Serb Hooligans Stopped Italian Confrontation
Serbian hooligans stopped the game against Italy at Stadio Luigi Ferraris
Tuesday night’s meeting between Italy and Serbia for the 2012 European Championship Qualifying was stopped just few minutes after the start whistle due to visiting fans that threw flares and lighting fireworks onto the field. The moment followed the tense afternoon when Serbian fans confronted local police. Once the first whistle was blown dozens of fireworks have been thrown towards the pitch and security soldiers. It is too early at this moment to draw a conclusion on what is going to happen with the game, more exactly, whether Italy will be given a 3-0 victory by forfeit. The event saw both teams entering into the locker rooms and Italian fans home.
The situation is being evaluated, according to Italian security chief Roberto Massucci. The night included in the same time covered-face fans broking glass partitions, but also awful moments of violence. Initially, police would confront the Serbians as the two teams came back on the pitch. Once they entered the field, Serbia players have been booed and whistled by the Italian fans. However, the game started again. Serbian keeper Vladimir Stojkovic asked finally not to play anymore because of the threats outside his hotel that took place earlier in the day and which came from his own fans. This would be replaced with Zeljko Brkic. The game would also commemorate Italian soldiers killed in Afghanistan this Saturday. Hosts’ fans wore black armbands during the game, while plenty of banners regarding the soldiers killed few days ago have been also shown. The hooligans used a hose in order to land the fireworks. Furthermore, Serb fans attacked early in the day a police car. The thrilling moment from the stadium saw the Italian players applauding their own fans. It was all about shame.
“The game has been called off definitively by the referee, who is the only delegate who can decide on the pitch. The referee felt that the players’ security couldn’t be assured. Now it’s up to UEFA and their disciplinary procedures,” is what Antonello Valentini, Italian Soccer Federation general secretary, declared. Stojkovic, who refused to play, said the Serb players didn’t applaud, but calmed down the fans. Serbia included defender Neven Subotic, who played for the United States Under 17 and 20 teams before switching the national teams.
Italy leads the group C with seven points earned in three matches, while Serbia, who was just stripped by their former coach Radomir Antic this summer because of the poor performance showed during the South African World Cup tournament – when the Serbs left the tournament earlier than expected, lies on fourth place with three points won in three games.
