A football fan in Zagreb holds a towel against his bruised head. Four Bulgarians were hospitalized after the clashes. Photo by BNT
Four Bulgarian football fans have been hospitalized in Zagreb and another five have been arrested prior to Saturday's World Cup qualifier.
A Bulgarian official said Sunday that there were two separate incidents involving Croatians and Bulgarian visitors. Both incidents were caused by aggressive Croatian groups, according to the press officer of the Bulgarian Football Association, Atanas Karaivanov.
A Bulgarian woman, Valeria Assenova, is said to have suffered the most serious injuries. She was head-knocked in the face by a skinhead.
With those incidents set aside, the evening was a lucky one for the Bulgarian fans. After losing the first half 0-2, the Bulgarian players drew 2-2.