Italian police have detained eight individuals following a violent ambush by Udinese fans on a train carrying Venezia supporters after a Serie A match on Saturday, February 1.
The confrontation occurred at Basiliano station near Udine, leaving several people injured, including police officers, and causing significant damage to the train.
Around 1,200 Venezia fans were traveling home after their team’s 3-2 loss to Udinese when approximately 50 Udinese supporters, some masked and armed with flares and smoke bombs, blocked the train and began throwing objects at the carriages.
The situation escalated into a large brawl when several Venezia fans got off the train to confront the attackers.
Six Venezia fans were injured, two of whom required hospitalization. Three police officers were also injured while trying to control the violence. A police helicopter was deployed to assist on the ground, and most of the Udinese fans fled the scene when authorities intervened.
Eight people were arrested in connection with the ambush, including five Austrians, a Bosnian residing in Austria, an Albanian, and an Italian. Investigations are ongoing to identify additional individuals involved.
The train, which was carrying the Venezia supporters, was damaged in the attack, and passengers who were not attending the match were transferred to another train. The Venezia fans were moved to unaffected carriages, and the train resumed its journey at around 8:00 PM local time.
Both Udinese and Venezia condemned the violence, expressed support for the injured, and pledged full cooperation with authorities. Udinese released a strong statement, declaring that “those who tarnish the sport with violence are not fans.”
This incident adds to a history of tension between the two fan bases, including a previous violent altercation in Venice on October 30, when Udinese fans were attacked near a train station.
Police had stationed officers at Basiliano in anticipation of potential unrest, as the match was categorized as high-risk. Reports suggest that Udinese ultras were joined by supporters of the Austrian club Salzburg, with whom they have established connections.
