FOOTBALL fans brawled and threw chairs as a huge scrap broke out ahead of a Champions League match.

Supporters of Napoli and Sporting Lisbon clashed in the streets before tonight’s European showdown at the Stadio Diego Maradona.

Video footage taken from a balcony showed fans from both sides attacking each other with chairs and sticks outside a bar.

Some supporters hurled items and stones as locals ran for cover.

While other fans appeared to be wearing crash helmets, possibly indicating a premeditated fight.

The violent scenes played out for several minutes as bystanders fled.

And in the end, one set of fans ran down a street as the others paced away in the opposite direction.

Tonight’s clash sees Sporting, the champions of Portugal, face a tough away trip at Italian champions Napoli.

But Sporting’s preparations have been far from ideal.

Their team plane was delayed for four hours at Lisbon airport due to traffic and a problem with the aircraft.

It meant Sporting only landed in Naples at 111 pmlast night, forcing manager Rui Borges’ pre-match press conference to be cancelled.

Players hoping for a decent night’s sleep were also left disappointed.

Napoli fans set off a load of fireworks in the middle of the night outside Sporting’s hotel.

And the Portuguese side are sure to have taken an emergency nap in the build-up to tonight’s battle.