Town keeper Aro Muric and his Kosovo teammates walked off the field in injury time of their UEFA Nations League game in Romania following pro-Serbia chants from sections of the home support, leading to the match eventually being abandoned.

The game at the Arena Nationala in Bucharest was still 0-0 with the Kosovans having dominated when chants aimed towards the visiting players increased in volume after a clash between Romania’s Denis Alibec and Amir Rrahmani of Kosovo, while objects were reportedly thrown towards the away bench.

The incidents prompted the Kosovo players and staff to walk off the pitch leaving the Romanians still out there on their own for around 40 minutes.

The referee eventually made his way to the dressing room and gave the Kosovo players an ultimatum that he would abandon the game if they didn't return to the field within a specified time. They refused to do so and the match was curtailed with the outcome currently unclear.

A UEFA statement reads: “The UEFA Nations League match between Romania and Kosovo has been abandoned. UEFA will communicate further information in due course.”

Romania is among the countries which don’t recognise Kosovo as an independent nation with Serbia claiming it is part of their territory.

In September last year, UEFA sanctioned the Romanian FA (FRF) following similar chants and a banner stating 'Kosovo is Serbia' during a Euro 2024 qualifier between the sides earlier that month. That game, also in Bucharest, had been held up for 50 minutes.

The FRF was fined €40,000 and ordered that their match against Andorra the following month should be played behind closed doors.

In October this year, the FRF was fined €52,500 and issued with a partial stadium ban for racist fan behaviour during the previous month’s Nations League tie with Lithuania.

Prior to tonight’s kick-off, the FRF called on their fans to be on their best behaviour for fear of impacting their top spot in the group, and therefore their chances of World Cup qualification, and further behind-closed-doors matches.

Elsewhere, Liam Delap won his ninth England U21s cap as the Young Lions drew 0-0 with Spain in a friendly in Cadiz.

The Town striker played the first 68 minutes before being replaced by former Blues loanee Dane Scarlett having been booked moments earlier for a clash with a defender.

Blues keeper Cieran Slicker was an unused sub as Scotland beat Croatia 1-0 at Hampden Park.

Photo: REUTERS/George Calin

bobble added 05:52 - Nov 16 Hardly as bad as the israeli fans chants in amsterdam last week...the kosovo team should just laugh it off
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MK1 added 07:48 - Nov 16 Sad when politics is brought into sport. They did the right thing though.
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Dissboyitfc added 09:04 - Nov 16 Laugh off objects being thrown is not to be laughed at!
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Bluearmy_81 added 09:51 - Nov 16 Yes bobble the Israeli fans chanting, “we don’t need schools in Gaza cos we’ve killed all the kids..” Absolute scum
6

Bluearmy_81 added 09:53 - Nov 16 Probably plenty here who can’t bring themselves to condemn a genocide though as it would mean siding with Gary Lineker and Owen Jones who they detest for being conscientious and principled! Sad times…
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algarvefan added 10:42 - Nov 16 The rise of 'ultras' at football clubs across Europe and beyond is very worrying. It's important to remember that football is being used as a vehicle for extremists who have no love of the game. At Ipswich we need to vigilant to ensure our club is not tainted by these idiots.
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Edmundo added 12:46 - Nov 16 Well said, Algarve Racists are racists, wherever they are hiding (usually in plain sight, see also USA President and Reform party)
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RaymondovicBlue added 12:52 - Nov 16 ADMINS Your shout not mine, but I would suggest you turn off and delete commenting on such a post as it is bound to raise political argument amongst us fans who wish to remain united in our support of Town and this site?
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blues1 added 12:59 - Nov 16 Bobble. Why isn't it as bad? Racism is racism, whatever form it takes. To suggest they should just laugh it off is ridiculous.
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Gforce added 13:35 - Nov 16 Anyone know why Hutchinson wasn't even on the bench for the under 21s ?
2

bobble added 19:35 - Nov 16 Blues1...i think singing about killing children is a bit worse than standard racism...but yes all racism is wrong, which is why our club should stop posting on racist platforms like X
4

churchmans added 20:24 - Nov 16 Bluearmy81 wtf do you call the attack on that Israeli village when they killed the entire village and took the rest as kidnappers? Kosovo is serbia
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churchmans added 20:30 - Nov 16 It was
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bobble added 23:05 - Nov 16 Churchmans..would that be an israeli village built on palestinian land that was stolen after the palestinians that lived there were ethnicly. cleansed and murdered ,brutally forced off their land and encaged in an open air prison called gaza ? The palestinians have the right to resist occupation and apartheid and illegal land theft by the occupiers just the same as ukraine has the right to attack russians who have occupied and stolen their land... Uilt on palestinizn land that

