NFL
Watch as football fan loses fingers after setting off flare outside stadium
GRISLY footage caught the moment a football fan blew his own FINGERS off after lighting a flare.
The man looked as stunned as those around him when the pyrotechnic misfired outside a stadium ahead of the Dutch league final.
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One die hard footie fan ended up celebrating the final of the Eredivisie cup a little too much.
As scores of people headed to the stadium to watch PSV Eindhoven take on Sparta Rotterdam, footage showed one spectator waving a flare around.
A sudden bang then goes off as the flare explodes in his hand.
At first, it looks like all is fine. The man barely seems to register what has happened.
Next, the footage cuts to him looking despairingly down at the mangled mess of what used to be his hand.
Blood drips from his severed fingers, with one visibly missing as other footie supporters rush to help.
The wounded man, believed to be a PSV fan owing to his club scarf, likely missed seeing his team storm to victory.
PSV Eindhoven sealed its first Dutch league title in six years and the 25th in its history by beating Sparta Rotterdam 4-2 on Sunday.
Peter Bosz’s team dominated the Eredivisie season, losing only one match, scoring 107 goals while conceding 19, with two matches still to play.
PSV only needed a point against Sparta. It took all three.
“We have a great squad and played a super season,” midfielder Joey Veerman told ESPN after the match.
On Friday, a French second tier match was abandoned after flares were thrown onto the pitch and then lobbed back into the stands by players.
Troyes hosted bottom club Valenciennes on Friday night and were drawing 1-1 when the clash was stopped in the 89th minute.
Last week, the FA confirmed they will investigate Liverpool FC after flares and smoke bombs were used in the stands during their Community Shield win over Man City.
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The Reds ran out 3-1 – but celebrations were punctuated by pyrotechnics being let off in the crowd.
It comes just days after football authorities agreed a new hardline approach to ‘pyro’ – fireworks, flares and smoke bombs – and pitch invasions.
Fans will be banned from stadiums and reported to police – and although the length of any ban has not been determined, they are expected to be valid for one year.
An FA statement read: “The use of smoke bombs or pyrotechnics in a football stadium is dangerous, illegal, and could have severe consequences.”
It continued: “This season, The FA, Premier League and EFL announced new measures and stronger sanctions to tackle anti-social and criminal behaviour in football grounds.
“Premier League and EFL clubs have agreed that if their fans are identified using flares in the stadium then those individuals would receive a club ban.
“We expect the club to also investigate these incidents and to implement the new rules where applicable.”
In 2019, a Brazilian fan blew off his own hand after trying to light a flare in support of his team.
Wesley Pontes, a keen supporter of Athletico, was amongst the 50-strong group of fans giving their stars a heroes’ send-off ahead of the 2019 Copa do Brasil final second-leg against Internacional.
But before the team had even got off the bus at the airport – a loud bang was heard and one blood-spattered fan was left in shock as he looked down at his injured hand.
Pontes was rushed to a nearby hospital but the remaining part of his left hand was amputated due to the injuries.
And in 2021, footage captured the moment a smoke grenade exploded in a Rangers fan’s hand amid title celebration chaos.
Video showed the pyrotechnic blowing up in his hand as thousands of Gers supporters descended on George Square following their 4-0 win over Aberdeen.
It was initially feared the reveller had lost “half his hand” following the incident – but The Scottish Sun later revealed he was unharmed.
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