SC Cambuur fans suffer burns and eye injuries after Feyenoord supporters throw fireworks at Eredivisie clash
Fireworks hurled into home sections at the Kooi Stadion
SC Cambuur have confirmed that supporters suffered “burns, hearing damage and eye injuries” after Feyenoord fans threw fireworks during Sunday’s Eredivisie match at the Kooi Stadion.
Play was suspended for around 10 minutes in the first half after visiting supporters in the away end lit a large number of red flares and threw fireworks. Some of the projectiles were aimed towards sections containing home fans, with one firework exploding just metres away from Feyenoord goalkeeper Tjark Ernst.
In a statement, SC Cambuur said five supporters were confirmed to have been injured. “It should be clear that setting off and firing fireworks is completely unacceptable and has no place in a football stadium whatsoever,” the club said.
Feyenoord apologise and condemn supporters’ actions
Feyenoord said it “firmly distances itself from the unacceptable events”. Head coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst — an assistant to Arne Slot at Liverpool last season — apologised on behalf of the club to SC Cambuur after the match.
General manager Robert Eenhoorn said he “cannot be happy” with their 5-2 victory in Leeuwarden, adding “frustration prevails too much for that”.
“This problem obviously does not only affect Feyenoord and is unfortunately something we have been unable to put a stop to for decades,” Eenhoorn said. “We will therefore have to sit down again with all stakeholders, clubs, the KNVB [Dutch football association], and the authorities to look for a solution together.”
Match resumed despite injuries as authorities launch probe
The club, promoted to the Eredivisie last season after three seasons in the Dutch second tier, said it would work with authorities to ensure those responsible are punished. Feyenoord said they would request camera footage.
Leeuwarden mayor Foort van Oosten condemned the incident and promised an investigation, while the Dutch football association said it would revisit its protocols for incidents of disorder.
The game resumed despite the fan injuries, but would have been abandoned had a player or match official been struck. “That doesn’t feel right,” said Jan Bluyssen, the KNVB’s manager of professional football competition affairs. “We need to examine whether the protocol is still appropriate and how we might want to adjust it.”
Last season, an Eredivisie match between Ajax and Groningen was abandoned after fireworks and flares were ignited behind one of the goals at Johan Cruyff Arena, underlining a wider problem of pyrotechnic disorder in the Dutch top flight.