Querétaro manager Hernán Cristante said his players received death threats days after violent scenes at a Liga MX football game left 26 injured, three of them critically.
Querétaro’s home match against Atlas was stopped on Saturday after fights between fans in the stands spilled over onto the Estadio Corregidor field. Authorities in the state of Queretaro said on Sunday that 19 of the 26 have been discharged from the hospital. Authorities also issued arrest warrants for 15 people, but no arrests had been made as of Monday afternoon.
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While no players were hurt in the ensuing chaos, as some fans fled through the tunnels onto the pitch, Cristante said they received threats.
“My players have received death threats, they don’t feel safe, their wives are thinking of running away,” Cristante told reporters on Monday. “We didn’t do anything [the players] helping people, opening locker room doors, finding ways to help.
“It would be appropriate if someone did not want to continue [playing]“The club is heartbroken,” he added.
Cristante also explained that the comments he made to Querétaro fans on the pitch were not meant to incite them, clarifying that he was trying to prevent further violence. In videoCristante tells the fans on the pitch to “take them outside”.
” [attackers] said “let’s get them” and they wanted to go into the tunnel and I told them that there would be a tragedy, I took them to the other side and said “yes, yes, get them out” as is used in teaching and persuasion” Kristen said.
Meanwhile, Atlas players posted a video on Monday saying they were “saddened by the events that took place over the weekend but strongly condemn [them] and that they will never happen again.”
Atlas coach Diego Cocca added: “We grew up with the values of sport and believe in them, that’s why we’re here together because we want football without violence and peace.”
State authorities suspended five officials, including police and civil defense officials, who were responsible for planning and preparing the match.
FIFA said in a statement that it was “shocked by the tragic incident that took place at the La Corregidora stadium in the city of Queretaro during the match between Queretaro and Atlas.” He called the violence “unacceptable and intolerable”.
Liga MX President Mikel Arriola said he would propose at a meeting of club owners on Tuesday that fans of those clubs should be banned from attending their teams’ away games. Arriola is also expected to address the Mexican Congress at a hearing on the incident.