Bari ultras ‘set fire’ to Lecce fans’ bus as hundreds of rivals clash in ugly service station attack

LECCE fans have been ambushed and attacked by rival Bari supporters on the motorway ahead of their Serie A clash with Roma this evening.

The side’s ultras were travelling to the match at the Stadio Olimpico via bus, but were intercepted by their counterparts from Bari at a service station in the town of Cerignola.

Sky Italia

A trio of Lecce buses were set fire to by the Bari supporters, although thankfully it is thought that nobody has been seriously hurt.

The sides are fierce rivals, but haven’t met this season on account of the latter having to start again in Serie D after financial misdemeanours.

This has seen their clashes move to the motorway instead of the pitch in an unsavoury turn of events.

Bari released a club statement after the matter, condemning the incident.

It said: “SSC Bari intends to express the firmest condemnation for what happened today on the motorway section that connects Puglia to Campania.

“Any form of violence is to be condemned in the most absolute way; they are episodes that have nothing to do with the values ​​that the red and white society and the city of Bari have always promoted and supported.

“These episodes are to be condemned clearly and categorically. Those who have made themselves the protagonists of such vile and violent actions, have nothing to do with the civilisation and sportiness of most of Bari’s fans.

“While waiting for the competent authorities to fully shed light on what actually happened, the Company expresses all their solidarity with the US Lecce and its fans, together with the best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery to any wounded.”

The Roma – Lecce fixture this evening is one of just two Serie A games to go ahead today after precautions were taken over coronavirus fears in Italy.

Matches including Inter Milan vs Sampdoria and Atalanta vs Sassuolo have been postponed after an amateur footballer from Lodi was hospitalised with the disease.

Italian Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora announced that all sporting activity in Lombardy and Veneto this weekend was to be rearranged.

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