UEFA ‘regrets’ overnight soccer violence ahead of England-Wales match

Thirty-five people were injured in fighting between Russian and English fans in Marseille.

Also on Thursday, three Russian fans were given prison terms for their part in violence ahead of Saturday’s England-Russia match.

The Euros in France have been blighted by violence in scenes reminiscent of the worst days of football hooliganism in the 1980s.

Scenes of violence between Russian and English supporters on the streets of Marseille and Lille and at European Championship games this week has again exposed an ugly side to the lovely game.

Earlier, police pushed away a group of English fans when they became “threatening”.

“We consider (the deportations) a political decision”, he said, insisting that none of the 20 had been involved in the violence.

“We’ve filed an appeal against our removal. We’re waiting for the consul and for lawyers”, he said, adding that the fans had given phone records to the police indicating that they were not present for the violence around last week’s game.

Shaun Smith spoke to The Observer after returning from Marseille where he and two friends watched England draw 1-1 with Russian Federation on Saturday (June 12).

And now he appears to have taken his stance a step further by poking fun at England fans that were attacked by the Russians last weekend.

“And I regret saying this”.

“It was a odd atmosphere last night, drinking in a bar in the centre of Lille, with a wall of riot police in front of you”.

But Russia has protested over the treatment of its supporters, summoning the French ambassador in Moscow.

European Football Governing Body (UEFA) had warned England and Russian Federation that they could be thrown out of the European championship finals if their fans are involved in more violence.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday called the football hooligan violence at Euro 2016 a “disgrace” but questioned how Russian fans could have overpowered a far larger contingent of English supporters.

Last Sunday, Uefa’s executive committee warned both England and Russian Federation that it would “not hesitate” to impose sanctions, including disqualification, if there was a repeat of violent disturbances by their fans in Marseille the day before.

The governing body of European football said it was planning no Executive Committee meeting in the wake of the overnight violence on the streets of Lille.

Police said about 50 people were hurt during Wednesday, 16 of whom were hospitalized.

Croatian fans who hurled flares on the pitch to halt their country’s Euro 2016 match against Czech Republic were branded “sports terrorists”.

Throughout Wednesday, 36 people were arrested for various offences as Russian Federation lost to Slovakia in Lille and England prepared to play Wales, police said.

England fans have not in any way been held blameless, however.

The fifth man, a 48-year-old from Darlington, failed to appear at court and he was issued with a three-year banning order in his absence.

Shprygin said all 20 of those deported to Moscow today would be back in France for Monday’s match against Wales.

They intervened after fans starting running in all directions following a detonation of unknown origin, the source told Reuters.

Separately, police in Lyon in southeast France said two fans suffered stab wounds in a fan zone there on Wednesday.