFA have not been considered particularly strict in terms of sanctions for such cases.