FOOTBALL CLOSES-IL CALCIO CHIUDE

 On 2 February 2007, a riot occurred between football supporters and the police in Catania, Sicily. The clashes occurred during and after the Serie A match between the home team, Catania and local rivals Palermo, both football clubs, playing in the Sicilian Derby. Police officer, Filippo Raciti was killed; in response Italia Football was suspended for about a week.

Gazzetta dello Sport frontpage on 3 February. The headline reads: Policeman murdered, football closes

The football match between Catania and Palermo, a derby between two of the three Serie A clubs that hail from Sicily (the other being Messina), was originally scheduled to be played on 4 February at 15:00. However, after requests from the Catania management, the Lega Nazionale Professionisti brought the match forward to 2 February, with 18:00 as the scheduled kick-off time, in order to avoid clashing with the official St Agatha celebrations in Catania.

The match started without the Palermo supporters, who arrived in the stadium ten minutes after the beginning of the second half, allegedly because of organizational problems. After the Palermo supporters' entrance, with Palermo leading 1–0 thanks to a controversial goal by Andrea Caracciolo, the throwing of smoke bombs and firecrackers started, forcing the police to reply by throwing tear gas canisters towards the Ultras (groups of football supporters). As a result, the match referee Stefano Farina decided to suspend the match for over forty minutes, in part because tear gas had drifted into the stadium and was affecting the players. After the end of the match, won 2–1 by Palermo, Catania supporters outside the venue began attacking members of the police force; Raciti died during these incidents, a fatality which was found to be due to severe liver injuries caused by a blunt object, contradicting an initial hypothesis which claimed his death was caused by an improvised explosive device. The local magistrate assured there was no direct responsibility by Palermo supporters in the events. The riot's sole fatality was police officer Filippo Raciti.

Born in Catania, Raciti joined the Italian police in June 1986, and joined the local flying squad in late 2006. He lived in Acireale, with his wife and two children, aged 15 and 9.

A week before his death, Raciti gave evidence at the trial of a football hooligan, who was then freed by the local magistrate. According to one of his colleagues, the hooligan laughed in his face as he left the court. Raciti died as a result of liver damage caused by blunt object trauma, disproving an initial hypothesis which claimed his death was caused by a homemade firecracker.

Raciti's death provoked outrage in Italy, with a great and somewhat uncommon amount of solidarity towards the Italian law enforcement forces, and massive coverage worldwide. A 17-year-old from Catania was later jailed and detained in custody, charged with the murder. As of February 2007, he was being investigated by the Italian police.

On 17 February 2007, the city council of Quarrata, in Tuscany, approved a proposal to name the local football stadium after the Italian policeman. An official ceremony, also attended by Raciti's widow, was held on 10 March, making Quarrata the first city to name a stadium after him.

Catania chairman and owner Antonino Pulvirenti announced his willingness to leave the football world, stating it was not possible to go on "doing football" in the city of Catania. A couple of days later he reconsidered.

On 2 September, Stadio Massimino finally reopened its doors for the first time since the tragic events causing Raciti's death, hosting a Serie A game between Catania and Genoa after which the venue underwent major work to fulfil the newly introduced safety regulations. Raciti's widow Marisa Grasso attended the match, and one minute silence was observed before the starting whistle to honour her husband's memory.