Premier League clubs are preparing to offer support to players returning from the international tie between Sweden and Belgium that was abandoned following the murder of two fans.
The Euro 2024 qualifying match at Brussels’ King Baudouin Stadium was suspended at half-time after discussions between the players and their coaching staff, with both sides agreeing not to continue as news filtered through about the attack.
Two Swedish fans sporting national team jerseys were shot dead, and a third was injured, on Boulevard d’Ypres less than three kilometres away from the stadium 45 minutes before kick-off, and police in the Belgium capital killed the gunman – a 45-year-old Tunisian national named in local media as Abdesalem Lassoued – in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Belgium were willing to accept the 1-1 draw but UEFA could yet force the two sides to complete the match at the earliest opportunity, despite Swedish players having already flown out of the country.
It is not yet confirmed when the players will return to their clubs, but the Premier League Sides whose squad members have been impacted by the tragedy are readying to support them upon their return.
Premier League clubs are preparing to offer players involved in Sweden and Belgium’s suspended Euro 2024 qualifier support if required
Two Sweden fans were shot dead before kick-off in Brussels, with supporters becoming distraught as news filtered through to the King Baudouin Stadium (pictured)
Tributes were lain at the site of the murder on Tuesday morning after what the Belgian Prime Minister described as a ‘brutal terrorist attack’
Clubs are believed to be keen to discuss the events in Brussels with those players, and how they might be affected, before offering them the appropriate support.
Premier League sides could also seek external professional support for players if required as part of their commitment to player wellbeing.
English top-flight players featuring for both sides include Tottenham’s Dejan Kulusevski, Manchester United’s Victor Lindelof, Jeremy Doku of Manchester City, Anthony Elanga of Nottingham Forest, and two Aston Villa players: Robin Olsen and Youri Tielemans.
Lindelof was one of the first Sweden players to speak to the media after leaving the stadium – where Swedish supporters were held back until 4am on Tuesday – and shared that he saw ‘no reason to (replay the game)’ as Belgium are already qualified for the tournament, whilst Sweden have no route to Euro 2024.
He later posted a poignant social media tribute to the victims and those affected by the tragedy, which Belgium’s Prime Minister Alexander De Croo labeled a ‘brutal terrorist attack’.
On Tuesday, Lindelof’s wife Maja shared her own tribute to those affected by events in Brussels, calling for her husband’s swift return to Manchester.
Victor Lindelof suggested that the match did not need to be replayed due to the two teams’ qualifying records
The player’s wife Maja wrote on Instagram ‘I just want you home now’ as Lindelof began his travels back to Manchester
‘I just want you home now,’ she wrote, alongside a photo of the Sweden captain, who she married back in 2018.
Forest, who made the move for Elanga from Man United over the summer, were one of the first Premier League sides to issue a message of support on X (formerly Twitter).
‘We send our deepest condolences to the friends and families of the two Swedish fans who tragically lost their lives in Belgium tonight,’ the message stated.
‘Our thoughts go out to everyone who has been affected by these tragic events.’
A map shows the location of the killing in Brussels city centre and that of the King Baudouin Stadium in the city’s northwestern suburbs – 35,000 supporters were in attendance
