PRAGUE (AP) — Slavia Prague faces stiff punishment after its fans invaded the pitch during stoppage time in a derby match against Sparta in the Czech league on Saturday night.
The disciplinary committee of the League Football Association that oversees professional soccer in the country said after an extraordinary meeting on Sunday that “such behavior will not be tolerated in professional football.”
Slavia's punishment could be announced on Tuesday, it said. It could include forfeiting the match, banning of fans from the stadium and a fine.
The committee also opened proceedings against Sparta after their fans used pyrotechnics and damaged the stadium.
Hundreds of Slavia fans, many brandishing flares, stormed the pitch in the 97th minute and attacked several Sparta players, including Slovak goalkeeper Jakub Surovčík, defender Jakub Martinec and forward Matyáš Vojta.
At the time, Slavia was leading 3-2 and was on course to defend the Czech title with just minutes remaining and three games to go.
However, the match was abandoned.
Slavia chief executive Jaroslav Tvrdík called the fans' behavior “unacceptable and deplorable.”
“The values of Slavia are not hatred and violence,” Tvrdík said. “We accept responsibility and draw consequences.“
He apologized and said the club will cooperate with the association and police.
Sparta said events on Saturday were not “an isolated excess" but rather "the culmination of an atmosphere of hatred towards our club.”
Czech Soccer Association head David Trunda said the incident was damaging to "Czech football, the clubs and the overwhelming majority of decent fans.”
Tvrdík announced Sunday that Slavia would close its North Stand, which hosts die-hard fans, with immediate effect. The stand will be closed until all the perpetrators are identified and brought to justice, Tvrdík added, while Slavia will work on measures to prevent such incidents in the future ”even if that means closing the North Stand for the entire 2026-'27 season.“
The perpetrators will be banned from Slavia's stadium for life.
The two Slavia players who were shown red cards during the derby — league leading scorer Tomáš Chorý and defender David Douděra — were suspended for the rest of the season, Tvrdík said. The club later transfer-listed the pair.
Both are members of the national team that has qualified for the forthcoming World Cup for the first time in 20 years.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Fans get onto the pitch during the Czech league soccer derby match between Sparta Prague and Slavia Prague in Prague, Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Michal Kamaryt/CTK via AP)
Fans get onto the pitch during the Czech league soccer derby match between Sparta Prague and Slavia Prague in Prague, Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Michal Kamaryt/CTK via AP)
SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Paul Magnier won a bunch sprint to make it two wins out of three at this year’s Giro d’Italia, while Uruguayan cyclist Guillermo Silva remained in the overall lead on Sunday as the race prepares to return to Italy.
Magnier edged out Jonathan Milan by half a wheel, with Dyland Groenewegen millimeters behind in third. So close was the finish that Magnier initially raised his hand in celebration then immediately put it down and seemed uncertain as to whether he had actually won.
The French cyclist also claimed victory in Friday’s opening stage.
“I dreamed about it and it was the goal to go for the stage again and the team did an amazing job again,” said Magnier, who rides for Soudal Quick-Step. “And then I was not really sure to win the stage, to be honest. I celebrate and then I say ‘oh, I’m not sure’ but in the end I won, so I’m really happy.
“Now I have to say that I feel really good and I can be with the best sprinters in the world, so I will try to enjoy this moment and keep going like this with the team.”
Sunday’s third stage was a 175-kilometer route from Plovdiv — one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe — to the Bulgarian capital of Sofia.
Diego Pablo Sevilla, Alessandro Tonelli and Manuele Tarozzi attacked from the start and it appeared as if the three-man breakaway was going to contest the finish, but they were mopped up with the line in sight.
It was the third and final stage in Bulgaria before Monday’s rest day as the Giro moves to Italy. Tuesday’s fourth stage is a 138-kilometer route from Catanzaro, in the foot of Italy, to Cosenza.
Silva, who on Saturday became the first Uruguayan to win a Giro stage and lead the race, will wear the maglia rosa.
The 24-year-old Silva, who rides for XDS Astana, is four seconds ahead of German rider Florian Stork and Italian climbing specialist Giulio Ciccone.
“The team is extremely supportive and wanted me to keep this jersey going into the rest day. So we’re going to enjoy it,” Silva said.
“Today was just unbelievable. Every moment, people were looking at me and I still can’t quite believe it. We’ll try to hold onto it (the leader's jersey) for as long as possible and it’s very nice to carry it to Italy.”
The 109th men’s Giro ends on May 31 in Rome.
The women’s Giro runs from May 30-June 7 with Italian rider Elisa Longo Borghini as the defending champion.
AP cycling: https://apnews.com/hub/cycling
France's Paul Magnier wins the third stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, from Plovdiv to Sofia, Bulgaria, Sunday, May 10, 2026. (Massimo Paolone /LaPresse via AP)
France's Paul Magnier, center, wins the third stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, from Plovdiv to Sofia, Bulgaria, Sunday, May 10, 2026. (Massimo Paolone /LaPresse via AP)
France's Paul Magnier wins the third stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, from Plovdiv to Sofia, Bulgaria, Sunday, May 10, 2026. (Gian Mattia d'Alberto/LaPresse via AP)
The pack rides during the third stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, from Plovdiv to Sofia, Bulgaria, Sunday, May 10, 2026. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
