FOOTBALL fans brawled and threw chairs as a huge scrap broke out ahead of a Champions League match.
Supporters of and clashed in the streets before tonight’s European showdown at the Stadio Diego Maradona.
Football fans brawled and threw chairs ahead of Napoli vs Sporting Lisbon
The violent scenes played out in the streets of Naples
Video footage taken from a balcony showed fans from both sides attacking each other with chairs and sticks outside a bar.
Some supporters hurled items and seas as locals ran for cover.
While other fans appeared to be wearing crash helmets, possibly indicating a pre-meditated fight.
The violent scenes played out for several minutes as bystanders fled.
And in the end, one set of fans ran down a street as the others paced away in the opposite direction.
Tonight’s clash sees Sporting, the champions of Portugal, face a tough away trip at Italian champs Napoli.
But Sporting’s preparations have been far from ideal.
Their team plane was delayed for four hours at Lisbon airport due to traffic and a problem with the aircraft.
It meant Sporting only landed in Naples at 11pm last night, forcing manager Rui Borges’ pre-match press conference to be cancelled.
Players hoping for a decent night’s sleep were also left disappointed.
Napoli fans set off a load of fireworks during the middle of the night outside Sporting’s hotel.
And the Portuguese side are sure to have taken an emergency nap in the build-up to tonight’s battle.
