During their 2-2 match, the supporters teamed up during play and were heard chanting “kill, kill, kill the Serb,” provoking Jovan Surbatovic, the general secretary of the Football Association of Serbia, to make a formal complaint.
He told the Serbian state-owned broadcaster RTS: “What happened is scandalous, and we will ask UEFA for sanctions, even if it means not continuing the competition.”
He added: “If UEFA doesn’t punish them, we will think about how to proceed.”
UEFA confirmed on Thursday that disciplinary proceedings had been opened to investigate the “potential racist and/or discriminatory conduct by supporters.”
All three countries were part of the former Yugoslav Republic, which fell apart in the 1990s, sparking two brutal wars that left hundreds of thousands dead.
Albania and Serbia also share a troubled relationship over Kosovo, a small territory in the Balkans made up primarily of ethnic Albanians whose independence is not recognized by Belgrade.
Consequently, many Albanians and Croats still harbor distrust and, in some cases, hatred towards the Serbs.
On Wednesday, UEFA also announced it had fined the Serbian Football Association €14,500 after Serbia fans threw “objects” and “transmitted a provocative message not fit for a sports event” during their Monday match against England.
