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Seedorf: Trouble bigger than football

12 November 2007 | 20:54 - PA Sport

Italian football is facing fresh crisis after a Lazio fan was shot dead by police on Sunday (local time).

 

Gabriele Sandri, a 26-year-old disc jockey, was killed at a motorway service station near Arezzo as police attempted to intervene to quell trouble.

Lazio's match at Inter Milan was postponed but the incident sparked further scenes of chaos elsewhere in Italy.

Roma's match with Cagliari was called off after the Eternal City club asked for it to be put back but an angry mob turned up at the Stadio Olimpico.

Some of them armed with stones and sticks attacked one of the police units in the vicinity of the stadium before raiding the headquarters of the Italian Olympic Committee.

Earlier, the match between Atalanta and AC Milan in Bergamo was abandoned after seven minutes because of crowd disturbances.

The incidents come nine months after policeman Filippo Raciti was killed during crowd trouble surrounding the Sicilian derby match between Catania and Palermo.

That led to draconian security measures adopted by the Italian government with numerous stadia closed until they made improvements to ensure better security.

AC Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf believes the troubles represent a problem in Italian society that goes beyond football.

The Holland international told Sky Sports News: "The situation had nothing to do with football and they (the fans) abused this to make another story in the stadium."

"The problem is a society problem... the Government have to do something about the situation. People are not happy and football is a great place to show your unhappiness."

"Unfortunately football is losing all the time - it's sad to see kids crying (in grounds)."

Seedorf was expecting trouble at Milan's game given the events earlier in the day.

"I knew before the match there would be a strange atmosphere because of what had happened. Both Atalanta and Milan fans responded - it was a big problem because they wanted us to suspend the game," he added.

"They didn't want the game to proceed - that was the only thing they were shouting from the first minute of the game. Their goal was to suspend the game and they succeeded in that."

"It was a precaution to not play the game. The protest wasn't against the players, it was against the Carabinieri. It's like civil war here and we are in the middle of it even if we don't have any responsibility."

"I'm looking forward to seeing some real action from the Government and sports federations. This is nothing to do with football."

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