'No Dutch fans will be welcome' for match between Napoli, Feyenoord

Feyenoord Rotterdam’s fans won’t be crossing Europe.

On Monday, Feyenoord received a copy of a document issued to SSC Napoli by the Prefetto della Provincia di Napoli, confirming “no Dutch fans will be welcome in Stadio San Paolo” for the Champions League game between the two clubs on Sept. 26.

“It is much to Feyenoord’s regret that coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side will not benefit from the support of the club’s fans in the second Champions League Group F match,” Feyenoord said. “In response to the decision of the Italian authorities, the club has decided not to organise a trip for the Feyenoord Business Club. The squad will be accompanied by no more than a small group of officials.”

In 2015, before a Europa League match between Feyenoord and AS Roma in Rome, 23 of the Dutch club’s supporters – 6,500 of whom were thought to have descended upon Italy’s capital – were arrested, and 19 were charged. Drunk fans caused damage to buildings and hurled bottles at riot police. The return leg in the Netherlands was then overshadowed by crowd trouble and included an apparent incident of racism, as the game was suspended when an inflatable banana was thrown on the pitch.