Italy's Euro 2012 qualifier against Serbia was suspended after just six minutes and was likely to be abandoned tonight when away fans threw flares onto the pitch and at Italian fans.
The Group C match kicked off 35 minutes late after Serbian fans burned flares and a few climbed up to the top of a fence enclosing them, ripping a hole in netting designed to prevent them throwing objects onto the field or at Italian supporters.
Earlier, Serbian media said away goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic had pulled out of the match on the way to the stadium after he was abused by his own fans in what the reports said was connected to domestic club rivalry.
The players came out onto the pitch for the kickoff but quickly returned to the dressing rooms after police and stewards tried to calm the Serbia fans in one corner as Italian supporters chanted obscenities at them.
Firefighters used a hose on an area of Italian seats where flares had landed.
Serbia players returned to the pitch after half an hour and tried to calm their fans but captain and Inter Milan midfielder Dejan Stankovic was visibily annoyed and knocked away a microphone as a reporter tried to talk to him.
The game finally kicked off after Italian fans had booed the Serbian anthem and the referee presided over an extremely short "minute" of applause for four Italian soldiers recently killed in Afghanistan.
Serbian media reported that Stojkovic had withdrawn from the game after receiving abuse from his own fans while approaching the Genoa stadium for the match.
Zeljko Brkic was named on the official team sheet instead of Stojkovic.
Serbia lost 3-1 at home to Estonia on Friday but local media said the abuse was more connected to Stojkovic now turning out for Partizan Belgrade having once played for hated rivals Red Star Belgrade.
Minor trouble was reported before kick off between traditionally combustible Serbian fans and Italian police outside the stadium.
Reuters