“Then we won’t play!”: Spain’s game threatened by a major scandal

Wednesday 31 March 2021

“Then we don’t play!”
Spain’s game is threatened by big scam

The duel between Spain and Kosovo is more than a football game in World Cup qualification. There are large-scale diplomatic tensions between the two countries. Most of all, Spain fears a domino effect in its country.

The Spanish national football team opened the shitstorm with an announcement. Coach Luis Enrique, wrote the selection on Twitter in early March, will announce his squad for the game in World Cup qualifying – against Greece, Georgia and the “Region of Kosovo” in the middle of the month. The expected outrage in Europe’s youngest state was not long.

The Association of Kosovo (FFK) spoke of “provocation” and asserted and threatened its status as an independent state: today8.45pm / DAZN and in live ticker on ntv.de.) Is not played according to the usual protocol in Seville “with the flag and the anthem”, “we do not play!” The state and the union are ready to “make no concessions” on this important issue.

The backdrop of the excitement is a diplomatic dispute that has been raging repeatedly since the 2008 defections from Serbia to Kosovo. China and Russia, Serbia’s most important international allies, still do not recognize the independence of the Balkan state with its 1.8 million inhabitants. This also applies to five countries in the European Union, including Spain. Only last week the European Parliament warned Panchak again to recognize political facts and thus Kosovo. in vain.

“Sports is stronger than politics”

“Some countries are afraid of triggering a domino effect within their country if they compete against Kosovo and thus recognize it,” Michael Neese said in an interview with SID. Karlsruhe resident is the technical director and U21 coach at the Kosovar Association. Spain, for example, fears “Balkanikaran” – its own disintegration – with a view to strive for Catalonia’s independence.

And so in March 2019, the country refused to host the Games with the participation of Kosovar as part of the qualification for the U17 European Championship. In qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, Ukraine refused to play at home against Kosovo. Out of consideration for politics, the doubles between Kosovo and Bosnia, Serbia and Russia were excluded from the qualifying draw for the 2022 World Cup. On the other hand, Spain has to play. Ness said, “He has no control under sports law. Kosovo is fully recognized in the sports family” as a member of FIFA, UEFA and the IOC.

After some diplomacy in the background and candid phone calls among the association’s representatives, the protocol is supposed to be followed in Seville. Celiacione also plays football against the Faroe Islands, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland or Gibraltar, Spain’s Foreign Minister Archana Gonzalez said, although they are “not states”. The players around Bremen Milot Rushika are relieved. “Luckily, the game is stronger than politics,” said Kosovo vice-captain Sameer Uzakani of the newspaper “Marca”, “It opens doors, unites countries and people”.

What if the Spaniards allow themselves another provocation? “Then I guess,” Neese said, “the players will leave the field and then there will be a scam.”