Prague Derby: Slavia Fans Boo Ex-Player and Hurl Abuse at Club Management

At Slavia's home stadium in Prague's Vršovice district, fans staged a protest against the club's new security measures during the derby against Bohemians, while also booing former player Matěj Jurásek, who now plays for Sparta. The match took place amid tightened entry checks introduced by club management following the unrest in May.

The new measures were prompted by fans storming the pitch from the "North Stand" section during the May match against Sparta, which Slavia ultimately lost by technical defeat. Entry to that stand is now subject to particularly strict checks. A huge queue formed outside the stadium ahead of the match for those wanting to access the fan section, though most supporters had taken their seats half an hour before kickoff. Access to the other sections proceeded as usual.

Fences Inside the Stadium and a Seat Swap

To prevent fans from different sections mixing, the North Stand was fenced off not only from the outside but also within the stadium itself — without this, the enhanced entry checks would have been pointless. Barriers were also installed along the edges of the section, which for most spectators didn't obstruct their view of the pitch. Some, however, weren't so lucky: several fans complained on social media about the new restrictions, and one supporter even agreed to swap seats — season ticket included — with another spectator right before the game.

It's not just the rules themselves that have sparked discontent — for instance, tickets can now only be purchased through a verified account in the club's app — but also the man behind their introduction. Following the derby scandal, Slavia brought in former police officer Jiří Komárek as security advisor to the board. Many fans take issue with his background: according to club supporters, before the revolution he had ties to the StB secret police and had sought to join its ranks. In protest against this communist-era past, fans unfurled a banner in the stands as early as the first half.

Insults Directed at Management and a Booed Forward

The stands repeatedly chanted crude insults directed at Komárek, as well as at the club's new security director, Jiří Kopecný — also a former police officer. Nevertheless, for most of the derby, the North Stand loudly backed their team. The exception came in the 63rd minute, when Tomáš Chorý came on as a substitute for Mojmír Chytil — the stands booed him and kept chanting the name of the player who had left the pitch. However, when Chorý scored twelve minutes later, the mood shifted dramatically: the stadium erupted in applause for the forward.

Former Slavia player Matěj Jurásek, who once enjoyed a warm relationship with the club's fan section but now plays for Sparta, also came in for criticism — the stands greeted him with mocking and abusive chants. Nor did Slavia's own management escape a jab: before kickoff, Bohemians fans unveiled a banner featuring a caricature of club board chairman Jaroslav Tvrdík, drawn in the style of characters from "The Simpsons."

Source: sport.cz