A spokesman for the Genoa fans who disrupted play for over 40 minutes yesterday has defended their actions and asserted that no violence took place.
The match between the Grifone and Siena was temporarily halted less than 10 minutes into the second half yesterday afternoon due to the actions of a group of Rossoblu supporters angry at the 0-4 score-line.
A spokesman for the Genoa fans who disrupted play for over 40 minutes yesterday has defended their actions and asserted that no violence took place.
The match between the Grifone and Siena was temporarily halted less than 10 minutes into the second half yesterday afternoon due to the actions of a group of Rossoblu supporters angry at the 0-4 score-line.
“Everybody talks about violence, but violence is another thing,” expressed the ultras’ representative Fabrizio Fileni on Studio Sport on Monday.
“At the stadium yesterday nothing happened, there is nothing to repent for.
“Indeed, we had decided to resume the game. It was a mixture of anger and worry because we risk relegation.”
Fileni was asked what violence was, if not the throwing of flares on to the pitch yesterday, the blocking of the players’ tunnel and the reported threats to invade the playing area.
“Violence is that which is seen in the Rome derby, where you have people being stabbed. Instead, we have asked our fans not to commit acts of violence.
“We’re used to seeing ugly incidents outside stadiums, but this time nothing happened. Women and children fled the stadium? This is not true, we have been attentive to this situation.”
His interviewers asked for comment on the fans’ demands to captain Marco Rossi that he and his teammates handed over their shirts, as they had deemed the footballers ‘unworthy’ of wearing them.
“Up to 3-0 we cheered as usual. There was no premeditation [to humiliate the players], but then what prevailed was a mixture of anger and concern.
“It was more concern in truth, because we risk relegation and that was a turning point.
“We did not force the players to remove their shirts. We asked. Because they had dishonoured them.”
As a result of the fans’ actions, Genoa will play their remaining two games of the season at Marassi behind closed doors.