Naples orders alcohol and glass ban in centre for Napoli-Arsenal

Mayor Gaetano Manfredi has signed an ordinance extending the drink-sale restrictions already in place for Napoli's home games to several areas of the city centre, ahead of Napoli-Arsenal on Wednesday 9 September at 21:00 CET (20:00 UK, 15:00 ET) at the Maradona. The move follows a request from the Questura (the police headquarters), which cited the expected influx of visitors, busier bars and venues, and large crowds on the streets and squares.

What's banned

The same central areas face a total ban on serving and selling alcohol and spirits. That measure adds to, rather than replaces, the existing rule at the Maradona and in the streets around it, where alcohol is banned from three hours before kickoff - so from 18:00 - until two hours after the final whistle.

A high-risk game

Napoli-Arsenal opens the Champions League League Phase and is Massimiliano Allegri's first European game since Antonio Conte's departure. The Questura has classified it as high-risk for public order, with around 1,500 Arsenal supporters expected. The Maradona will not be sold out either: about 45,000 tickets have been sold out of a capacity of 54,726.

From 12:00 on Wednesday 9 September, the city lives with these restrictions into the small hours, while inside the stadium Napoli look to turn the page in Europe after a stumbling start to the season in Serie A and the transfer window.