KALININGRAD, Russia — Serbs appeared angrier Saturday at the referee who officiated their country’s 2-1 World Cup defeat than at two Swiss players who provocatively flashed Albanian nationalist gestures after scoring.
Years of simmering Balkan tensions surfaced at the World Cup on Friday night as Switzerland beat Serbia in Kaliningrad. The two Swiss goals came from ethnic Albanians Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka, both of whom celebrated with a hand signal of the double-headed eagle on the Albanian flag.
“The Swiss Provocation,” wrote Serb nationalist daily newspaper Vecernje Novosti alongside photographs of the gestures and a picture of Shaqiri’s boots, which have the Kosovo flag on one heel and the Swiss flag on the other.
FIFA’s disciplinary committee opened proceedings against the two for the politically charged goal celebrations. FIFA also said Saturday it has opened disciplinary proceedings against the Serbian Football Association for crowd disturbance and the display of political and offensive messages by Serbian fans. FIFA also is reviewing statements that Serbia Coach Mladen Krstajic made after the match.
The families of both goal scorers hail from Kosovo, the former Serb province whose 2008 declaration of independence is not recognized by Serbia and remains a source of friction between the Balkan neighbors.
Serbian football officials complained to FIFA, soccer’s governing body, about the gestures by the Swiss players, but appeared far angrier about the failure of German referee Felix Brych to use a video review when two Swiss defenders manhandled Serbia striker Aleksandar Mitrovic to the ground in the second half.
Serbian football association vice president Savo Milosevic reacted angrily to the lack of a penalty call after the match.
“I understand maybe the referee didn’t see it, but that’s why we put VAR (video assisted review) on,” Milosevic said. “What are (those) guys doing up there?”
Serbian newspapers gave more space to the VAR spat than to the nationalist gestures.
BRAZIL DOCTORS have been busy lately, with even the team’s coach needing medical attention.
Douglas Costa and Danilo have been ruled out of the match against Serbia on Wednesday, the team said, but the team said Coach Tite is doing just fine despite undergoing treatment after pulling a muscle while celebrating a goal.
Danilo missed the match against Costa Rica because of a right hip problem sustained in training before the World Cup.
Costa hurt a right thigh muscle in the second half against Costa Rica.
DELE ALLI returned to practice with the England squad but carried out individual drills away from the main group, keeping him in doubt for Sunday’s match against Panama.
The midfielder hurt his thigh in England’s 2-1 win over Tunisia on Monday and didn’t practice with the group for four days.
Alli participated in warmup routines on Saturday and later worked alone on his fitness.
England Coach Gareth Southgate has said Alli is unlikely to be in the starting lineup against Panama.
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