After a politically-heated Euro 2016 qualifier match between Serbia and Albania ended in violence, the Serbian FA have issued a statement in which they blame the away side for Tuesday's unfortunate occurrence.
The clash between the two Balkan nation was stopped, then abandoned after players and fans got involved in disputes and brawls on the pitch when Stefan Mitrovic pulled down the flag of Albania from a drone that flew it above the pitch.
UEFA announced that they will open disciplinary proceedings into the incident, and despite some of the Albania players coming under attack by the home fans at the Partizan Stadium, the Serbian FA claim the traveling supporters, who were banned from the stadium, provoked the Serbia faithful.
"The Football Association of Serbia expresses regret that the match between Serbia and Albania did not finish in a sports manner, as a very important event of two countries' best teams should have," it said in a statement on Wednesday.
"In an atmosphere that has not been seen for a long time in Serbia, with support of fans acting like one, Serbian national team players, playing a good game, were heading towards an important victory on their way to France 2016.
"Unfortunately, a provocation from the opponents was started by entering a flag of non-existing so-called "Great Albania" that as such offends feelings of Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Greece citizens with help of a drone that came from outside of the stadium.
"That was continued by inappropriate scenes on the pitch, so the match was not finished in the usual way and therefore our national team players lost chance to show who had better quality in a fair, sportsmanlike and chivalrous contest.
"At one point, Serbian player Stefan Mitrovic caught the flag and started to fold it as calmly as possible, in order to give it to the fourth official and for the match to be continued.
"Absolutely all of the Serbian players and officials on the bench were in their seats, calm and without any attempt to show force or rage because of the incident.
"However, Albanian players acted very aggressively and physically attacked Mitrovic."
Serbia and Albania players were involved in fights after Stefan Mitrovic decided to pull down the flag of Albania, which was being flown above the pitch by a remote-controlled drone
The traveling players then came under attack by the home fans, and headed for the tunnel to take refuge before the game was abandoned
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The Serbian FA also stated that referee Martin Atkinson and the match delegate came to the decision to continue the game, but argue their opponents refused to return to the pitch, and are demanding to be awarded a 3-0 win as a result.
"The Albanian FA simply took Uefa rules in their own hands interpreting them as they preferred. According to that, we estimate that they are directly guilty for the match abandonment and we expect that Uefa disciplinary bodies will register the match with 3-0 result, in favour of Serbia."
