September 27, (THEWILL) – Genoa will play their upcoming Serie A match against Juventus without fans in attendance following a decision by Italian security authorities. The ruling comes after serious fan violence during Genoa’s Italian Cup defeat to local rivals Sampdoria on Wednesday.
The prefecture of Genoa made the decision in response to widespread clashes between hardcore supporters of both clubs before and after the derby match, which Sampdoria won 6-5 on penalties. Dozens of fans and police officers were injured during the day of unrest in the Italian port city.
Sampdoria could face a similar ban for their next home fixture against Juve Stabia in Serie B on October 4. Italy’s Interior Ministry is currently evaluating the next four matches for both Genoa and Sampdoria and has asked Serie A and Serie B to instruct the clubs not to sell tickets for these games until a final decision is made.
The fan violence in Genoa was followed by further disorder between Napoli and Palermo supporters on Thursday. Flares and firecrackers thrown between rival fans caused a seven-minute delay to the start of the second half in Napoli’s 5-0 victory. This incident comes after Napoli fans were involved in clashes with Cagliari supporters in Sardinia earlier this month.
Genoa currently sit just one point above the relegation zone as they prepare to host Juventus on Saturday. The club’s hierarchy is expected to make its own announcement regarding the stadium closure in due course.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
