Fifteen people including five policemen were injured and 40 others arrested when anti-riot police clashed with football fans at a Serbian first division match, police said Sunday.
Three of the five injured policemen suffered serious injuries and were immediately hospitalised, while most of the other injured were released, police said in a statement.
The clash broke out when a group of Red Star Belgrade fans without tickets attempted to get into the stadium for the first division match with Banat, in the northern Serbian town Banat on Saturday, police said.
Anti-riot policemen tried to stop them from entering the stands at the stadium, but angered fans began throwing stones and bottles at them. The match was interrupted for 10 minutes. Red Star Belgrade, the moost successful Serbian club, won the match 4-1 and remained atop the Serbian first division, with main rivals Partizan Belgrade trailing nine points behind.
Last week, 13 football fans were injured and 27 arrested in clashes between rival supporters after the city derby between Red Star and Partizan.