ROME (AP) — About 30 soccer fans of a third-division Italian team allegedly issued death threats to players, forcing a game against a rival to be called off.
In the latest case of fan violence in Italian soccer, a prosecutor opened an inquiry Monday into the events surrounding Sunday’s Salernitana-Nocerina match.
Because of the tension between these clubs, Nocerina fans were banned from the stadium and they responded by making sure the match was suspended. The hard-core “ultra” fans were seen surrounding Nocerina’s bus and allegedly threatening to kill players if they played.
Nocerina responded by using all three of its substitutions after two minutes then five players appeared to fake injuries. That left the club with only six men and forcing the referee to stop the match.
