Milan and Fiorentina fans to be kept out

Following the violence and destruction caused by Napoli fans in Rome on the opening Serie A weekend of the season, AC Milan and Fiorentina supporters will be banned from travelling to their club's next away matches.

The decision has been taken by the Committee for the analysis of security at sporting events (Casms), the body charged with disicipline in the country's football leagues.

Napoli fans were on Monday night barred from all away matches this season by Italian Interior Minister Roberto Maroni.

And now Casms has said that in next weekend's championship matches Milan fans will be excluded from their match in Genoa while Fiorentina's fans will not be allowed to attend their game in Napoli, in both cases due to concerns over potential crowd trouble.

The game in Napoli may even be played behind closed doors.

But Italy captain and Real Madrid centre-back Fabio Cannavro, who is from Napoli, said it is not just his home-town fans who are a problem.

“It's not just a problem with Napoli but with the whole country,” said Cannavaro. “Right now I wouldn't take my kids to an Italian stadium.

“I'm proud of being Neapolitan but sadly problems happen everywhere. Shamefully there is a movement that is not turning away from violence. They need to start respecting the rules.”

Casms also decided to elevate security measures for Italy's World Cup qualifier against Georgia in Udine on September 10 and will look into the possibility of banning away fans from other Serie A matches throughout the season.

But despite the trouble on Sunday, where a train from Napoli to Rome was vandalised and 20 buses in the capital destroyed by Napoli fans, Palermo's chief of Police Antonio Manganelli believes violence is subsiding in the country.

Last February Italian police officer Filippo Raciti was killed during football violence surrounding the Sicilian derby between Catania and Palermo and Lazio fan Gabriele Sandri was shot dead by a policeman in November after clashes between Lazio and Juventus fans broke out at a service station.

“Despite Raciti's murder incidents in stadiums have diminished and so too even injuries sustained by forces of order and spectators,” said Maganelli.

“Now incidents are being controlled which is encouraging decent fans and families to return to stadiums.”