Champions League - Arsenal: Fans 'at risk'

Eurosport - Tue, 10 Mar 17:37:00 2009

Arsenal have warned supporters attending Wednesday night's Champions League clash with Roma that they are "at risk" if they travel alone to the Stadio Olimpico.

FOOTBALL 2006-2007 Serie A Roma fans - 0

The North London club have printed a booklet warning the 3,400 travelling Gunners fans to avoid transport routes usually taken by the Italian club's 'Ultra' supporters.

Arsenal fans have also been warned to steer clear of the Campo dei Fiori, the traditional meeting place for Roma supporters prior to home matches.

Rome has been selected by UEFA as the host for this season's Champions League final but city officials have been warned by European football's governing body that any serious acts of hooliganism between now and May 27 could see the showpiece moved elsewhere.

The Italian capital has come under the microscope in the wake of several high-profile incidents in recent years, most notably when a number of Manchester United fans were wounded in clashes with Roma fans in two separate incidents in the city in 2007.

"If you travel to the stadium independently, please be aware you are at risk," stated the booklet circulated by Arsenal.

"Do not take trains to the Piazza Flaminio or attempt to use the Ponte Duca d'Aosta bridge as these are habitual routes taken by the Ultras.

"Please stay away from the Campo dei Fiori."

Sporting Life / Eurosport

Comment 27 - 46 of 46

Sort comments by: Most recent
  1. FOR SALE 1 ITALIAN TANK, 4 REVERSE GEARS ONLY AND A­ RIFLE DROPPED ONCE NEVER BEEN FIRED. ALL OFFERS­ ACCEPTED.

    From bobby and sandy, on Thu 12 Mar 2:42AM
  2. FOR SALE 1 ITALIAN TANK, 4 REVERSE GEARS ONLY AND A­ RIFLE DROPPED ONCE NEVER BEEN FIRED. ALL OFFERS­ ACCEPTED.

    From bobby and sandy, on Thu 12 Mar 2:41AM
  3. Fans are always at risk, this is nothing to worry­ about. Arsenal will win.

    From thespecialerone, on Wed 11 Mar 8:29AM
  4. the truth is:who looks 4 troubles get troubles..simple­ as that!
    I can t deny there s some violent supporters­ by roma side..but take a look at your fans!
    some of­ them are real troublemakers when abroad,they get­ drunk(hammered) and awear to local people just because­ they want to start a fight!
    don t say it aint true..
    no­ saints from both sides,don t get me wrong!
    just dont­ like the image of our fans being violent and all the­ related comments about the italians..seems like we all­ carry knives and beat fans visiting our­ country..silly!
    I can ensure all of you that if you go­ to watch a match of football in rome only willing to­ have fun you wont get any troubles..but as I already­ told..if you r troublemakers u only get what u­ want!
    most of u are so repressed and r jealous of our­ weather,our lifestyle,our way to live life and so­ on,that s why deep inside u r racist and hate us!
    ..and­ about gays..nothin against em,but the truth is there s­ a way higher percntge in the uk compared to Italy..that­ s good for us so we got less competion here!
    try to­ explain y women call us italian stallions!!!
    jokes­ apart..stop judging the italians in a wrong way,it s­ all about the lies of the media!
    see u..an italian and­ roman guy living in the north west

    From dominikd7, on Wed 11 Mar 7:16AM
  5. Belly K,
    go to the places warned against wearing an­ Arsenal Jersey and see how much security protection you­ will get. If you come out alive please let us know.

    From thenry1886, on Wed 11 Mar 6:38AM
  6. Terry k you sound like a Tottenham fan

    From Geraldine B, on Wed 11 Mar 5:30AM
  7. HOW SAD!! We talk about a football game around violence­ and 'gay' Italians!!
    No.1 Italians are not gay­ - they are 'smooth'!
    No.2 Although violence­ exists abroad - it takes 2 to cause a fight.
    No.3 Lets­ just enjoy football for what it is.

    P.S. Man.U. fan -­ @#$% on Roma!

    From First, on Wed 11 Mar 5:00AM
  8. Yes 70% of Italian men are gay, or maybe it's 80%.­ We know that their tanks on WW2 only had reverse gear,­ and stuff like that. But they can sure attack with­ their handbags. So if it was an English club they would­ have been banned from Europe years ago, why not them. I­ can only think that the French dwarf Platini is also­ gay

    From trouble, on Wed 11 Mar 3:47AM
  9. Comment 3 I sense a bit of bitterness their I take it­ that Arsenal have obviously
    thumped your team a few­ times.

    Comment 12 what nonsense are you spitting on­ about.

