Standard Liege, the Belgian club owned by unrest-hit US investment group 777 Partners, was forced to postpone their league match on Friday after protesting fans denied the team coach access to the stadium.
Fans of Standard, 10-time Belgian champions, have stepped up protests this season against Miami-based 777, whose legal and financial concerns have led to the club currently being placed under a temporary transfer embargo again.
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The club would host Westerlo on Friday evening at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne with three rounds to go in the Belgian competition. Standard finished 10th in the regular season to qualify for the European preliminary play-offs, but have not won any of the seven games since.
The players’ bus was obstructed at the training center, the club said in a statement, and “attempts to consult with these supporters have not yielded a solution to clear the blockage.” No date has yet been announced when the rescheduled match will take place.
777 Partners have also invested in Serie A side Genoa, German second-tier Hertha Berlin and Brazil’s Vasco da Gama. Their most ambitious move, an attempt to buy Premier League club Everton, has been stalled for months due to fears that the legendary English team is facing a reign.
Skepticism has grown about 777’s ability to close the deal amid their ongoing problems. The investment firm is facing a $600 million fraud case in a New York federal court, and Australian airline Bonza is currently grounded and on the verge of collapse.