WHAT should have been a showcase clash between two European footballing giants was left under a cloud of violence.

Even Napoli’s own fans spoke of their shame after the ugly scenes of violence and intimidation that overshadowed their side’s Europa League match with Liverpool.

Napoli’s hard-core supporters, known as Ultras, were blamed for the violence.

It led to two Liverpool supporters being stabbed in Naples’ old town on Wednesday night, and another three wounded in a separate incident.

Three arrests have been made in connection with the attacks that left Gary Brown, from Bedfordshire, and his two sons Daniel, 23, and Adam, 17, needing hospital treatment. The injured fans were later discharged.

Police also seized a number of weapons, including six-foot planks of wood with protruding screws, a baseball bat, knuckle dusters and iron bars.

And the threat of attacks was considered so high that Italian police asked the estimated 1,200 Liverpool fans who made the trip to stick to certain designated areas before kick-off at the Estadio San Paulo, in order to keep them out of harm’s way.