The hardcore element of fans reportedly reacted by sending death threats to players – claims that Nocerina vehemently denied yesterday. Nocera public prosecutor Giancarlo Izzo has opened an investigation into Sunday’s events.

The contest was called off by the referee after just 21 minutes, by which stage five Nocerina players had gone down with injuries that were allegedly faked. All three permitted substitutions had been made in the early minutes of the match.

“It has been an unseemly and unworthy scene,” Abete said on the Italian federation’s website, www.figc.it.

“It constitutes a wound and damage for the whole football world.

“It would have been better if the club (Nocerina) and the team had notified us that they were not in a serene condition to step onto the pitch, because it can happen that the strength of those threats and the pressure of those individuals that have no legal culture can come to this situation, but there’s absolutely no room for that act.

“The behaviour of the club and of those that are part of it is incomprehensible and will be the object of an evaluation by the relevant judicial bodies.

“Everyone is entitled to be frightened but the duty on the pitch is to respect the rules.”

Video footage taken at Nocerina’s training ground, where supporters allegedly made death threats, is being examined.

“We cannot tolerate that 200 fans, identified and not hiding away from thousands of people, have threatened their team,” Abete said.

Nocerina turned down the resignations of club sporting director Luigi Pavarese and coach Gaetano Fontana on Monday.