April 15 – Croatian football, marred by constant problems involving hooligan fans, is back in the spotlight again for all the wrong reasons after national team coach Niko Kovac was assailed by a group of supporters wearing Hajduk Split colours.
Kovac was part of a delegation confronted as they stopped at a motorway station en route to Split from Zagreb. Croatian FA Executive president Damir Vrbanovic, security official Zoran Cvrk, team manager Iva Olivari, game manager Alan Balen, ticketing manager Niksa Martinac and spokesperson Tomislav Pacak were all part of the same group.
Around a dozen fans approached the delegation and began to verbally and physically intimidate Kovac and his associates. None of the party was injured, though the vehicle they were travelling in suffered slight damage. ”We are aware that these hooligans don’t represent Hajduk, the fan group Torcida or the city of Split. We won’t let this affect our organisation of the Croatia – Italy game in Split,” said an official statement from the Croatian FA.
Kovac was on his way to Split to discuss arrangements for the Euro 2016 tie against Italy on June 12 which is being played behind closed doors.
Hadjuj Split have been quick to apologise for the incident saying the club “expresses deep regret for the unpleasant incident which the Croatian national football team coach Niko Kovač, and the HNS delegation experienced on the way to Split. We also strongly condemn any form of violence and hooliganism.”
“Despite this uncomfortable incident, we are aware that these hooligans do not represent Hajduk, their fans or the city of Split, and we will not let these type of hooligans influence our intentions to bring the national team to Split to play Italy.”
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