by Francesco Battistini, sent to Budapest
The different destinies in the football of the two countries at war. The Tel Aviv national team defeated by Iceland, the Kiev team overcame Bosnia
An empty stadium, like the emptiness around Israel. No Hungarian neo-Nazis, because common sense advised. No Palestinian flag and no whistle, because that’s what Viktor Orban promised. A few hundred Israelis away, armed with optimism and flags. A few dozen Icelanders, who in silence risk the Geyser Sound. And policemen, closed roads, quadruple checks, correct slogans, a blue screen calling for peace in English and Cyrillic, but not in Hebrew and Arabic, and in the end a four to one and everyone home quickly.
The match that was supposed to put Israel back on the map of European football, and perhaps rekindle some sympathy, an icy farewell: For us – says Alon Hazan, the coach – it was important to be proud of our country and give a bit of serenity, change the general atmosphere. This was more important than passing the turn. The story is a tragedy that sometimes turns into comedy: the comedy of football. The Annus Horribilis of the two wars, which we don’t know if and when they will end, in the amphitheater of the balloon of a thumbs down and a thumbs up. No Israel at the European Championships, eliminated by a hat-trick from Genoa’s Gudmundsson and also by a penalty missed by the unfortunate Zahavi, ex Palermo.
A small advance by Ukraine, which makes its counter-offensive and in three minutes, at the end of the match, reverses a situation that seemed desperate: it beats Dzeko’s Bosnia, the indifference of the Bosnian coach (war? Their business) and also the great pessimism in the trenches. Volodymyr Zelensky was also there, watching the match on TV, and at least this time he smiled a little: in these lean weeks, even a 2 to 1 is ammunition for a few tweets. Ukraine may not enter Europe, but at least it can hope in the European Championships and in morale: what was needed already two years ago, at the beginning of the war, when it tried to give joy for the World Cup qualifiers, which failed for nothing.
Israel, no. She couldn’t have gone any worse. The neutral pitch has something to do with it: We would have liked to play at home – comments Hazan -, but we know that international matches cannot be hosted in this situation. And we only concentrated on the match, without looking at who was or wasn’t in the stands. There’s much more on your mind. In November, having returned to play after the massacre of the kibbutzim, Israel had surprisingly lost to Kosovo, again on a neutral pitch, and again in Hungary, thanks to Orban’s good relations with Netanyahu: For you Jews there is no safer country than ours, guarantee.
The Icelanders who didn’t want to play this match are enjoying it. Too much pressure. Israel and Iceland have never even exchanged ambassadors. Personally, I was reluctant – repeats coach Age Hareide -. But we had to play anyway. Otherwise, the consequences for Iceland would have been severe.
The heavy air. The Asian Football Federation has banned any match with Israeli teams and yesterday the Palestinian Authority asked UEFA for the same: In over five months of war at least 99 footballers from Gaza have died, and this alone would have been enough to ban the match in Budapest. The Arab world denounces a double standard and would like the same red card issued two years ago for the Russians. FIFA will meet in May and the question will be raised, even if the leaders make it clear that the situations are considered different: Netanyahu not Putin. Our biggest concern when Israel plays – says Aleksander Ceferin – is security. Because we can control the stadiums, but not the streets around where the fans are. Throw the ball into the stands, UEFA: Israel is no longer playing for now anyway.
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March 22, 2024 (modified March 22, 2024 | 00:23)
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2024-03-21 23:22:32
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