The suspects, aged between 32 and 45 and who include a woman, have all been issued with a five-year ban from all sporting events – known as a DASPO.

The Friuli club has also announced that it will ban them from the stadium for life.

On Monday a 46-year-old known criminal from the province of Udine got a five-year DASPO for shouting racial slurs - 12 times - at Maignan.

The referee temporarily suspended the game over the monkey chants and other insults suffered by the player.

FIFA has led condemnation of the episode and Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi described it as “abominable”.

ANSA