Security concerns: Dynamo Dresden cancels test match against Belgrade!

Security concerns: Dynamo Dresden cancels test match against Belgrade!

On March 20, 1991, the encounter between Dynamo Dresden and Red Star Belgrade in the European Cup came as a shock to German football fans. But what happened back then still casts its shadow today. The game, which was abandoned in the 78th minute when the score was 1:2, turned out to be a dramatic escalation in which hooligans from the fan corner plunged order into chaos. After the game was abandoned, Dresden experienced a violent incident that shocked not only the players but also the spectators. Line judges and Yugoslav players were brutally attacked while police hesitated to intervene. This incident not only sealed the sporting fate of Dynamo Dresden, but also caused the reputation of football in Germany to suffer enormously. This tragedy led, among other things, to Dynamo being banned for two European Cup seasons, as Meyview reports.

Today, 34 years after the memorable encounter, the wounds have healed, but the memories remain alive. At the training camp in Windischgarsten, Austria, the request for a test match between the two teams was on the table. Red Star Belgrade wanted to take advantage of this historical setting, but Dynamo Dresden's sports director Thomas Brendel decided that it was better to reject the game for security reasons. There are concerns about possible fan gatherings and the dangerous history inherent in this clash. Assistant coach Heiko Scholz, who was on the field as a player at the time, emphasizes that the events of 1991 will never be completely forgotten. Hooligans from all over Germany were hired to cause unrest, which permanently spoiled the atmosphere of the game, as Bild describes.

A look into history

For many fans, European football is more than just a game; it is part of the identity. The game on March 20, ’91 is a good example of how deeply rooted fan passions can be and turn violent. After the second leg in Dresden, the slogan “revenge for Belgrade” emerged, which illustrates how emotions and rival fan camps can lead to a dangerous mix. Such incidents are not new; hooliganism had already increased in many European stadiums in the 1980s, accompanied by a decline in spectator numbers and an increased criminalized perception of football. During this period, several tragic events took place that called into question the safety of stadiums, such as the Heysel Stadium incident in 1985, which claimed 39 lives, or the Hillsborough tragedy in 1989, which left 96 dead bpb points out.

Although football has changed and should have become safer, the cancellation of the friendly match between Dynamo and Red Star reveals that the shadow of the past still hangs over the stadiums. This Saturday, the team from Dresden will instead play against SV Ried, a newly promoted team from the first division. But the legacy of the 1991 game remains part of history and the dream of a 100th European Cup game lives on in the hearts of Dynamo fans. These events show how deeply rooted emotions are in sport and the importance of learning from the past to create a more peaceful future.