Napoli fan banned from stadium for five years after Coppa Italia violence
ROME (AP) A Napoli fan has been banned from attending matches for five years in the wake of violent scenes which marred Saturday's Coppa Italia final and left a fellow supporter fighting for his life.
Violence flared before and during the match between Napoli and Fiorentina, which was delayed by 40 minutes and only went ahead after Napoli captain Marek Hamsik talked with the fans before kickoff in an effort to calm them.
The Napoli ultras leader who negotiated with Hamsik and police has been given the stadium ban for inciting violence. Gennaro De Tommaso was pictured wearing a T-shirt with the words `Speziale Libero' calling for the release of the Catania fan who threw a concrete block which killed a police officer in 2007.
Napoli went on to beat Fiorentina 3-1.
