Legia Warszawa will play the last match in the league phase of this edition of the Europa Conference League on Thursday. Goncalo Feio's team will go to Sweden for the start from Djurgarden, accompanied by a group of Warsaw fans for the first time this season. It is her arrival that causes the greatest anxiety in the Swedes. The local media only write about it and sound the alarm. – In Stockholm we are afraid of scenes of chaos. Today, one of the most infamous fan groups in the world arrives in the Swedish capital, reports Marcus Oskarsson.
The first trip of Legia fans in Europe after the suspension. The Swedes talk about a “challenge”
The concerns mainly result from what Legia's trips looked like last season. Trips to Birmingham and Alkmaar ended in loud scandals, for which UEFA imposed severe penalties on the Polish club. – The team's fans were suspended for five away matches after throwing pyrotechnics at police officers during a match against England's Aston Villa. Thursday's European match in Stockholm will be the first one at which fans will be able to attend after the suspension, notes the Swedish website Omni.
This fact alone makes Swedes worried that Legia fans will immediately want to draw attention to themselves. – So far they have not been allowed to go to European matches, but this is their first match after a rather long suspension. It will also be a challenge that we must face and consider what consequences it may lead to, said Mats Jonsson, security manager at Djurgarden, in an interview with Fotbollskanalen.
“High risk match”. Legia's rivals are preparing for the worst
The local media report that Polish fans bought about 800-900 tickets. However, there may be many more of them in the stands, as they could have obtained tickets through other channels. – We worked hard with the police on this, trying to test the ground and see what groups would come and how large. We want to see what awaits us, just like before all high-risk matches. We have a good idea of ​​what to expect. We are prepared. “I won't say I'm not worried, because of course you're always tense when faced with these kinds of challenges,” Jonsson declared.
In turn, the “Aftonbladet” daily indicates that the level of threat may be at a similar level as in the case of the derby. – It is known that Polish giants Legia Warszawa have some of the most fanatical fans in the world. Something that was visible, for better or for worse, every time Legia played in Europe – we read. The newspaper also points out that Legia fans are known for their love of pyrotechnics, and this may pose a significant problem, especially since the players are to play at Tele2Arena with the roof closed.
The match Djurgarden – Legia Warszawa will start on Thursday, December 19 at. 9:00 p.m. We invite you to follow the live text coverage on our website Sport.pl and in the Sport.pl LIVE mobile application.