WEIRD WORLD OF FOOTBALL
MEANWHILE IN …
...Queretaro, a Liga MX club must play behind closed doors for a whole year – after chair-wielding fans ran riot
1
MEXICAN STAND-OFF
Queretaro and Atlas haven’t got on since a Liga MX fixture in 2007 – and things really got out of hand when they met again recently.
Known for signing Ronaldinho in 2014, Queretaro were relegated by Atlas 15 years ago – games since then have seen trouble between opposition barra groups, and it exploded when the reigning champs visited the Estadio Corregidora in early March.
Queretaro are struggling at the wrong end of the table – although relegation is suspended because of the pandemic, the bottom three must pay fines of up to £3m – and an early Atlas goal lit the fuse.
Officials had optimistically placed stickers on seats to enforce social distancing – that proved ineffective as rival fans battled in the stands, with some picking up said seats and using them as weapons.
Supporters spilled onto the pitch and the game was abandoned – 26 people were officially reported injured, with Queretaro later ordered to play home matches behind closed doors for a year. Both sets of barras were also banned from away fixtures – Atlas were awarded a 3-0 win from Mexico’s day of shame.