Carnage in Amsterdam as Ajax match is abandoned after HUGE explosion of fireworks… and club hits out at fans
Ajax were forced to abandon their league match against Groningen on Sunday night after fans opened fire in the stands at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
The impromptu fireworks display began just five minutes into the Eredivisie match and the explosions were so powerful that players from both teams were stopped in their tracks.
Play was immediately stopped while the players were taken back to the tunnel.
The demonstration was reportedly held in memory of an Ajax fan who died last month, but the club reacted strongly after the match was abandoned.
In a post about X, they wrote: ‘Ajax consider what happened in the stadium tonight a complete scandal. We apologize to anyone affected in any way by this incident. The safety of spectators and players was endangered. This is unacceptable. We strongly condemn this wrong behavior. Fireworks have no place in the stadium.
‘Spectators in the affected section of the stadium were searched. Dogs were also used to detect fireworks, both before the stadium opened and as spectators entered. Other preventive measures were also taken. Despite this, we could not prevent this situation.
A huge explosion of fireworks behind one of the goals meant the game could not continue
Ajax players start leaving after Davy Klaassen objects to fans
‘We will of course examine the footage to trace the perpetrators and will also investigate who is responsible in other ways. If this enables us to identify the perpetrators, we will take appropriate action.’
One angry Groningen supporter posted: ‘The minimum here would be to give Groningen a win by forfeit, plus a large enough points deduction to guarantee relegation, and Ajax be required to play home games behind closed doors indefinitely, and Ajax fans be banned from attending away games indefinitely.’
It’s been a tumultuous season for the Netherlands’ most successful club. They struggled at home with two defeats and one draw in their last three Eredivisie matches in Amsterdam.
Coach John Heitinga was sacked following Galatasaray’s disappointing 3-0 defeat in the Champions League on 5 November.
