Nightmare trip to Italy: Arsenal fans accuse Napoli

Arsenal fans vented their frustration after the away trip to Naples, Italy, where they won 1‑0 in the first Champions League match but endured a ninety‑minute bus ride at 33 °C without air‑conditioning.

Travel conditions

According to Stampa A− A+, the headline reads “Never again an away trip to Italy&ldquo”. The Neapolitan authorities arranged a shuttle for the outbound and another for the return, but fans had to wait 75 minutes before boarding the bus, with temperatures above 30 °C and no air‑conditioning.

The bus was tiny and the temperature onboard reached 33 °C. Fans were prohibited from wearing or carrying Arsenal shirts, and one of them commented: “If they had been livestock they would have fined them”. Another described the situation as “a sh**show for Arsenal fans in Naples”.

Timings and fan perception

The imposed schedule called for a meeting at 16:00, departure to the stadium at 18:30 and kickoff at 21:00. A supporter recalled having played at San Siro twice and stated that “there’s no comparison for the atmosphere”, adding that he will avoid returning to Italy until he is treated as he deserves.

The Gunners entered the Maradona when the stadium was still half‑empty and left around 1:30 am. The authorities closed access to the ground with a 75‑minute block both outbound and inbound, leaving fans to wait outside for hours.

Not all supporters shared the negative assessment; some praised the city’s vibrant colours and the stadium atmosphere, calling it “a pleasant Neapolitan experience”. However, recurring issues in the security protocols seem to make visiting guest fans increasingly difficult.

The discontent is evident and fans said they doubt the situation will change, urging Italian authorities to adopt leaner rules, similar to those applied to Italian fan groups in the United Kingdom.