Lava spewed down the sides of Mount Etna as home side Catania met Roma to play out the last 25 minutes of match that had previously been abandoned due to heavy rain.
Catania Airport was closed as columns of hot ash rose high into the sky, forcing the Serie A stars, unable to fly back to the capital, to stay on the island until it re-opened at 7am this morning.
Lighting up: Mount Etna once again burst into life as it spewed lava on the southern Italian island of Sicily
Closure: Catania Airport was shut as columns of hot ash rose high into the sky
Blow out: Mount Etna erupted several times last year, but many of them were short-lived
But bosses are currently only allowing five flights per hour. Travellers are also being warned of delays to their departures. The 3,295m peak regularly awakens to spew lava and ash, eruptions that sometimes last for days at a time and can force the closure of Catania Airport.
Etna erupted several times last year, but many of them were short-lived. In July, bemused Sicilians were quick to blame the volcano after thousands noticed that their clocks were running 15 minutes fast.
The fast forward time keeping affected a wide spectrum of digital clocks and watches - from computers through to alarm clocks. It was spotted when large numbers of locals started turning up for work early, and a Facebook page was organised for those involved to compare notes.
As well as Etna's volcanic activity, users blamed aliens, poltergeists, solar explosions and electrical disturbances caused by underwater cables. Originally played on January 15, the game had been called off after 65 minutes due to a waterlogged pitch.
Spooky: The molten lava spews out of Mount Etna to flow down its snow-covered slopes
Beauty: Mount Etna may cause disruption to flights, and cause the odd panic, but the majority of Sicilians enjoy seeing the mountain burst into life
Ever present: Mount Etna spews out lava as a solitary car passes through a motorway toll barrier
Power: Mount Etna has bewitched Sicilians for hundreds of years as it is continually erupting
Explosions: Mount Etna illuminated the night sky as it erupted
Under Italian League rules, games are restarted from the point they were suspended rather than being replayed. Last month, Nicola Legrottaglie had given the Sicilian hosts the lead only for Daniele De Rossi to equalise four minutes later.
In the final 25 minutes both sides had a chance to win it. But visiting goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg made a great save to deny Cristian LLama while home stopper Tomas Kosicky pulled off an even better one to thwart Fabio Borini. The result meant Roma failed to leapfrog Inter Milan into fifth while Catania moved up one place to 14th.
Combat: Catania met Roma to play out the last 25 minutes of match that had previously been abandoned due to heavy rain ( dailymail.co.uk )
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