The Eternal derby turned into a fireworks fight

Violence and pyrotechnics have long played a commanding role in the Belgrade derby and Saturday's edition was more of the same flaming madness. Before the match even started, Red Star fans tried to follow up on their death threats and obituary posting by pelting turncoat goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic with fireworks as he scurried to the tunnel...

Smoke from the excessive amount of fireworks and flares delayed the start of the match and once the first half did begin, there were a pair of 10-minute delays from even more pyro-missles being thrown onto the pitch. Firefighters also had to put out a blaze that consumed a structure on the running track.

As if all that wasn't exhausting enough, the two teams got in a scuffle just after the halftime whistle when Serbian champions Partizan refused to make a run for the tunnel while Red Star fans threw fireworks.

When all the fire throwing, fighting and seat destroying was finished, Partizan won 2-0 and now everyone can look forward to repeating it all again at the next derby, keeping the cycling of tedious chaos going forever.

Photos: Reuters