One fan is in a coma and more than 30 policemen are recovering from injuries after an Italian Serie B match between southern sides Avellino and Napoli was called off amid violence scenes last night.
A 29-year-old Napoli fan fell 20 metres from the upper tier of Avellino's stadium when ticketless fans pushed into the stand behind him. Doctors said this morning that he might not come out of the coma.
Meanwhile, dozens of policemen were injured in the rush to get into the stadium after thousands of Napoli fans were left without tickets. One policeman was stabbed in the leg and a 63-year-old police chief collapsed after being hit. Shocking television images showed fans, many with their faces covered, targeting isolated guards and policemen as they invaded the pitch before kick-off.
The game, the latest in a series of violent incidents to mar the top two leagues of Italian football, was postponed to a date to be fixed later.