Soccer Football - Nations League - Group Stage - Romania v Kosovo - The National Arena, Bucharest, Romania - November 15, 2024 Kosovo players walk off the pitch before the end of the match Inquam Photos via REUTERS/George Calin
BUCHAREST (Reuters) - A Nations League match between Romania and Kosovo in Bucharest was abandoned in stoppage time on Friday after the visiting players walked off the field when they heard pro-Serbia chanting from the home fans.
With the match heading for a goalless draw, the Kosovars headed for the dressing room in the 93rd minute after home fans chanted, "Serbia! Serbia!" during a heated exchange between Kosovo captain Amir Rrahmani and Romanian striker Denis Alibec.
The match was initially suspended before being abandoned when the Kosovo team refused to return to the pitch. UEFA said it would communicate "further information in due course".
"This is too much," Rrahmani later told a news conference. "Everyone must know that Kosovo is Kosovo, or Kosovo is Albania. That's it. This is where it ends."
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and has been recognised by more than 100 countries, but not Romania.
The Romanian soccer federation was fined by UEFA last year over pro-Serbia chanting and the display of a banner reading "Kosovo is Serbia" by supporters during a Euro 2024 qualifier between the countries at the same National Arena.
Last month, the Football Federation of Kosovo was fined a total of 61,000 euros ($64,000) by UEFA for incidents during September's Nations League match against Romania in Pristina.
More than 90% of the Kosovo population are of Albanian ethnicity, and opinion polls have shown overwhelming support in the country for the unification of the neighbouring states.
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(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City and Nick Mulvenney; Editing by Pritha Sarkar and William Mallard)
