FOOTBALL fans brawled and threw chairs as a huge scrap broke out ahead of a Champions League match.
Supporters of Napoli and Sporting Lisbon clashed in the streets before tonight’s European showdown at the Stadio Diego Maradona.
X/NapoliNetworkXFootball fans brawled and threw chairs ahead of Napoli vs Sporting Lisbon[/caption]
X/NapoliNetworkXThe violent scenes played out in the streets of Naples[/caption]
Video footage taken from a balcony showed fans from both sides attacking each other with chairs and sticks outside a bar.
Some supporters hurled items and seas as locals ran for cover.
While other fans appeared to be wearing crash helmets, possibly indicating a pre-meditated fight.
The violent scenes played out for several minutes as bystanders fled.
And in the end, one set of fans ran down a street as the others paced away in the opposite direction.
Tonight’s clash sees Sporting, the champions of Portugal, face a tough away trip at Italian champs Napoli.
But Sporting’s preparations have been far from ideal.
Their team plane was delayed for four hours at Lisbon airport due to traffic and a problem with the aircraft.
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It meant Sporting only landed in Naples at 11pm last night, forcing manager Rui Borges’ pre-match press conference to be cancelled.
Players hoping for a decent night’s sleep were also left disappointed.
Napoli fans set off a load of fireworks during the middle of the night outside Sporting’s hotel.
And the Portuguese side are sure to have taken an emergency nap in the build-up to tonight’s battle.
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