Football thriller in Tirana: Safety enormous, excitement guaranteed!

Football thriller in Tirana: Safety enormous, excitement guaranteed!

Tirana, Albanien - Tirana, the capital of Albania, is preparing for a high-risk World Cup qualification game between Albania and Serbia. The match will take place on Saturday at 8:45 p.m. in the Air Albania Stadion. In view of the tense political Situation and the mutual rivalry, around 2,000 police officers will be deployed to ensure a smooth process. A comprehensive security concept was put into force, which includes a drone ban and tightened inlet controls.

The atmosphere around the game is also tense through a provocative social media contribution by the former Albanian international Mergim Mavraj. He said on Instagram: "The war is over. Kosovo will be our being. Now play football".

past shapes the present

The security measures are necessary not only because of the rivalry between the two nations, but also because of the recent past. A planned attack on the World Cup qualification game between Albania and Israel was already thwarted by the police in Kosovo in November 2016. At that time there were attacks by 24 suspects who were apparently associated with the Islamic State (IS). This group planned several attacks and was responsible for the presence of explosive devices and weapons in the residential sites.

Experiences from the past also affect the security concepts of the current games. Different security standards were found in the European Football Championships, which are a certain risk. Reports show that there were negligence with controls, which raises concerns.

The police measures in Tirana are therefore part of a strategic approach to control possible aggression and ensure that the game runs without incidents. A system of black lists on which people with "terrorist tendencies" are also used is also used.

future of security measures

The UEFA has also implemented the latest technologies to increase security in the stadiums. For example, scanners are used at the European Championship to monitor access for journalists. Nevertheless, the question remains whether these measures are sufficient to ensure security in tense contexts such as the upcoming game between Albania and Serbia.

The preparations and security measures in the run -up to the game are more than just a reaction to potential dangers - they are an arduous effort to guarantee the safety of the players and fans in an environment that is shaped by historical conflicts. The World Cup qualification game will show whether the measures taken are sufficient to ensure a safe and fair sporting event.