West Ham boss Slaven Bilic shocked by 'unbelievable' Croatia fans as flares disrupt Euro 2016 Czech Republic tie

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James Benge17 June 2016

Former Croatia manager Slaven Bilic has lambasted his country’s supporters after their Euro 2016 clash with the Czech Republic was delayed for five minutes after flares were thrown on the pitch.

Around a dozen flares landed on the pitch in the 85th minute of the Group D clash, which Croatia were leading 2-1 at the time. The Czechs would go on to score a late penalty to secure a draw, robbing Ante Cacic’s side the chance to almost certainly secure qualification for the round of 16.

Uefa will investigate the disturbance, having already handed Russia a suspended disqualification after a supporter fired a flare gun during a 1-1 draw with England in Marseille on Saturday, June 11.

In 2014 the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) were told to close a section of their ground for a Euro 2016 qualifier after Uefa found that fans had been guilty of racist behaviour in a game with Italy that was twice delayed.

Bilic, now manager of West Ham but Croatian head coach between 2006 and 2012, bemoaned the actions of a minority but warned this was an ongoing problem.

“It’s very sad that now we have to talk about things that have nothing to do with football,” he told BBC Sport. “In Milan and before it’s happened. It started maybe six, seven, eight years ago. There are many fans who are against the FA. Unfortunately they are doing this.

“We are paying fines and playing games behind closed doors. We are probably the biggest Uefa sponsors.

“It’s unbelievable what those people are doing themselves. There is a riot between themselves. The majority of fans are telling them don’t do it but unfortunately some of them are there on a mission. It’s probably not the last time they’ll do this."

Television footage appeared to show fighting between Croatian supporters in the closing minutes of the game and Bilic believes there is a growing divide between football fans in the north, around capital city Zagreb, and Split.

“Croatia very rarely plays in Split, my home town. Some fans think it’s all about Zagreb – the majority of players in the youth academy and the youth teams at national level are from Dinamo Zagreb. It’s about a divide between the north and the south. Between Zagreb and Split.

“The two biggest clubs from the ex-Yugoslavia are Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split and Dinamo is now becoming the biggest club in the Balkan area while Hajduk Split is without any money.

“When there’s a big derby between Dinamo and Hajduk people don’t take their kids to the game because they know there’ll be fighting.”

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