Thirty-three football supporters have been arrested and dozens more sanctioned after violent clashes broke out between rival fan groups following the SuperLiga match between Petrolul Ploiești and Rapid București on Friday evening. The disorder erupted near the Ilie Oană stadium in Ploiești shortly after the final whistle, with Rapid winning the derby 2-0 thanks to goals from Dobre and Moruțan.
According to a statement from the Ploiești Mobile Gendarmerie Group „Matei Basarab”, the trouble began around 23:25 during the exit of spectators, when 17 Rapid supporters travelling in private cars became involved in a conflict with Petrolul fans in the area of the Bistro 29 bar. Physical violence broke out between the two groups, and officers intervened to restore order. Seventeen Rapid supporters and 14 Petrolul supporters were handcuffed and taken to police stations for further investigation.
Witnesses described scenes of chaos lasting around ten minutes, with bottles thrown between the rival factions and reports that knives were used to some extent. One person inside the bar at the time told local media: „If we had come out of here, they would have killed us.” Another eyewitness said: „They were killing each other for ten minutes here. It was a massacre.” After the gendarmerie intervened in force, the area was left covered in broken glass.
In total, 33 supporters from both clubs were reported for acts suspected of violating criminal law, while 44 contraventional sanctions worth 48,650 lei were issued under Law 4/2008 on the proper organisation of sports competitions and Law 61/1991 on public order offences. The violations included throwing objects onto the pitch, entering the field of play, using insulting language, entering the arena while visibly intoxicated, and participating in the brawl. An additional 37 supporters received a complementary measure banning them from attending sports competitions.
The gendarmerie noted that it had provided public order measures together with institutional partners throughout the match, which was part of the sixth round of the SuperLiga. Tensions were already visible inside the stadium before the final whistle. A Petrolul fan ran onto the pitch and approached the away section, prompting a shower of objects from rival supporters before stewards removed him. There were also reports of a conflict between groups within the Rapid end, involving supporters from the North and South stands.
The match itself had been preceded by elaborate choreography and a large pyrotechnic display from the home supporters, as well as ironic messages exchanged between the two stands. The rivalry between Petrolul and Rapid is considered one of the most intense in Romanian football, and Friday’s events have renewed concerns about the safety of supporters around high-risk fixtures.