BRITANSKI MEDIJI O UTAKMICI 
TAME THE BAD BOYS
BARCLAYS PREMIERSHIP 2006-07 PREVIEWS Dynamo fear ban over racist fans
By Steve Stammers
DYNAMO
ZAGREB fear that their lunatic fringe of fans will shame the club when
they take on Arsenal in Croatia on Tuesday in the first leg of a
Champions League qualifier.
The supporters - called 'The Bad Blue Boys' - number around 10,000 and assemble in the north side of the stadium.
They have a history of hurling racist abuse at black players in opposition teams.
With
UEFA threatening to impose severe sanctions on clubs with racists on or
off the field, Dynamo are anxious about the Arsenal game.
The
same fans abused black players in the Ajax team when the Dutch club
recently played in Zagreb, and six years ago members of a French team
that included Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and Marcel Desailly were
also subjected to horrendous taunts from the stands.
Dynamo president Mirko Barisic has made a public appeal to the fans to cut out the racist behaviour.
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He has warned them that
there could be massive implications if there is any more racist
taunting against Arsenal or anyone else. "We know our team could be
expelled from UEFA competitions," he said.
German World Cup defender Jens Nowotny has moved to Dynamo this summer and he has no doubt about the quality of Arsenal.
"They are at the same level as Chelsea, Barcelona and Milan - they are one of the best," he said.
But he also feels Dynamo have the ability to cause a Champions League upset.
"I
believe we can win it," said 32-year-old Nowotny, who joined Dynamo
from Bayer Leverkusen on a three-year contract last month.
"That is the mentality with which I was brought up. That is what is taught to you in Germany.
"Maybe
we have things in our favour for this tie. Arsenal have lost some
players and I understand that Thierry Henry won't play.
"Also they are still two weeks from the start of their competitive season, while we are already under way.
"We have had games in the national championship and two in the Champions League. That could be an advantage for us.
"It is better to play them now than in two weeks' time.
"As
for the tie, it happens all the time in football - the team that is
supposed to win doesn't win. I know that from my time in Leverkusen."
The
German club stunned Europe by reaching the Champions League Final four
years ago. They lost, without the injured Nowotny, to Real Madrid - but
on their European adventures they eliminated both Manchester United and
Liverpool.
"Everyone thought they would beat us but we showed what could be achieved by playing as a team."