0

Tractor_Boy_in_HK added 04:20 - Nov 17 Too much politics in the comments. But to be honest, Kosovo needed to win and weren't winning as time was expiring. So by walking off I believe they are trying to avoid the result (and one more thing to note, it doesn't look like objects were really thrown until Kosovo started to walk off). They were given an opportunity to return to the pitch when things settled down and refused to do so. They should not be rewarded. The result shouldn't be a 3-0 forfeit to Romania but should be the final score of a draw.

2

Tractor_Boy_in_HK added 04:24 - Nov 17 PS Downvoted you bluearmy as you misquoted what was actually chanted. It was bad, for sure, but your version is even worse!
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Bluearmy_81 added 06:16 - Nov 17 Churchmans 7/10 was a terror attack. What’s happened since is the state led annihilation of a people, people who were innocent and had nothing to do with it. 70% of those killed in the last year in Gaza have been women and children. IDF have been sniping children daily, often with drones. If you can’t unequivocally say that’s wrong you need to give your head a wobble

3

bobble added 12:18 - Nov 17 Bluearmy81...it was an attack against an aggressive occupying power, but terror attack ? I think the UN states that palestinians have the right to fight against the occupying forces in their land ,and as they dont get supplied with modern missiles and jet fighters like the invading forces do by western powers, they use what they can just as the ukranians and all other nations peoples do when invaded by others.. Israelis have had numerous opportunities to settle the conflict over the decades but refuse to give palestinians any of their land back to create a 2 state solution, so israel must bear responsibility for all deaths on both sides...

1

Bluearmy_81 added 12:31 - Nov 17 Bobble, agree, under international law Israel do not actually have a right to defend themselves as they are the illegal occupying force in Gaza (this isn’t even up for debate, this is acknowledged by the UN.) So yes, 7/10 was an attack by a resistance group/terror attack (semantics.)
2

churchmans added 14:15 - Nov 17 The israel/Palestinian people conflict has been going on for thousands of years it will carry on in our lifetime What international law? Who makes this law? You just raving lefties who ain't got a clue about the ins and outs! Ukraine was corrupt as phuck before the conflict! It is just west v east and I'm afraid that the Ukrainians have been in the middle of both of it! My guess is that there will be a deal where no nato basis in Ukraine which will put and end to it! Remember this my lefty friend in the eastern part of ukraine 8million refugees went west because of the war and 2million fled into Russia! That ain't as straight forward as you think it is

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runningout added 16:09 - Nov 17 the term ‘ultras’ is an embarrassment at any club, especially ours
2

churchmans added 16:12 - Nov 17 That region has always been in conflict at some point and your probably right about the English interference! But there was trouble in the region leading up to British formation of Israel! As for russia of course there corrupt! Our governments (previous deffinetly) and western governments are also corrupt but maybe not as blatant! Besides what has this got to do with kossovo walking off the pitch? And yes my lefty comment was a put down as the previous lefty went on a rant about Lineker and co and referd to 'kossovo is serbia' as a racist remark! Do me a favour

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churchmans added 17:34 - Nov 17 @62wasbest I'm going off topic here but I am genuinely interested, the state of Israel was formed by the British to presumably give the persecuted and non persecuted Jews in Europe and the rest of the world a homeland! And hyperthetically speaking what would of happened if the British did not form the state of israel
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bobble added 22:15 - Nov 17 Churchmans...how can britain an occupying invader itself give palestine to some other people ? The owners of the land ,the palestinians ,might want a say in that surely ....good to see palestine recognised as a nation for football purposes though..just wish the west would give as many weapons to the palestinians as they do to the israelis then there would have been peace decades ago..

1

shakytown added 23:19 - Nov 17 Ban both countries from hosting or having crowds for 2 years. These so called fans are absolute filth and are not even interested in the actual game so should not be able to watch it.
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