Champions League - Arsenal fan stabbed in Rome

Eurosport - Thu, 12 Mar 14:12:00 2009

An Arsenal fan was stabbed in the leg and two others were injured in incidents before Wednesday's Champions League match in Rome.

FOOTBALL Arsenal fans - 0

The stab victim was attacked after Roma fans boarded a bus taking Arsenal supporters to the Stadio Olimpico, a club spokeswoman said, adding that the victim was not in a life-threatening condition.

The others suffered head injuries in incidents outside the ground.

"Arsenal Football Club and the Metropolitan Police deplore the incident as the safety of our supporters is the highest priority," a statement said.

Violence has marred several Roma matches in Europe in recent years, most prominently in two games against English club Manchester United in 2007.

Arsenal reached the quarter-finals of the competition with a 7-6 penalty shoot-out win on Wednesday after a 1-0 defeat on the night left the score level on aggregate.

The incident is sure to call into question Rome's suitability to host the Champions League final, which will be played at the Stadio Olimpico on May 27.

It may come as a relief to UEFA that Roma were eliminated and there are no Italian sides remaining in the competition.

The stadium hosted the 1990 World Cup final, and is one of 28 stadia given a five-star rating by UEFA which makes it eligible to host the Champions League final

A British embassy spokeman said a group of home fans targeted the vehicle and attempted to force their way inside.

"One managed to get on to the bus and there was a fight," he said.

"The driver managed to get away when the Roma fan was pushed out of the bus."

The victim was able to watch the match after receiving medical care.

He added: "We don't know if it was a stabbing or glass from a smashed window."

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are aware of the incident that happened in Italy and we are providing consular assistance."

Reuters

Comment 66 - 85 of 85

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  1. #83 What a moron.

    From omahonyi, on Fri 13 Mar 2:29PM
  2. Ok, so moving the final to Wembley will please english­ hearts, ha dream on

    From Godwin, on Fri 13 Mar 7:51AM
  3. I think the final should still be in Rome, big deal a­ fan was stabbed, probably the fan was drunk and was­ seeking for trouble. Yeah more Man U and Arsenal fans­ should be.......well u know the rest

    From Godwin, on Fri 13 Mar 7:45AM
  4. I think it is high time UEFA have to Ban Roma for­ pertaking in the CL,it will the the 3rd concecutive­ time when an English Fan will be brutally Treated in­ wuch a way,it happen far back in 2007 with Man Utd and­ this time now Arsenal,The CL Final should be move to­ another country for the savely of English Fan wo i­ believe will be the 2 Finalist this year.UEFA please do­ something now.Mourinho should also be banned for­ punching a Fan outside Old Trafford.and that will be a­ leason for other who Terrorise in Foothball.

    From Matola, on Fri 13 Mar 6:38AM
  5. sorry for the double post,
    kept getting invalid­ comment.

    From omahonyi, on Fri 13 Mar 3:20AM
  6. Irish fan here so not biased towards or against English­ football.
    Here's a simple solution that would­ eliminate the issue very quickly.
    1. Take the final­ away from Rome NOW, IMMEDIATLEY, without hesitation.­ Cite the hooliganism specifically as the one and only­ reason. Blame the violence. (Send a message loud and­ clear that even thugs can understand. There plenty of­ other countries that would love to host the final. Ten­ weeks is plenty of time for security planning (it’s­ done all the time anyway)
    Or move the Final to Old­ Trafford or Wembley or The Emirates Stadium. The­ English Authorities host European games a couple of­ times a week every couple of weeks, incident free!!!­ That safety excuse from UEFA is complete and utter­ LIES)

    2. The next time any team hosts a euro game and­ there is serious crowd problems inside or outside the­ ground, ban every team from that country having any fan­ at any euro game home or away for one full year. Home­ games behind closed doors, away games, no travelling­ fans allowed.
    Sound harsh? Not to English clubs. At­ least no club is kicked out of the competition like the­ English in the eighties. And it's only for one­ year, not five like the English in the­ eighties.
    Platini can't possibly possess the­ sufficient objectivity to make this decision. He could­ be biased against English Clubs because he was actually­ on the pitch in Heysel playing for Juve. He should be­ excused from any part of deciding this matter as he­ can't possibly be impartial. No court would allow­ such a potential conflict of interest or impartiality

