They postpone a match after the fans block the departure of their team bus

A Dutch second division match between Vitesse Arnhem and De Graafschap had to be suspended on Sunday after fans of the visiting team prevented the bus with its players from leaving for the GelreDome, the stadium where this regional derby was to be played.

De Graafschap had announced on Saturday that their fans had been banned from attending the match in Arnhem due to the lack of agreement between fan groups and the authorities regarding a reduction in the number of allocated tickets and other security measures ahead of the match following the riots that occurred last season.

Blocked exit

According to Dutch media reports, De Graafschap fans gathered in front of their stadium in Doetinchem early on Sunday and blocked the bus exit.

The Royal Netherlands Football Federation (KNVB) announced that the match would not be played this Sunday and that the matter would be referred to the disciplinary bodies.

“It is an unacceptable situation that the Vitesse-De Graafschap match cannot take place. “That the fans make it impossible to play a football match is totally intolerable.”considers the KNVB. “With their actions, they harm their club, their team, the sport and the thousands of fans who do come to enjoy football..

For its part, De Graafschap expressed its dismay at what happened. “We want to let the initial emotion settle and get a full picture of what happened before offering a more detailed response,” added the club in a statement published on its social networks.

impossible solution

The director of Vitesse, Willem van der Linden described the suspension as a “big disappointment.” “A magnificent Gelderland derby between two clubs from the region, in a stadium with a large influx of people, could not be held,” he wrote in a letter posted on the club’s website.

“In the days leading up to the match, Vitesse, in close collaboration with all parties involved, did everything possible to ensure that the match could be played.”

On Saturday, Vitesse reported that visiting fans were offered the allocation of 500 tickets, a reduction from the usual 800, conditional on a series of security measures, including that “any article or insignia of the followers had to undergo inspection before their arrival.”