• Euro 2016 qualifiers

UEFA had 'no clear reason' to separate Serbia and Albania

A drone - reportedly controlled by the brother of the Albanian prime minister - was flown into the stadium © Getty Images

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UEFA has defended its decision not to keep Serbia and Albania apart for the Euro 2016 qualification campaign, saying "there was no clear reason" to do so.

Tuesday's clash between the two nations was abandoned after descending into violence on the pitch, with UEFA having since charged both the Serbian and Albanian football associations with numerous offences following the chaos in Belgrade.

Given the tense history and ongoing tensions between Serbia and Albania, who both dispute the territory of Kosovo, many felt they should have been separated when the draw for the qualifying process was made.

Ivanovic: We should have played on

Branislav Ivanovic: 'We can only regret that football took a back seat' © AP

• Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic says he wanted to play on in Belgrade despite the violent scenes which caused Tuesday's Euro 2016 qualifier between Serbia and Albania to be abandoned.
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UEFA decided to keep Armenia and Azerbaijan apart for the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign due to a territorial dispute between the two nations, while Gibraltar and Spain, as well as Russia and Georgia, were also separated for the current campaign due to political differences.

However, a spokesman for European football's governing body said Serbia and Albania did not need to be kept apart in the draw, while neither nation had made such a request.

"The match is then analysed by UEFA's international committee. When the draw was made there was no negative reaction from either side at the time. But both associations agreed not to take their own supporters to away matches," the spokesman said in quotes reported by The Guardian.

"UEFA fully supported this move. All the conditions were met at the time. There was no clear reason why these teams should be kept apart."

The spokesman said the criteria used to determine whether two nations should be kept apart are whether they have normal diplomatic relations, whether there is an ongoing military or armed conflict and whether there has been a request made by either to be kept apart.

According to UEFA, Serbia and Albania have normal diplomatic relations, are not engaged in an armed conflict and had not requested to be kept apart.

While there was no request to be kept apart, Albania's association did not make tickets available for its travelling supporters, while away fans attempting to enter the stadium in Belgrade could have been arrested by Serbian police if they had been carrying Albanian symbols.

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