ROME - Three Catania supporters were rushed to hospital after being stabbed before their match at Roma.
The three are not as badly injured as first thought, with the most serious expected to be in hospital for around three weeks after being stabbed in the back.
He was taken to the San Giacomo hospital along with another supporter who has already been discharged.
The third fan is recovering at the Santo Spirito hospital but is expected to be discharged in the next few days.
The clashes took place near the Stadio Olimpico shortly before Catania's Serie A match against Roma.
The situation was quickly calmed by the police.
This latest incident comes just two months after violence rocked Italian football once again when a Lazio fan was shot dead by a policeman.
That same weekend Roma's game against Cagliari was postponed and fans rioted in the Italian capital, attacking police barracks and the headquarters of the Italian Olympic Committee.
Last April the Italian government introduced new measures aimed at stamping out football hooliganism after a policeman was killed in rioting at a match in Sicily in February.
Roma's Spalletti speaks out at fan violance, hooliganism
ROME - Roma coach Luciano Spalletti has urged fans to help stamp out hooliganism after violence rocked Italian football once again at the weekend.
Three Catania supporters were rushed to hospital after being stabbed before their match in the Italian capital on Sunday, although none of them are in a critical condition.
This latest incident comes just two months after a Lazio fan was shot dead by a policeman and Roma fans rioted in their home city, attacking police barracks and the headquarters of the Italian Olympic Committee.
"Those that commit acts of violence are delinquents, cretins and cowards," Spalletti told radio programme Anch'io lo Sport.
"They need to be stopped and to identify them we need the help of proper supporters.
"They now need to make an effort so that these cowards can be identified."
But Spalletti slammed Catania president Antonino Pulvirenti's suggestion that Roma's Stadio Olimpico should be closed to all fans following Sunday's violence.
"Pulvirenti is asking for the Olimpico to be closed? Maybe our 7-0 victory over them last year still hurts," added the Roma boss.
"We need to be careful not to confuse a criminal act with the disappointment of losing.
"Rather than closing a stadium down we need to all be united in the battle against incidents such as these."
The Italian authorities have been quick to act following the incident and have banned Roma fans from Wednesday's Coppa Italia match at Sampdoria.
A brief statement from Italy's anti-hooliganism body explained the reasoning behind their decision.
"After looking at the serious incidents that occurred yesterday outside the Stadio Olimpico, which led to three Catania fans being injured, we decided to come down severely on the Roma fans," read the statement.
"They (the incidents) were caused by a core group of Roma supporters who deliberately organised and carried out the violence.
"We decided to act in the immediate, medium and long-term future."
