The Italian soccer federation (FIGC) has banned its own fans from road games indefinitely following trouble at the weekend during the country’s 0-0 tie in Bulgaria.
A section of the Italian support threw bottles at the Bulgarian fans, made fascist salutes and chanted fascist slogans, while three arrests were made by police after a Bulgarian flag was burned. Italy will no longer accept its allocation of tickets for away games.
“I feel great bitterness and pain for what has happened,” said FIGC President Giancarlo Abete. “Everyone knows the process to isolate these individuals is long but this is a dark episode. I believe with all the technological means available we can now identify those individuals. I don’t believe they are fans but individuals who are prone to delinquent behaviour with the intention of damaging the image of our nation. But we have all of their names and we will punish them.”