Sampdoria team bus attacked by own fans
Reuters - Sunday 17 April 2011, 12:35
MILAN - Sampdoria's team bus was
attacked with sticks and stones by the club's own supporters
when it arrived back in Genoa following Saturday's 3-0 defeat by
leaders AC Milan, the relegation-threatened side said on Sunday.
Media reports said windows of the bus were broken and
players received death threats.
"No sporting result, however negative, can justify actions
like those which happened on the team's return from Milan," a
club statement said.
"The situation is delicate but the only way we can get out
of it is by remaining united."
Samp finished fourth in Serie A last season but this
campaign has been miserable from even before the beginning and
could be about to have a very nasty end with the former European
Cup finalists a point above the drop zone with five games left.
Almost as soon as they had wrapped up fourth spot last May,
coach Luigi Del Neri quit for Juventus and they then lost a
Champions League qualifier to Werder Bremen.
Top strike duo Antonio Cassano and Giampaolo Pazzini left in
January for Milan and Inter Milan respectively after the former
fell out with owner Riccardo Garrone and the latter was let go
to raise funds.
Replacements such as on-loan Manchester United forward
Federico Macheda have flopped and they have slid down the table.