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Players banned for total of 59 games after mass tunnel brawl in Italy

Suspensions totalling 59 games have been handed out after a half-time brawl in the tunnel at an Italian amateur league game left a player with fractured ribs.

Fighting between Vittoria and Paterno players broke out in the tunnel and was captured by closed circuit television cameras.

Footage of the brawl has been published by the local Corriere di Ragusa newspaper and tweeted by Gazzetta dello Sport.

Bans totalling 36 games have been handed out to members of the home team, with 23 matches given to the visitors.

The game has been declared a 3-0 loss for both teams, with fines of €6,000 imposed on each.

Giovanni D'Iapico, the Vittoria secretary, said the club would appeal.

"We will be presenting our documentation to the Lega by Friday, also in view of the police images which clarify further details," he said.

"We are taking immediate action to understand why some of the players who were not even present in the tunnel have still been banned."

The game was abandoned after the referee had to show too many red cards in the brawl for play to be able to continue.

Both clubs have threatened to withdraw from the league in protest.