Turkish football fans are known to be one of the most passionate football fans in the world. Visiting teams during European competitions have often described the atmosphere in Turkey as the most hostile one that they have ever experienced. However, this passion sometimes boils over, as it happened during the local derby between Göztepe and Altay football clubs.
The second division match between Anatolian rivals Göztepe and Altay was called off 25 minutes into the first half after a Göztepe fan attacked the Altay goalkeeper with a corner stick. The goalkeeper, Ozan Evrim Ozenc, was rushed to the hospital after the attack that resulted in serious injury to his head.
Ozenc suffered a hemorrhage and a four-centimetre gash on his head thanks to the assault by the deranged fan. The game was suspended immediately after the assault.
Göztepe and Altay are longstanding rivals from the city of Izmir in Turkey, with passions often running high during the course of this local derby. Before the Altay goalkeeper was attacked, the game had already been stopped once in the 19th minute after fireworks were thrown at the home fans by the section supporting Altay.
Injured fans were receiving treatment at the time when the Altay goalkeeper was attacked with a corner stick by a Göztepe fan. The fan went on to hit the player on the head twice before he was restrained by the other players and officials.
Following the crazy scenes on the pitch, the hosts Göztepe tweeted, “We wish a speedy recovery to our fans, who were seriously injured by a flare fired from the Altay away stand.”
Instead of blaming their fan, Göztepe put the blame for the violence on Altay supporters and said, “The situation where the flare thrown by the away tribune and causing the events to start brought our supporters. Anyone who puts this cartridge in the stadium, allows it to be inserted, fires it has a share in the landing of that stick on the head! He is guilty! Those who fired that firecracker to the tribunes to kill perfidious people, regardless of their children, and those who turned a blind eye to it, will pay for our 2 children from Göztepe, who were injured!”
Both clubs are currently occupying mid-table spots in the second division of Turkish football.