Fans Brawl and TV Pundits Attacked After Cup Final

The Czech football association (FACR) launched an investigation after the Czech Cup final was marred by violence between Sparta Prague and Viktoria Plzen supporters on Wednesday, May 22.

Dozens of supporters from both camps ran onto the pitch at full-time with riot police called in to separate the fans, reports said. The brawl also disrupted a live television broadcast after one presenter was hit by a plastic chair.

After the incident, the FACR said that they had made “every effort” to see the event run smoothly.

In a statement released on Thursday, the FACR said it immediately started its own investigation into the incidents that occurred after the end of Wednesday’s MOL Cup final, despite weeks of preparation to ensure “the smooth progress of the final and the festive ceremony after the match.”

“The FACR regrets the events that occurred after the final, because they grossly damage football as a whole. Moreover, at a time when there is a football boom in the Czech Republic, to which the fans have contributed. Wednesday’s events showed that the effort to cultivate a fan environment must continue,” the FACR said.

Sparta Prague’s Veljko Birmancevic scored the match winner in second-half injury time to give his club a 2-1 victory over Viktoria Plzen. Credit: Kasper Ulstrup via Storyful