It was already noisy on the field at the derby in Piteå.
But after the match it was taken to a new level – when three players from one team were attacked by what were suspected to be supporters from the opposing team.
– It is clear that we were afraid, they threatened to kill us, says one of the Luleå players who had to receive blows with iron pipes.
The Luleå team, which plays in the lower football divisions, met a team from Piteå on Tuesday evening. It was noisy and rowdy in the final minutes and two red cards were handed out to each team in connection with a free kick.
When the Luleå team, who won the match 2-1, went home, one of their cars was hit by two other cars and three of the Luleå players got out to talk to the people who blocked the road.
– They didn’t want to talk, they attacked us directly. They had iron pipes and crowbars with them and beat us. One of us had to be stitched up after a head injury and I myself was hit on the arm. It still hurts and is swollen, says the Luleå player who recognized one of the people who attacked him as a supporter from the match.
Police: Investigating it as aggravated assault
The coach for the Luleå team and more players arrived shortly afterwards in a car and then the fight stopped.
– We arrived in a car shortly afterwards and saw the whole thing, says the coach of the Luleå team.
The incident was reported to the police and the injured players were forced to go to hospital for treatment.
– We are investigating the whole thing as serious assault and as we understand it, it is about reprisals after what happened during the football match, says Magnus Ingesson, head of preliminary investigations at the police in Piteå.
Several witnesses have been heard and filmed material from the incident is being reviewed by the police, who currently have no one or any suspects for the assault on the Luleå players.
Neither the attacked players nor the team’s coach want to be named for fear of getting into further trouble.