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Bloodied hooligans, a smoke-filled stadium, and riot police — Serbian rival teams play a football match in insanely hostile conditions

The Eternal Derby between Red Star Belgrade and Partizan Belgrade is considered to be one of the greatest football rivalries of all time.

A match in Serbia was marred by bloody violence on Wednesday evening.

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Partizan Belgrade welcomed Red Star Belgrade to the Stadion Partizana for a SuperLiga match but play was interrupted because of clashes between hooligan fans of both teams.

Supporters lit torches and threw smoke bombs on the pitch before engaging in a mass brawl.

Riot police were forced to make arrests.

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You can see the intense matchday photographs below.

This is a match between Red Star Belgrade and Partizan Belgrade, two Serbian teams that compete in the country's SuperLiga.

It may look like any other football game, but matches between these two sides are dubbed the 'Eternal Derby' and the animosity between the Belgrade clubs is seen as one of the fiercest rivalries on the planet.

Wednesday's league game between Partizan and Red Star was no different. And it was not long before smoke bombs were launched onto the pitch.

Play was frequently interrupted as visibility deteriorated, but the match was never called off.

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Fans of both sides lit torches, flares, and flew flags as the game got underway.

But trouble in the stands quickly marred the match as supporters started fighting.

Match-day police, complete with riot gear, were on the scene to deal with the clashes.

The riot police rounded-up the troublemakers and made on-pitch arrests before ushering them out of the ground.

17 people suffered injuries, according to Sky Sports News.

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Despite the interruptions, the match carried on as normal and finished in a 1-1 draw.

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