There was a scandal in Italian football. In the relegation match between Salernitana and Sampdoria, the focus was not on the players, but on the fans, who caused the match to be abandoned.
The second leg of the Serie B play-off between Salernitana and Sampdoria was about relegation. The loser will be relegated to the third-tier Serie C. After Salernitana had already lost the first leg 2-0, the second leg at home in the Stadio Arechi also looked bleak. Salernitana were once again 2-0 down.
What then happened in the stands was no longer passion, but sheer frustration: smoke bombs flew onto the pitch, followed shortly afterwards by rows of seats. The match was interrupted by referee Daniele Doveri in the 65th minute and abandoned ten minutes later.
For many fans, relegation was probably unimaginable. Just a year ago, they were playing in Serie A against top clubs such as Napoli, Inter and Juventus. In the end, it was the loss of control in the stands that sealed the club's fate. In all likelihood, the match was scored 3:0 in favor of Sampdoria. This means that the fans from Salerno, who actually wanted to support their team, were the ones who finally knocked them out of the league with their escalation.
Sampdoria stay up after all, six weeks after relegation
For Sampdoria, on the other hand, an emotional rollercoaster ride has a happy ending. Six weeks ago, the cult club, which became Italian champions in 1991, was relegated from Serie B in sporting terms. But because points were deducted from Brescia Calcio, Sampdoria still made it to the relegation play-offs and secured a play-off match against Salernitana. The team from Salerno, on the other hand, complained to the association court - did not want to play the game and still had to play.
The worst-case scenario for Salerno had indeed come to pass. In sporting terms, they had no chance against Sampdoria and the fans showed their worst side. In all likelihood, they will only be playing in Serie C next season, while Sampdoria just managed to pull their heads out of the noose.