A Chelsea fan expressed his “shock” after being stabbed and hospitalized ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League match against Napoli in Italy.
Marcus, 22, who preferred not to disclose his last name, recounted how he and a group of Chelsea supporters were attacked in central Naples by a group of Napoli ‘ultras,’ a term referring to dedicated fan groups in European football.
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“We turned a corner—it wasn’t exactly an alley but felt like one since it was unlit,” he explained. “There were around 20 or 30 individuals dressed in black approaching us, and upon making eye contact, some people realized what was about to happen and ran immediately.”
Marcus, who was with “seven or eight” friends, added: “It was definitely shocking. Everyone was rattled when we eventually located the police.”
“I was wearing shorts that ended up covered in blood, with it streaming down my leg. We believe it was a screwdriver, possibly even a Stanley blade. It was either one of those,” he recalled.
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“I didn’t really feel the injury until I started running. My left cheek felt heavy and when I touched it, my hand was covered in blood.”
Following the incident on Tuesday night, Chelsea issued a warning to fans on their social media, urging them to remain vigilant while out in public.
In a statement, Chelsea said: “The club is aware of an incident that occurred on Tuesday evening in Naples. Two fans are currently receiving treatment in the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.”
“The club encourages all supporters to exercise extreme caution in the city and heed the advice provided prior to this fixture.”
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Marcus was treated in the hospital from 23:00 to 04:00 local time before he filed a report with the police on Wednesday afternoon. He mentioned that he still plans to attend the match at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, as he avoided serious injury, but intends to leave Naples the following day for Rome.
The other injured fan was treated for injuries resulting from being punched and kicked.
The European football governing body UEFA has been contacted for commentary.