<p>Pregame preparations were disrupted ahead of a <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/bundesliga-tv-schedule/">Bundesliga</a> fixture between Heidenheim and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/rb-leipzig-tv-schedule-for-viewers-in-united-states/">RB Leipzig</a> on Saturday. Home Heidenheim fans apparently placed butyric acid in the away section of their own stadium. Around 1,5000 Leipzig supporters made the 215-mile trip to southern Germany for the matchup.</p>



<p>As fans entered the arena and filled their designated area, Leipzig fans began reporting the issue via social media. Butyric acid is an oily, colorless liquid with a particularly distinctive foul odor. In fact, many say that the acid smells similar to sour milk or even human vomit. The compound was apparently first discovered by scientists in rancid butter and is currently a common industrial chemical.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">It smells like Buttersäure.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCHRBL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FCHRBL</a> <a href="https://t.co/zSFIJLPSco">pic.twitter.com/zSFIJLPSco</a></p>— Fanverband Leipzig e. V. (@fanveRBand) <a href="https://twitter.com/fanveRBand/status/1781654152604430512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2024</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>Following the incident, Heidenheim officials cleaned off the section of the stadium to properly accommodate the traveling fans. Executives from the German side also offered appropriate apologizes to their counterparts as well. </p>



<p>“We apologized to our guests from Leipzig before the game and cleaned the guest block as best we could this morning,” Heidenheim board member Petra Saretz <a href="https://rblive.de/news/gestank-im-gaesteblock-rb-fans-mit-buttersaeure-empfangen-3829368" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a> German news outlet <em>Bild</em>. “Of course we will investigate this matter.”</p>



<h2>Heidenheim supporters previously protested Leipzig</h2>



<p>The questionable event was not the first time that Heidenheim fans directed protests at Leipzig. During a previous encounter between the two teams, Heidenheim supporters threw fake dollar bills with Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz on them towards Leipzig’s team bus. There were even reports that Leipzig players had cups filled with urine thrown at them by the fans.</p>



<p>Mateschitz was an Austrian billionaire and co-owner of the Red Bull energy drink. He helped create the German soccer club in 2009 and turned them into a perennial Bundesliga powerhouse. The move, however, did not go down well with everyone in the country. Leipzig essentially dominated the lower levels of the German soccer pyramid on the way to the top flight.</p>



<p>This quick ascension was regarded by many as controversial. The club was aided by Red Bull’s corporate structure, rather than traditional management of many other soccer teams in the nation. Mateschitz passed away after a long battle  with pancreatic cancer in the fall of 2022.</p>



<h2>Leipzig endure acid test to take home three points</h2>



<p>After taking care of the butyric acid, the match was eventually played without anymore protests. Leipzig would go on to win the game 2-1, thanks to goals from Benjamin Sekso and Lois Openda. The latter strike came just five minutes from the full-time whistle.</p>



<p>The victory extends Leipzig’s impressive record against newly promoted clubs. In fact, the Red Bulls have now gone 32 consecutive matches without losing to former second-tiered teams. Heidenheim was promoted last summer after winning the 2. Bundesliga a season ago. It is currently their first ever campaign in the German top flight. Despite the lack of experience, the club sits 10th in the Bundesliga table, safe from potential relegation.</p>



<p>Leipzig remains fourth in the current standings following the victory on Saturday. They are now three points ahead of <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/borussia-dortmund-tv-schedule/">Borussia Dortmund</a> in the table, with the BVB set to play on Sunday. Nevertheless, the Bundesliga will likely get five places in next season’s <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/champions-league-tv-schedule/">Champions League</a>. As a result, both Leipzig and Dortmund should soon book their places in the tournament.</p>



<p>Photo credit: IMAGO / Eibner</p>

Heidenheim fans target Leipzig supporters with acid before match

The build-up to the Bundesliga fixture between Heidenheim and RB Leipzig was disrupted due to an acid incident


<p>Clubs in the Super League Greece will have to play the next two months without fans in the stands. Greek government officials made the call to ban supporters from the stadiums after a volleyball game last week. A police officer was attacked in the match between Olympiakos and Panathinaikos. These two teams also have soccer clubs with the same name. The fan ban will be in place until Feb. 12, 2024.</p>



<p>Greek spokesman Pavlos Marinakis made the announcement during a press conference on Monday. The official cited a long history of fan issues throughout the country. Along with the Greek league hosting games behind closed doors, the ban affects European matches.</p>



<p>This will be determined depending on whether clubs install more cameras and introduce electronic identification for the fans. Olympiakos, Panathinaikos, AEK Athens and PAOK are all currently playing in European competitions.</p>



<p>“For years, criminals in the guise of fans have been committing serious crimes by critically injuring and killing [people],” <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/67684377" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">proclaimed</a> Marinakis. “Neither athletes nor fans should they suffer from the murderous behavior of criminal gangs and the pathetic tolerance of a tiny minority of fans.”</p>



<h2>Greece has a ‘culture of violence’ according to soccer exec</h2>



<p>Greek government officials have recently made attempts to deter fan violence at sporting events. The nation increased the potential maximum sentences for such activity from six months to five years. This came after Alkis Kampanos, 19, was murdered during an altercation between Aris and PAOK fans in early 2022.</p>



<p>There were also two separate incidents involving fan violence during the current campaign. One AEK Athens supporter, Michalis Katsouris, died after a stabbing before a <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/champions-league-tv-schedule/">Champions League</a> qualifier with Dinamo Zagreb. Police arrested <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/croatian-soccer-fans-arrested-violent-clashes-greece-released-bail-2023-12-08/#:~:text=More%20than%20100%20people%2C%20most,are%20still%20detained%20in%20Athens." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dozens</a> of soccer fans, most of whom were Croatian nationals. Officials eventually abandoned the match.</p>



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<p>Two months later, violence marred another Greek game. A matchup between rivals Olympiakos and Panathinaikos ended after fans hit a player with a firework. After the incident, Panathinaikos president Giannis Alafouzos claimed that the issue is down to soccer culture inside the country.</p>



<p>“In Greece, we have a culture of violence,” <a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11096/12991469/panathinaikos-president-giannis-alafouzos-on-culture-of-violence-in-greek-football-and-finding-a-way-through" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stated</a> Alafouzos. “The rule of law does not apply, unfortunately. We had a situation where we had corruption, a struggling economy, one team dominating and a violent culture among the fans. People did not go to games. Sponsors walked away.”</p>



<h2>Race for the 2023/24 Super League Greece title should come down to the wire</h2>



<p>The top of the 2023/24 Super League Greece standings is congested at the moment. In fact, the top four teams in the table have just three points of separation between them. Panathinaikos currently leads to top division by a slim margin over AEK Athens. However, PAOK and Olympiakos are both also not far behind the league leaders.</p>



<p>Olympiakos sits fourth in the standings due to a one-point penalty for the aforementioned incident involving a firecracker. The Super League gets back underway without fans on Saturday, Dec. 16. OFI is hosting Asteras Tripolis on the day.</p>



<p><em>PHOTOS: IMAGO</em>.</p>


Greece bans fans from Super League due to repeated violence

Greek government officials have barred soccer fans from matches in the Super League Greece for the next two months due to violent incidents.

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Heidenheim fans target Leipzig supporters with acid before match

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Greece bans fans from Super League due to repeated violence