Major Fan Riot Halts Prague Derby

The Prague derby match between Slavia Prague and Sparta Prague was abruptly halted after hundreds of fans stormed the pitch in the final moments of the game, while Slavia was leading 3-2 and just seconds away from securing the Czech league title.

According to Reuters, Slavia fans breached the security barriers during injury time and stormed the pitch at the "Fortuna" stadium. Some fans lit flares and headed towards the stands of the visiting team's supporters, amidst a state of great chaos inside the stadium.

The Czech police confirmed the initiation of criminal proceedings on suspicion of rioting and announced that Sparta Prague goalkeeper Jakub Surovcik was assaulted after being hit by a flare thrown from the stands. The goalkeeper stated on social media: "For someone to approach me and directly threaten me during the match and then assault me is completely unacceptable, and I will take the necessary legal actions."

For his part, Slavia Prague's president Jaroslav Tvrdik described what happened as a "disgrace," affirming that the referee's decision to stop the match was justified after Sparta players complained of being assaulted. Czech media also reported that Sparta players left the field under police protection due to security concerns.