8/11/2023–|Last updated: 11/8/202306:44 PM (Mecca time)
Italian media reports said – today, Wednesday – that 11 German fans were arrested following riots that broke out in Italy before Napoli’s confrontation with Union Berlin this evening.
According to the newspaper “La Gazzetta dello Sport”, violent confrontations broke out between Union Berlin fans and the Italian police yesterday evening, during which several policemen were injured.
‼️ German hooligans against the police in Piazza Dante, in the heart of #Napoli. Absolute shame… 💥 @TgrRai @TgrRaiCampania #IoSeguoTgr pic.twitter.com/MNEFtxsfwb
— Antonello Perillo (@anperillo) November 7, 2023
German fans threw smoke bombs and fireworks, blocked some streets around Piazza Dante, overturned rubbish bins and other large objects, and vandalized shops.
The Italian ANSA news agency quoted Naples police chief Mauricio Agricola as saying, “The clashes with the police were caused by German fans.”
The police are working to increase their presence before Napoli’s confrontation with Union Berlin, to prevent further incidents.
08.11.2023, Napoli🇮🇹 looking for Union Berlin🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/QXWRcbbStk
— Hooligans.cz Official (@hooliganscz1999) November 8, 2023
Yesterday, the German club issued warnings to its fans before facing Naples, asking them to “avoid the remote areas of the city of Naples” and avoid wearing “red and white clothing” outside the “Diego Armando Maradona” stadium.
Local security authorities and Naples authorities also highlighted the potential risks to football fans, according to a statement from Union Berlin.
Union Berlin fans will have to remain in the areas designated for the away team’s fans for about 60 minutes after the final whistle, before they are allowed to leave the stadium.
On the field, Union Berlin is expected to face a difficult challenge, as it has suffered 12 consecutive defeats in all competitions, which is the team’s worst series of results since its rise to the German First Division in 2019.
Union Berlin lost all three matches it has played so far in the Champions League, leaving it in last place in the third group without points, while Real Madrid leads the group with 9 points and is 3 ahead of Napoli, who is in second place in the group.
The post first appeared on www.aljazeera.net
