Officials fear fan violence during Thursday’s Euro 2024 qualifier between Italy and England. A friendly match between fans has already been canceled due to threats from Neapolitan hooligans.
It should be a moment of fair play. A friendly between English and Italian supporters will not finally take place, on the sidelines of Thursday’s Euro 2024 qualifiers meeting in Naples (8:45pm). The organizers of the event alerted the authorities. An anonymous threatening e-mail arrived saying that about sixty Napoli thugs were planning to fight it out. The text explained that the latter were “coming for you (English supporters, editor’s note). You will only be notified once,” the threat actors added.
Fear of attacks against 2,500 English supporters
The organizers of the meeting, representatives of the England Fans’ FC group, sent a letter to the authorities who took the decision to rescind the threats. The city of Naples was hit by violent riots during last week’s Champions League match against Frankfurt. Despite the travel ban against them, several hundred German supporters still traveled to the Italian city, some of whom attacked police and set fire to cars and street furniture.
More than 2,500 English supporters are expected to follow the Three Lions in Naples on Thursday. England manager Gareth Southgate has indicated that the FA have guaranteed good treatment of their fans. Some also believe that Napoli supporters can avoid tensions by not following the national team. But these latest threats by hooligans have worsened the situation and authorities now fear England fans are being targeted.
“What can we do?,” started Garford Beck, the organizer of the friendly after it was cancelled. “I changed the email (threats) and we were told the match was cancelled. We had to send 100 police officers. 60 lunatics trying to attack us is not fair, it’s not worth it. They decided. We will entertain the Italians in the second leg.” A 60-year-old fears excesses on the fringes of the crowd. “With 2,500 (English) supporters, I imagine the temptation will be too great and some will want to rub it on their shoulders,” he concludes.
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