Wednesday 3 September 2008

Napoli chief: Away ban unfair

Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis hopes his club fans will not pay the price for the actions of a minority.

Napoli fansItaly's Interior Minister Roberto Maroni announced on Wednesday the Partenopei fans will be banned from attending their team's away games for the rest of the season.

Moreover, Napoli's first home game of the campaign against Fiorentina at the Stadio San Paolo on September 14 is set to be played behind closed doors.


The decision was made in the wake of vandalism by a section of Napoli fans which marred the opening day of Serie A.

"Such a punishment would be unjust for the club and for our honest fans," said De Laurentiis.

"I will not be intimidated by a minority group that have nothing in common with Napoli fans.

"The true Napoli fans are different.

"To punish those individuals that create havoc is right but it's also necessary to respect the good people and those who invest in football.

"If the state doesn't help me I could well get tired of all this and leave football."

Hundreds of Napoli supporters on their way to watch their team play Roma on Sunday at the Stadio Olimpico caused havoc at Naples train station, forcing Italian company Trenitalia to postpone for three hours the departure of a train heading to Turin.

Several trains were also vandalised and later five fans were detained by police after the match.

Source: Sporting Life

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