Melbourne soccer match abandoned after goalkeeper attacked

Can anyone tell me why this happens so often in soccer - having violent (& racist) fans - in so many countries on different continents?

It doesn’t happen with other sports with rabid fans like MLB, NFL, NBA, rugby or cricket.

So the goalkeeper started it by throwing the flare back into the stands. Kinda dumb. Oh, and not mentioned but I'm guessing he threw it into the Melbourne Victory crowd.

Can anyone tell me why this happens so often in soccer - having violent (& racist) fans - in so many countries on different continents?

It is funny isn't it? Bread and Circuses I guess.

Can anyone tell me why this happens so often in soccer - having violent (& racist) fans - in so many countries on different continents?

It doesn’t happen with other sports with rabid fans like MLB, NFL, NBA, rugby or cricket.

This stuff is unheard of in the biggest codes here - Australian Football, Rugby League and Cricket apart from the odd moron. Indeed, rival fans commonly sit together. Soccer just seems to attract violent, angry anti-social males with a pack mentality for some reason.

Sadly incidents like this will prevent soccer ever becoming as popular as it could be here in Australia.

A-League? the A must stand for.....

Disgraceful.

This sort of thing (flares etc) seems to be common at soccer games and I think the fans are more fanatic than those of other sports like AFL, Cricket and Basketball.

To some it’s like a religion but really it’s just a “game”…

Clubs and players should step up more and warn fans of consequences of their behaviour.

Can anyone tell me why this happens so often in soccer - having violent (& racist) fans

not sure about other countries, but in Australia, many clubs have affiliation with their country of origin. For example, Greece, Croatia, Macedonia, Malta, Italy.

These clubs’ fans would bring their respective country’s hatred of another country to the games, where it usually ended up turning ugly.

I do know that Real Madrid & Barcelona’s rivalry is related to the Spanish civil war.

Let me add, that the these country affiliated clubs such as Sydney Olympic, Sydney Croatia & Sydney Macedonia from the old Australian soccer league were prohibited from joining the newly formed A-league.

They still exist in the local state competitions, & unfortunately there is still the occasional trouble.

Soccer has more "thugs" than any other sport in the world!

Arrest everyone of them should be plenty of cameras!

Good old soccer..

Can anyone tell me why this happens so often in soccer 

It doesn’t happen with other sports with rabid fans like MLB, NFL, NBA, rugby or cricket.

I'm sure ticket prices are a major factor. Most American major league teams now charge $100-150+ to attend a game, thereby attracting a wealthier well-behaved class of spectator.

The European matches that end in riots are usually minor league rivalries where fans pay the equivalent $10 per ticket, making it easier for any troublemaker to attend.

Soccer and hooliganism go hand in hand, maybe because it's such a boring game to watch.

Cross city rivals in a city that takes their sports seriously. You strike up a conversation with a person from Melbourne about AFL for example, it won't be anything casual. They are passionate about their team. On the other hand, Melbourne people tend to look down on this type of behavior especially if it is done elsewhere in Australia.

If you're going to throw flares onto a soccer field, you shouldn't get upset when someone throws one back at you. You can't dish it out if you're not able to take it.

Wow! Throwing anything in an open field is the same as throwing something into a large crowd?

Hot dangerous flares no less

The goal keeper probably had no way to know who actually threw it so how could he “throws one back at you” and hit the person who threw it?

who upvoted this comment? LOL

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