Some Roma fans who attended the Champions League semi-final against Liverpool claimed the policing was “embarrassing” and they “feared being killed.”
A 53-year-old Liverpool fan was left in an induced coma after an attack by two Roma ultras, members of the notorious Fedayn group, who have been remanded in custody.
Rome-based Il Tempo newspaper gathered statements from various other Giallorossi supporters who made the trip to Anfield for the game and found the approach to security very different to what they were accustomed to in Italy.
Some Roma fans who attended the Champions League semi-final against Liverpool claimed the policing was “embarrassing” and they “feared being killed.”
A 53-year-old Liverpool fan was left in an induced coma after an attack by two Roma ultras, members of the notorious Fedayn group, who have been remanded in custody.
Rome-based Il Tempo newspaper gathered statements from various other Giallorossi supporters who made the trip to Anfield for the game and found the approach to security very different to what they were accustomed to in Italy.
“I’ll never go to an away game in England again, because it’s not worth it if I have to fear being killed,” said Francesco.
“We had to club together in a sort of march towards the nearest taxi rank and the six or seven police officers accompanying us made us walk past the pubs frequented by our rivals.
“At the crossing with Everton Valley, five or six Reds fans jumped out and threw rocks and bottles at us. A couple of ours tried to defend themselves, but rather than block them, the police charged us.
“I found myself crushed up against a wall and thought ‘I’m either getting arrested or killed here.’ Then reinforcements arrived and in the end they took us up to the World Museum, 4.5km from Anfield Road.”
Giulio’s problems occurred even before the semi-final, as he claimed “all the taxis refused to take us on board” to reach the stadium.
“Once we got there, we found no police at all, just a couple of stewards. To reach the away section, we necessarily had to go under the Kop, so right in the middle of their fans. It was an incredible crush, there were a thousand of us in one little corner.”
Another fan, named Luca, said that at the entrance he “saw a supporter with blood coming down his face after a clash with other fans. It was just chaos and the security measures were bland at best. Contact between the sets of fans was inevitable.”
The Stadio Olimpico has two levels of security checks before anyone can enter the arena.
“The security checks in Liverpool were embarrassing,” Antonio was quoted as saying in the newspaper.
“There’s no filtering system, people with backpacks went in without anyone checking the contents, even the frisking was perfunctory. Compared to other stadiums in Europe, it’s all very relaxed – too relaxed, unfortunately.”
Stefano claimed he was “charged by police on horseback after accidentally going down the wrong road.”
A supporter called Marco felt trouble was inevitable with the lack of police presence in the city.
“During the day in the streets of Liverpool, I didn’t see a single policeman, which is crazy when the game is so high-risk. A friend of mine was punched and kicked, he ran off and asked a policeman to intervene, but was told to ‘go away.’
“So he got in a taxi, gave the driver £50 and convinced him to take him away from that hell-hole.”