The second leg of the Serie B relegation playoff between hosts Salernitana and Sampdoria was abandoned on Sunday after home fans threw smoke bombs and seats onto the pitch.
The former Serie A champions were leading 2-0 on the night and 4-0 on aggregate when players were ordered off the field after 65 minutes because of unrest from Salernitana supporters in the stands.
According to Italian media, Sampdoria are likely to be awarded a 3-0 win, which would secure a 5-0 aggregate victory and guarantee their escape from what had seemed certain relegation to the third tier.
Sampdoria, Italian champions in 1991, were initially relegated to Serie C for the first time in their 78-year history, only to be handed a lifeline after the season ended when Brescia were docked eight points, dropping them below Sampdoria and granting the Genoa club a place in the relegation playoff.
Anger began early on in the match when Gian Marco Ferrari thought he had given Salernitana the lead midway through the first half, only for his goal to be ruled out for handball.
Four minutes later Massimo Coda scored for Sampdoria before Giuseppe Sibilli made it 4-0 on aggregate just after the break.
The home fans in Salerno immediately turned on their team following the second goal, with relegation to Serie C looking all but certain.
Flares, firecrackers and chairs were thrown on to the field and the game was halted numerous times before the players were taken off the field with 65 minutes on the clock.
With players of both sides in the dressing room, riot police tried to restore order to the situation.
Referee Daniele Doveri attempted to get the game restarted 10 minutes later but objects began to rain down once again and the match was abandoned.
Salernitana only needed an aggregate draw to stay up because of their higher placing in the table.
The second leg of the play-off, which was originally scheduled for Friday, took place on Sunday following a severe food poisoning outbreak in the Salernitana camp.
A formal request to reschedule the match was accepted after 21 of their travelling party became ill following last week’s 2-0 first-leg defeat.
