Eight footballers from same team rushed to hospital with 21 members of club struck down by severe food poisoning

EIGHT Salernitana players were rushed to hospital due to severe food poisoning.

The incident occurred just hours after they were beaten 2-0 by Sampdoria on Sunday in the first leg of a play-off to avoid relegation to the Italian third tier.

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Eight Salernitana stars were taken to hospital due to food poisoning[/caption]

Salernitana stars were on a chartered flight home from Genoa when several people fell ill.

Gazzetta dello Sport claim many started to feel sick after eating a meal on board that had been prepared at the team’s hotel.

In total, 21 members of staff, including eight players, were said to be suffering with “gastrointestinal problems” and were in “excruciating pain”.

Upon their landing back home at Salerno-Costa d’Amalfi Airport, FOUR AMBULANCES were called to treat the team and some were rushed to hospital.

The majority were discharged a few hours later yet some remain with doctors.

Training today has been cancelled as many still feel unwell.

Salernitana have requested for the second leg of their tie against Sampdoria on Friday night be postponed.

Club chief Maurizio Milan said in a statement: “We are sincerely shocked by what happened and by the series of events that risk undermining Salernitana’s regular and peaceful approach to the final and fundamental minutes of the season.

“We have already interfaced informally with the Lega Serie B, receiving a general openness to evaluate our requests.

“Many players and staff, at the moment, are not even able to show up at the sports centre to resume training.

“We trust in the availability of the relevant bodies so that this serious situation can be taken into account and, at the same time, ascertain the causes of this widespread and serious episode.”

Police in Genoa have attended the hotel where the team was staying to start their investigation.

Salernitana and Sampdoria finished 16th and 17th in Serie B – Italy’s equivalent of the Championship.

The Italian relegation system sees the bottom three sides automatically relegated to the third tier, but the sides 16th and 17th playing a two-legged tie to determine which side also drops down a division.

Spurs woes

The Salernitana incident will bring back bad memories for Tottenham fans whose players were struck down by food poisoning ahead of a crucial game.

Needing only to match Arsenal’s result on the final day of the 2005/06 season to secure Champions League football, a number of players fell ill due to a dodgy lasagne.

They ended up losing 2-1 to West Ham, with their bitter rivals securing a place in Europe’s top tier instead.

Spurs appear to be able to finally laugh at the episode after making reference to it during their new kit launch.