The city derby between Juventus Turin and Torino on the final day of Serie A was overshadowed by significant chaos.
Prior to the match, clashes occurred between the fan groups of the two rival clubs. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, eight Juventus supporters were arrested by the police following the disturbances. Several individuals were reportedly injured, including one seriously.
The derby, originally scheduled for Sunday evening at 8:45 PM, had to be postponed due to safety concerns stemming from the fan confrontations. During the warm-up, Juventus fans urged their own team not to play the match in light of the incidents.
Most of the players initially retreated to the locker rooms, while Juventus captain Manuel Locatelli attempted to appease the fans. During this time, Juventus supporters allegedly signaled to the midfielder that they would storm the pitch if the game were to commence.
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Around 9:30 PM, the players eventually returned to the pitch at Torino’s stadium and began warming up again. The crucial match for Juventus finally kicked off at approximately 9:50 PM. The away section had been cleared prior to the restart.
In the final stretch of the Serie A season, Juventus is competing with AC Milan, AS Roma, and Como for the remaining two Champions League qualification spots, third and fourth place. Before this matchday, Juventus sat in sixth place and desperately needed a victory to overtake at least two of their three rivals for a spot in Europe’s elite competition.