Slavia Prague pledge lifetime bans after rival player assaulted leading to 97th-minute abandonment

Key Points:

• Slavia Prague’s chairman Jaroslav Tvrdik announced lifetime bans for hundreds of fans who invaded the pitch during a crucial match against rivals Sparta Prague, leading to the game’s abandonment and an assault on Sparta goalkeeper Jakub Surovcik.
• The pitch invasion occurred in stoppage time with Slavia leading 3-2, involving fans carrying lit flares and throwing pyrotechnics towards Sparta supporters, causing chaotic scenes and forcing players to flee the field.
• Slavia identified and banned a fan who assaulted goalkeeper Surovcik by throwing liquid in his face, and also announced that two Slavia players shown red cards during the match would be removed from the squad and never play for the club again.
• Sparta Prague condemned the incident as part of a long-term atmosphere of hatred and pledged full cooperation with authorities, while the Czech Republic’s League Football Association (LFA) called the behavior unacceptable and vowed to support police investigations and impose strict sanctions.
• Slavia expects the match will not be replayed and likely forfeited to Sparta, which would reduce their league lead from eight to five points with three games remaining, complicating their title pursuit.