There were grim scenes as the final whistle approached in the Macedonian derby…
The opening round of fixtures of the new league season in Macedonia ended in horrific scenes, as local rivals Pelister and Vardar clashed in what is locally known as the ‘Eternal derby of Macedonia’.
According to reports, as the game entered the closing stages, local riot police decided to pen in the visiting Vardar fans, and that provocative behaviour lead to fights between the police and supporters.
During the skirmish in the stands, one policeman dropped a stun grenade, which one fan attempted to pick up. The grenade subsequently exploded, causing several awful injuries, including that same supporter losing his hand.
For the record, Vardar won the match 1-0, however their manger told reporters after the game, “this win means nothing when a fan loses a hand”.
The video can be seen here: