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italian fans riot tonight











Gully

Monkey in a seagull suit.
Apr 24, 2004
16,812
Way out west
Just shows how much we have cleaned our act up in the UK, there is also violence in many other European countries, though not as bad as what is now happening in Italy. People slag off our footy, but the majority of our grounds are safe (if at times sterile) places to go and watch the game, think back to what the average was like in the early 80's to remind yourself how far we have come.
 


coventrygull

the right one
Jun 3, 2004
6,752
Bridlington Yorkshire
Went to watch Lazio v AC Milan a few years back and was amazed that when the Lazio fans pelted the AC Milan fans with all kinds of objects after Milan scored.

I am off to watch Lazio again in March :D
 




sir albion

New member
Jan 6, 2007
13,055
SWINDON
Italian footer really is in crisis,the crowds at the moment are awful in many matches.Can't believe we actually get the same crowds as some seria a matches:ohmy:
 










Publius Ovidius

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
46,290
at home
NMH said:
'course, face to face with another mob, and you can't see 'em for white flags.

why do you feel it necessary to say things likethat. Does it give you some kind of perverse pleasure?

a police officer died FFS



:tosser: :tosser: :tosser:
 


The Large One

Who's Next?
Jul 7, 2003
52,343
97.2FM
Italian league halted by violence

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has suspended all matches indefinitely after a policeman was killed at a Serie A match between Catania and Palermo. Officer Filippo Raciti died as violence flared during the Sicilian derby. The FIGC has called off all this weekend's professional and amateur games, and also cancelled Italy's friendly with Romania on Wednesday. Commissioner Luca Pancalli said: "What we're witnessing has nothing to do with soccer, so Italian soccer is stopping."

According to reports, 38-year-old Raciti was struck in the face by a small explosive while attempting to deal with fighting outside the stadium. He was taken to hospital but died from his injuries. Pancalli had warned earlier this week that more violence would bring a halt to league matches after clashes between supporters and police in several cities last Sunday.

"One day is not sufficient," Pancalli added after proceeding with his threat. "Without drastic measures, we cannot play again. "We will immediately set up a commission to discuss the situation between sport and politics. It's not possible to carry on like this."

Catania, fifth in Serie A, against Palermo, who are third, was given an early kick-off time on Friday because of fears over public safety. Prior to the start, a minute's silence had been held following the death of a club official from lower league club Sammartinese last weekend. But the match was suspended after an hour when tear gas, used by police to break up the fighting outside the ground, drifted onto the field. The fighting, reported ANSA news agency, was 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. After the match, fans continued to fight running battles with police on the streets outside the stadium and around a hundred people were treated for injuries, while dozens with lesser injuries were taken to local hospitals.

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."

Palermo coach Francesco Guidolin was quick to blame Catania fans for the violence. "We won the match, but we cannot enjoy this victory," said Guidolin. "Football cannot last for much longer like this. There will be no joy in it." The Catania prosecutor's office has announced an investigation into the incident.

England head coach Steve McClaren reacted to the news by insisting the FIGC must now make the same harsh decisions made in Britain 20 years ago to eradicate football violence. "They have got to learn a lot about the English game, how it has come on over the years," McClaren told BBC Radio Five Live. "The safety at most grounds has improved. It is all very, very well controlled and is a great environment in which to take families, and we have to encourage that. A lot of other countries are looking at the way we built stadiums, our security, seating and ticketing arrangements and maybe after the drastic events in Italy something has to be done."

Italian prime minister Romano Prodi also issued a statement. "After the serious incidents that occurred tonight in Catania, my first thought is for the people that have been affected and for their families," he said. "I feel a duty to say that we need a strong and clear signal to avoid the degeneration of this sport which we are seeing more dramatically and more often."

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.




Italian football is in a complete and utter bloody shambolic mess at the moment. If it's not onfield bribery adn corruption, it's out of control authorities. If it's not the authorities, it's the seriously tooled-up hooligans - with BOMBS for f*** sake.

What is even more worrying is that (looking at it from here at least) there is no obvious intent from those in charge to do anything about it, or at the very least for anyone to take the lead. In one of the very few sensible statements to emanate from Steve McLaren's lips, the Italians (and the Spanish with their inherent racism problems) could well learn form England as to how to clean up its act. But there doesn't seem the willpower to do anything about it.

RIP Signor Raciti, you died a needless and senseless death. I only hope your death will finally wake the authorities into some positive action. But I'm not hopeful.
 
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Lord Bracknell said:
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the police inspector died as a result of a heart attack, after someone threw a letter bomb into his car.

That would be enough to give me a heart attack....cowardly bastards.
 


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