Italian league halted by violence

[Jeff]

From the BBC


he Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has called off all this weekend's Serie A and Serie B games after a policeman was killed at a match on Friday.

A 38-year-old officer died as violence flared during and after the Serie A game between Sicilian rivals Catania and Palermo, which Palermo won 2-1.

The game had already been given an early evening slot on Friday because of fears over public safety.

FIGC has now cancelled the weekend's other games in the top two divisions.

The game was suspended after an hour when tear gas, used by police to break up the fighting outside the ground, drifted onto the field.

There was fighting outside the ground, reported ANSA news agency, because Palermo fans could not get into Catania's Stadio Massimino until the second half.

The two teams fled the pitch for the dressing-room, with the game suspended for 30 minutes.

Prior to kick-off tonight, a minute's silence had been held following the death of a club official from lower league club Sammartinese at a game last weekend.

Catania club executive Pietro Lo Monaco reacted to news of the officer's death by announcing he would leave football.

"I've heard that a policeman has died," he said. "To speak of football right now seems useless. For me this is the end. I will leave the football world.

"I don't recognise myself in this world anymore. "I have loved football intensely but after this right now it seems absurd."

The Catania prosecutor's office has announced an investigation into the incident.

Palermo had taken the lead through Andrea Caracciolo, but Catania equalised within 60 seconds of the teams coming back out thanks to Fabio Caserta.

Palermo won the game with a controversial David di Michele goal in the 83rd minute.

 

[SJN-Fox]

Effin Ell. Violence in football is an absolute abhorrence and I'm sure that all true football supporters will condemn these scenes.

Perhaps, if you could find any sort of positive from this, then just maybe, it will no longer be known as the English Disease.

:icon_sad:

 

[pds]

Just been watching the scenes on Sky News.

Absolute mayhem, hope they never return.

 

[Boy Genius]

Disgusting fans.......... gives everyone in Italy a bad name.












( except Juve of course..)

 

[fcukcov]

bet they dont get threatened with being chucked out of europe and the world cup just like england do everytime a few fans throw some chairs around in spain or somewhere.

 

[Melton Fox]

bet they dont get threatened with being chucked out of europe and the world cup just like england do everytime a few fans throw some chairs around in spain or somewhere.

We'd never get away with half the shit them fecking paste and paella eaters get up to at football matches

 

[fcukcov]

We'd never get away with half the shit them fecking paste and paella eaters get up to at football matches

The smae could be said for any country in europe, turkey fo instance go round stabbing and fighting all the time but hardly ever get any real punishments.

 

[Fuijit]

Thank god this sort of stuff doesn't happen in England / Leicester

 

[Lako42]

that really is crazy, glad nothinghappened when i was there. not a whiff of football. am i right in saying they arethinking of banning italian football for ayear? if so i personally think thats over the top, catania and palermo should be dealt with severly but not the whole of italy. This was also a scicilian derby so things will be very different from your run of the mill game.

still no excusing this, it was a home made bomb that went off in his face.

 

[fitz]

why should all the normal innocent fans for other Serie A & B teams suffer just because of a bunch of dicks from the land of the mafia killing someone? imagine having to miss a city game because leeds fans (just picking an example) killed a policeman? i'd be doing my feckin nut

 

[Lako42]

why should all the normal innocent fans for other Serie A & B teams suffer just because of a bunch of dicks from the land of the mafia killing someone? imagine having to miss a city game because leeds fans (just picking an example) killed a policeman? i'd be doing my feckin nut

it will cause more trouble than its worth

 

[bocadillo]

why should all the normal innocent fans for other Serie A & B teams suffer just because of a bunch of dicks from the land of the mafia killing someone? imagine having to miss a city game because leeds fans (just picking an example) killed a policeman? i'd be doing my feckin nut

After Heysel a lot of innocent fans were affected by the banning of our teams from European competition. It's largely thought though that that action was the catalyst to English football getting to grips with the excesses of its supporters' behaviour.

 

[Lako42]

well at least this wont affect the mighty Cisco, were miles away from that shitty level

 

[Hazzman]

After Heysel a lot of innocent fans were affected by the banning of our teams from European competition. It's largely thought though that that action was the catalyst to English football getting to grips with the excesses of its supporters' behaviour.

Exactly what I was saying to my Dad earlier. Sides like Wimbledon were stopped from an European trip. These two sides involved were gunning for European spots, unusual aswell and they should be punished accordingly.

It's being happening week after week. Interesting to see where the Italian government's involvement starts, I have always believed that hooliganism is as much as society's probelm than footballs.

 

[fitz]

After Heysel a lot of innocent fans were affected by the banning of our teams from European competition. It's largely thought though that that action was the catalyst to English football getting to grips with the excesses of its supporters' behaviour.

i think its more to do with the control and processes of dealing with the problem that changed, not the banning of teams. i think the way they have gone about this so far hasn't been the best. then again i have a low opinion of italian punishments as appeals should allow all to be rosy again