Catania to sue FIGC

The Catania council has announced it will sue the Federation for the lengthy ban on fans.

The Stadio Angelo Massimino was shut down and the club ordered to play its home games behind closed doors until June 30 after a police officer was killed in rioting on February 2.

However, the Sicilian town is not taking the punishment lying down and has threatened legal action.

"This sentence condemns Catania Calcio, but also damages the image of the province of Catania. It’s provoking a serious blight to sportsmen and season ticket holders, citizens and the football club, all of whom are already victims of a few dozen delinquents who use games for their criminal activities," said President of the Catania Province Raffaele Lombardo.

There were even harsher accusations from Euro MP Nello Musumeci. "This was an unjust sentence, abnormal, discriminatory and racist from the North of Italy that does not want a Southern club to be strong in Serie A."

Catania were challenging for fourth place before the Sicilian derby – against third place Palermo – saw rioting.

The Sicilian side is not new to troublemakers, as earlier this season the Massimino had already been shut for two games after repeated riots in the other two derbies with Messina and the Rosanero.

One local figure tried to calm the situation, as public prosecutor Ignazio Fonzo warned the real damage to the city’s reputation was being done by these statements.

"We should avoid talking about conspiracies or persecution that does not exist, instead focusing on some constructive criticism of what actually happened.

"Catania cannot forget that 23 years ago, when we were last in Serie A, there were two suspensions on the stadium for crowd trouble against Milan and soon after in Messina. Let us not show that from 1984 nothing has changed, as that would give a negative impression of this city."

Source: C4 Football Italia

Catania handed stadium ban

Catania have been ordered to play the rest of their home matches this season behind closed doors at a neutral venue.

The punishment follows the violence that resulted in the death of a policeman outside their Stadio Angelo Massimino on 2 February.

Filippo Raciti was killed outside Catania's ground during rioting by fans at the Sicilian derby with Palermo. All Italian football was temporarily suspended following Raciti's death and a reappraisal of stadium safety has since been undertaken.

A statement on the Italian Football League website said the ban reflected "the gravity of the events and the real danger posed by these acts of violence".

And it added that the punishment took into consideration "the absolute uselessness of sanctions already inflicted on Catania for previous acts of violence by its supporters".

Catania were fined in September 2006 and ordered to play two matches behind closed doors after their supporters clashed with fans of Messina and Palermo.

The ban on playing at the Massimino will run until 30 June.

Such a decision was expected and the island side will now probably switch their ‘home’ matches to Rome or Rieti – without any fans – starting with this weekend’s Fiorentina clash.

The Massimino is also one of the many stadia which doesn’t meet with the Legge Pisanu safety regulations and will not be up to standard for at least another month anyway.

Catania, who were also handed a £33,475 fine, are expected to appeal against the decision in an effort to use their arena again before next season.

"This sentence has brought a city to its knees," remarked Catania general director Pietro Lo Monaco. "It forces us to close with football despite our limited responsibility in the incidents, seeing as they occurred outside of the stadium.

"It is only normal that we will do all we can so that the healthy part of the support can see the team they love before the end of the campaign.

"Several newspapers had announced that this would be the verdict and that is exactly what happened," added Lo Monaco.

"I need to understand a few things. [Disciplinary judge] Gianpaolo Tosel stated that he did not punish Torino and Roma for their supporters booing during the minute of silence on Sunday because the ‘healthy’ part of the supporters prevailed.

"What does this mean? That we don’t have any decent supporters? Are we all third world citizens in Catania?"

Source: C4 Football Italia