Protests threatened after Torino players insulted

The Italian Professional Footballers' Association (AIC) has threatened to stage protests after a group of Serie B Torino's players were confronted by angry fans late on Wednesday.

Fans furious at the poor form of the Turin club, who are 10th in the second tier after being relegated from Serie A last season, reportedly insulted, threatened and spat at the players following a birthday party.

The AIC said that it "expresses totally solidarity with the Torino players who suffered a vile ambush, attacked outside a restaurant after dinner with their families, and firmly condemns this shameful incident."

It also called on the Italian Football Federation and the Football League to take a stand, saying players of Serie A Palermo and Serie B Brescia had been the victims of similar incidents recently.

"The repetition of such appalling episodes will force the AIC to resort to appropriate acts of protest," it added on its website (www.assocalciatori.it).

Italy is trying to defeat a serious hooliganism problem that has dogged the game in recent years. The government plans to introduce electronic supporter identity cards next season for fans to carry to away matches.