    From omahonyi, on Fri 13 Mar 3:19AM
  7. 2. The next time any team hosts a euro game and there­ is serious crowd problems inside or outside the ground,­ ban every team from that country having any fan at any­ euro game home or away for one full year. Home games­ behind closed doors, away games, no travelling fans­ allowed.
    Sound harsh? Not to English clubs. At least­ no club is kicked out of the competition like the­ English in the eighties. And it's only for one­ year, not five like the English in the­ eighties.
    Platini can't possibly possess the­ sufficient objectivity to make this decision. He could­ be biased against English Clubs because he was actually­ on the pitch in Heysel playing for Juve. He should be­ excused from any part of deciding this matter as he­ can't possibly be impartial. No court would allow­ such a potential conflict of interest or impartiality

    From omahonyi, on Fri 13 Mar 3:18AM
  8. Irish fan here so not biased towards or against English­ football.
    Here's a simple solution that would­ eliminate the issue very quickly.
    1. Take the final­ away from Rome NOW, IMMEDIATLEY, without hesitation.­ Cite the hooliganism specifically as the one and only­ reason. Blame the violence. (Send a message loud and­ clear that even thugs can understand. There plenty of­ other countries that would love to host the final. Ten­ weeks is plenty of time for security planning (it’s­ done all the time anyway)
    Or move the Final to Old­ Trafford or Wembley or The Emirates Stadium. The­ English Authorities host European games a couple of­ times a week every couple of weeks, incident free!!!­ That safety excuse from UEFA is complete and utter­ LIES)

    From omahonyi, on Fri 13 Mar 3:15AM
  9. Hey, English pigs. I am not Italian. English pigs. Take­ a bath, please.

    From Jim, on Thu 12 Mar 9:39PM
  10. deifntly be banned
    roma is not a safe place
    its nor­ fair for those por people who watched a decent match­ had to die
    UEFA Better sort this out
    couse if the dont­ its gonna be an ugly final

    From jsc486, on Thu 12 Mar 9:22PM
  11. Comment hidden due to it's low rating. Show

    pity it wasnt jade goody

    From rc_alcock, on Thu 12 Mar 8:06PM
  12. Enough is enough. Why Rome got this final in the first­ place is unbelievable. Now they should switch the final­ immediately. Even if it means delaying the game.­ It's not impossible when you don't have to­ organise riot squads!!!! The Italian authorities turn­ a blind eye to violence at their clubs on a weekly­ basis, why should visiting teams and fans have to put­ up with this? The Ultra's will go to the final­ whoever is playing and that's not something that­ decent football fans should be made to face!!!

    From John L, on Thu 12 Mar 7:26PM
  13. i agree they should be kicked out of all competions for­ five years at least

    From freespirit1952, on Thu 12 Mar 6:33PM
  14. I agree with David C. It is definately time for Roma to­ be banned.

    From Dave, on Thu 12 Mar 4:08PM
  15. Hey, I'm an open minded girl from UK, I'm­ interested in exotic things, photography, dating and­ sports...I have my photos on --- T a l l h u b Co m­ ---, I love tall guys!
    Do you love traveling and have­ some experience? Just find me out.

    From leomeisi06, on Thu 12 Mar 3:41PM
  16. It's about time EUFA got its act in order. The­ fact is that Roma, as with other Italian clubs, have a­ long history of abuse and contempt to visiting teams. ­ Last night was no exception and to be told to avoid­ travelling there, other than in groups, in advance of­ the game is an indictment in itself.
    Roma should be­ heavily fined and banned from Championship and all Eufa­ competitions for the foreseeable future (5 years­ minimum) and made an example of. I am fed up with­ mealy mouthed excuses especially those offered by­ Monsieur Gailliard who tries to assure us that the­ final WILL be safe and that it would be impossible to­ re-arrange at this stage. What a load of rubbish.!­ Week excuses as usual. Gutless! An angry Dave in­ Suffolk. Come on you Gooners!

    From david c, on Thu 12 Mar 3:21PM
  17. strange how you have got child in your name?

    From phil_kasteel, on Thu 12 Mar 2:52PM
  18. idiot

    From lee.childs2, on Thu 12 Mar 2:45PM
  19. Awe no, micpando, they are worse. they speak French,­ German and Italian. Hehehehehe

    From phil_kasteel, on Thu 12 Mar 2:32PM
  20. @#$%...tat kind of ppl really bad...dint show some­ respect on football
    i believe not all Roma fan like­ tat, there are too many @#$% like this in this world

    From JRy, on Thu 12 Mar 2:30PM
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