Club bosses were filmed brawling in the director’s box as a promotion play-off semi-final turned ugly.
The clash broke out at half-time during the second leg of the Italian Serie B semi-final between Palermo and Catanzaro yesterday (21 May).
Catanzaro sporting director Ciro Polito and several family members became embroiled in a mass brawl with Palermo fans and stewards in the director’s box at the Stadio Renzo Barbera in Palermo.
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The fight started at half-time with Palermo leading 1-0 on the night but trailing 3-0 on aggregate from the first leg.
Catanzaro eventually advanced to the promotion final despite ultimately losing 2-0 on the night, as reported by Need To Know.
According to multiple eyewitnesses, the trouble began when Ciro’s son Vincenzo Polito, a player in the Maltese league, was involved in a heated row with a Palermo supporter.
A man in a white shirt then approached him from behind and tapped him twice on the shoulder.
According to the images, Vincenzo reacted angrily and attacked the man, sparking a large-scale fight involving around 20 people.
The brawl quickly engulfed members of the Catanzaro delegation, Palermo fans, and security stewards.
Ciro stepped in to defend his son as punches and scuffles spread across the VIP area.
The sporting director then accompanied his relatives to hospital and missed the second half of the match.
Several other members of the Catanzaro party required hospital checks after the incident, with at least two people reported as injured.
Following the brawl, Catanzaro president Floriano Noto said he was “ashamed” by the violence and has since filed a police report.
Noto, who was not present at the stadium at the time, said: “We witnessed indecorous scenes.
“In the stands, the wife and son of our sporting director Ciro Polito, and other staff members were attacked, as well as the manager’s parents, his mother was in tears.”
He added that some stewards also behaved unprofessionally.
Palermo sources pushed back, claiming Noto’s version “mystifies reality” because he was not at the ground.
The Italian football authorities are expected to investigate the cause of the brawl, along with other reported tensions including a firecracker exploding near Catanzaro players after the final whistle.
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