The match between the two sides on October 14 was abandoned in the 41st minute with the teams level at 0-0 following a series of controversial incidents inside Belgrade's Partizan Stadium.

A remote control drone carrying a "Greater Albania" flag hovered over the pitch before being torn down by Serbian defender Stefan Mitrovic, sparking outrage among the visiting players.

As several team members tried to wrestle the flag off Mitrovic, Serbian fans stormed onto the pitch and attacked the Albanian players, leading to them fleeing from the pitch.

English referee Martin Atkinson consequently led all the players off before abandoning the game 30 minutes later when the Albanians refused to return to continue the match.

UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) deemed that Albania had forfeited the match and in doing so lost 3-0.

But it also penalised Serbia over the crowd trouble, deducting three points from the side.

Both Football Associations have also been fined €100,000 (£79,000/$127,000), while the Serbian team will be forced to play their next two home UEFA competition matches behind closed doors.

Both Associations have the opportunity to appeal the decision.

Tensions flared when a "Greater Albania" flag was carried across the pitch by a remote control drone ©Getty Images



The Albanian FA have blasted UEFA's ruling as "unacceptable", stating that there are "no proper grounds and legal reasoning that should lead to such decision".

The Association believes they have no responsibility over the entrance of the remote control drone, claiming that security was "a liability of the organiser".

It also noted that the pitch was unsafe for the Albanian players to resume play; that there was clear medical evidence that the Albanian players were, "physically and mentally unable to play, due to lesions deriving from the violence of the home supporters entering the pitch"; and that the ruling was in-proportional to the eventual alleged offences.

"The Albanian players were never notified that the official has decided to resume the match," a statement added.

"This position is a product of pure fantasy.

"We cannot regret a decision which we had not reached.

"It was inability to play, not refusal."

The Football Association of Serbia also found reason to argue against UEFA's decision as they felt the ruling held a "contradiction in the decision making process".

The Association claim the point deduction was handed to the Serbian team only, "at the same time the guilt of the opponents is proved".

Albanian players fled the pitch after being attacked by Serbian fans ©Getty Images



Serbia claimed it asked UEFA to complete the match but only the Albanian team refused to resume.

It also allegedly asked for the stadium to be emptied and for the match to resume, or for the match to be played the following day (October 15).

In a press statement on October 15, the Football Association of Serbia labelled the incident as a "terrorist action planned in advance, above all directed against interests of our country, Republic of Serbia".

There are long-standing tensions between Serbia and Albania over Kosovo - the Republic which claimed independence in 2008, almost a decade after a brutal war with Serbia - and which is recognised as independent by the United States and 107 other United Nations (UN) members.

But Kosovo is not recognised as independent by Serbia - a bone of contention with Albania given that 90 per cent of Kosovans are ethnic Albanians.

On Wednesday (October 22), Kosovo was provisionally granted recognition by the International Olympic Committee, despite not being a UN member.

The Serbian Olympic Committee has already protested the decision claiming it would "present an exception without precedent in recent history".

Both the Serbian and Albanian Football Association's have said they will appeal UEFA's decision.

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