VIDEO: Italy - Serbia Euro 2012 qualifier suspended due to crowd trouble

The Euro 2012 qualifier between Italy and Serbia has been called off because of fan trouble.

Serbia fans had been in an a boisterous and rowdy mood all day and unconfirmed reports claim they attacked their own team bus and injured goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic, but that was just the beginning as a recipe for conflict brewed inside the ground.

Timeline of events at Marassi:

20:50CET: Fan trouble has caused a stand-off at Marassi as Serbia Ultras cause havoc, putting the Euro 2012 qualifier with Italy at risk of being called off.

Around 2000 Serbia fans have been causing trouble since this afternoon, and unconfirmed reports claim the Serbian goalkeeper was injured when a flare was thrown into the team bus.

As things stand the game looks like it will be called off. UEFA delegates and officials are calling an emergency meeting with the Italian FA officials.

Around 100 riot police are on the pitch in the section below the Serbia fans.

The teams initially came on to the pitch, but the trouble and tension, always mounting, forced them to head back into the dressing rooms for safety reasons.

Serbia fans are showing resistance. They want conflict with the police and are instigating violent reactions.

One big man wearing a mask seems to be the ring-leader as he tore the large curtain seperating the stand from the pitch with a sharp object. Another Ultra also sitting on the fence burned an Albanian flag.

21:00 CET: Flares are being thrown at police who seem likely to enter the stand, but this could cause explosive tension.

Authorities are doubting the game will go ahead. Italian and Serbian police are discussing ways to deal with the trouble.

Italy fans in the stand next to Serbian Ultras are being moved on. There is a stand-off between police and Serbia Ultras.

Players are back on the pitch warming up, sending a message that they want to play.

However, Serbia fans have armed themselves and are starting to smash the reinforced barriers in an attempt a breaking out to fight the police.

21:12 CET: Sadly it's all heading towards unsavoury scenes.

Serbia team bus driver has told Rai television that Serbia Ultras boarded the coach and threw a flare at Stojkovic, injuring him. He is not even on the bench tonight.

Fans continue to smash glass in Marassi.

21:15 CET: Police have positioned themselves towards the emergency exit and they are planning to force the Serbia fans to leave the ground.

21:17 CET: Security people are frantically working to solve the problem. The latest from Italian commentators claim UEFA want the game to go ahead.

21:18: UEFA have confirmed the game will go ahead, according to RAI.

21:20: Dejan Stankovic to RAI: "We are trying to calm our fans, not applaud them."

21:21: Italy's head of security: "There are conditions to play. The game will go ahead."

The game finally kicked off shortly after, but six minutes into the clash two flares were thrown from the Serbia end and landed close to Italy goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano who walked away.

That incident was finally enough for referee Craig Thomson to blow his whistle and order the players to leave the pitch.

After a consultation between referee, Italy, Serbia and UEFA delegates, the Italian FA confirmed the game would be abandoned.

Italy head of security Roberto Masucci told RAI: "The game has been suspended because of a decision by the referee."

Fans have gone home. Around 1,000 have remained inside the ground. An official announcement is pending.

Source: goal.com