Italian police say 1,000 Juventus fans injured in Turin stampede during Champions League final screening

Thousands of fans were watching the final against Real Madrid in a public scare when a bang was heard, leading to a stampede among the thousands of panicked supporters

The stampede occurred in in San Carlo Square (Getty)

Italian police confirmed on Sunday morning that around 1,000 football fans were injured in one of Turin’s main public squares when a firecracker prompted panic and mayhem among panicked Juventus supporters.

It is believed that around five people were seriously hurt, including a 7-year-old boy who was trampled, Sky TG24 reported.

Thousands of fans had gathered to watch the Champions League final in front of a giant screen in San Carlo Square.

During the second half of the match, which local club Juventus went on to lose 1-4 to Real Madrid, video cameras show a sudden rush in the middle of the crowd that caused a surge that flung people against barriers.

A number of Juventus fans were injured in the incident (Getty)

Many fans then began to run out of the centre of the square, screaming in fear.

The panic may been started by the explosion of a loud firecracker that was mistaken for a bomb, a Reuters witness said.

Afterwards shoes and bags littered the ground, people were seen limping and searching desperately for friends and relatives, the witness said.

A supporter surveys the wreckage (Getty)

Police have set up an information point to help people find their loved ones, and they are investigating what caused the panic.

"We heard a noise, then there was a movement of people like a wave and everyone started falling over each other," said Luca, one of the fans caught up in the drama.

"I have got blood on me from the people who fell on top of me, people were screaming, jumping over each other," he told AFPTV. "It was really awful - we really thought it was Manchester again."

Juventus fans were watching the match in a public square (Getty)

Another fan, Giulio, said: "Everyone just trampled over me. I got separated from all my friends. I don't have the slightest idea what happened."

A fan named Filippo said that he had taken refuge in a restaurant in a neighbouring square. "They gave us something to drink and we stayed there until it was calm outside and we went back to find the shoe my daughter had lost."

"It was very stressful," added Gaetan. "With everything that is going on nowadays, it's only to be expected. We just panicked and tried to get out of there."