    From Geraldine B, on Wed 11 Mar 1:50AM
  10. From memory has not Roma already been suspended once or­ at least played behind closed doors because of their­ fans behaviour. Also English football has never has to­ suspend the Premier league due to violence but did­ Italian football federation do this for 2 weeks. due to­ fans using home made rocket bombs that killed and­ wounded italian fans and police. Not to say that­ English clubs behave themselves but they have improved­ where some clubs and countries have not. Hooligans­ exist in all countries, but normally the english­ hooligans have kept it simple by normally using their­ fists, but not coming tooled with knifes.

    this­ hooligan behviour is why I prefer watching a game of­ rugby first and football second, ALL the action is on­ the pitch and not in the stands.

    From MARK, on Wed 11 Mar 1:07AM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    it must be said that violence is terrible in any­ case..
    but when the english are envolved they always­ end up getting beaten up!! the reason is simple: they­ will only start a fight when they are totally drunk­ because they are a repressed population and have not­ got the guts to do anything when they are not­ drunk(that is why they have a drinking problem i­ think).. therefore a bunch of 15 yearold italian kids­ could probably kick the living **** out of a group of­ disgustingly drunk english fans!!

    From Granata south force, on Wed 11 Mar 12:19AM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Beware the dogs: rapists and drunkards from England are­ not allowed to trespass...

    From vergaccio, on Wed 11 Mar 12:10AM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I disagree. There are many hooligans in all countries!­ It is interest why there is made the cinema "Greem­ street hooligans"??? I think English hooligans are­ worst one, but I hate italians as well.

    And this come­ from Arsenal fan!

    From ghiedrukas, on Tue 10 Mar 11:50PM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Arsenal fans voting Adebayor as their third best­ striker after Van Persie and Eduardo? Look at the­ stats: Do you think the apparent lack of goals at the­ emirates during his absence is by chance?

    From Henry Darkwah, on Tue 10 Mar 11:42PM
  15. @Steven W: it would be nice if Italian hooligans were­ so inoffensive as you portrait. Hooligans are a trouble­ everywhere. I would not try the game "1 English­ hooligan against 10 Italian hooligan" you suggest­ in your deep wisdom. The Premier League has improved a­ lot, but the seed of violence is still present in­ European away matches, since laws are not so strict in­ other countries.
    As for getting fat when we get old:­ quite the opposite, darling. There is hardly any­ country with as little obesity problems as Italy, also­ because we drink much less than most European (on the­ other hand we drink far better stuff). As for the war,­ fortunately the British of the generation of your­ grandgrandparents (you must be 13 or 14) were WAY­ better than you, or the world would be still in big­ trouble now. Go to school, it helps you also to find a­ job.

    From Giovanni T, on Tue 10 Mar 11:23PM
  16. Stop complaining like little girls. you are men do not­ be scared of other men... just go their and support­ your team if you get beaten then roma will get banned­ so easy. I have never seen scary fans like arsenals.­ come on security will be all over the city.

    From belly k, on Tue 10 Mar 10:48PM
  17. I don't recall Roma fans being warned for their­ safety when they travelled to Arsenal, HOW do UEFA­ allow teams with known trouble makers following them to­ enter the competition if utd, chelsea, arsenal or­ Liverpool went away and caused trouble or indeed if the­ visitng fans were issued with survival guides the Mr­ Platini and Blatter would have a field day. I have­ travelled all over Europe with arsenal and been­ fortunate to see very little violance, so therefore­ lets hope tomorrow is remembered for the football!

    From maguirejj1, on Tue 10 Mar 10:14PM
  18. FORZA YOUR MUM !

    From Chris, on Tue 10 Mar 9:40PM
  19. The Spanish, the French, the Turhish, the Russians, the­ Germans, the Polish, The Greek
    (and so on...)come to­ Rome and NO PROBLEM ! there are no troubles!
    Thera are­ trouble ONLY with the british hooligans! (not all of­ them are Hooligans).
    Certainly those who engage fight­ with the police are ! the problem are certain british­ Media that are trying to make people believe that Rome­ (or Italy) is a dangerous place,
    wrong! You behave and­ you do not get in trouble.There is no more racism in­ Italy than in certain parts of England thats for sure.­ E FORZA ROMAAA

    From mic, on Tue 10 Mar 9:20PM
  20. Let's just hope that common sense and great­ football prevails!
    C'mon you gunners let's show­ our Roman conquerers that we have made great progess­ since they came over to London 2000 years ago!
    Chris­ (Arsenal for life)Casey
    And it's my birthday today!

    From chriscasey333, on Tue 10 Mar 8:22PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account