Roma at risk of losing CL final (2009)

papa5murf · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 3:47 am

Quote:

Rome could lose 2009 European final, say UEFA

UEFA have threatened to move the 2009 Champions League final from Rome's Stadio Olimpico if Manchester United fans are targeted in the Italian capital on Tuesday night.

Ten United fans were stabbed last season when the club played Roma, and there was more trouble when Real Madrid visited last month.

Previously, three Middlesbrough fans were stabbed in 2006 and there have been numerous incidents involving knife-wielding gangs outside the stadium before domestic matches.

UEFA communications director William Gaillard said they were serious about moving the final if there was more trouble.

Gaillard said: 'The situation inside the stadium has improved dramatically and we hope it will go well tomorrow and there are no reasons to expect problems inside the stadium.

'But we cannot afford to organise the final of the Champions League in a city where people are getting knifed every game.

'We will be watching and we are serious that if we have incidents like when Manchester United visited last year or Real Madrid last month, then we would have to reconsider our decision for the 2009 final.'

He added: 'We cannot have responsibility for bringing 40,000 people to the final and risk them being knifed in the city.

'We will be watching closely tomorrow and the rest of the season and next season. The police have to do their job.

'It's a fantastic venue and a beautiful city, and we realise these people have nothing to do with football, but if fans are afraid and it's dangerous we will have to look at the whole matter.'

United have issued detailed advice for fans and warned them to use official free shuttle buses rather than travel independently on public transport.

They have also warned supporters to avoid Rome's famous Campo de Fiori piazza, and metro routes used by 'ultras'.

The club's advice states: 'Please stay as far away as possible from Campo De Fiori which is the meeting point for the Roma fans and a place where there has been a lot of trouble in the past with 'Ultra' Roma fans. For your own safety please avoid this area.'

Steely Hill · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 8:05 am

i sure hope those sweet innocent Man United fans dont get attacked by those mindless italian thugs...

GOBati · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 10:20 am

If the safety of thousands of fans can't be granted it's fair to move the site of CL final elsewhere but I'm not sure they should take this decision basing exclusively on what will happen today

Raul · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:49 am

Pffff this piece of news is so english...

By the way the final of 2010 will be in Bernabeu Very Happy

smithy · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 12:42 pm

If any of this violence that happened had been in England , every English team would of been thrown out of the Europe and branded thugs like the old days. It's seems to me that it's one rule for the Europeans another for everyone else.

Roma should of been chucked out the comp last season.

papa5murf · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 1:58 pm

GOBati wrote:

If the safety of thousands of fans can't be granted it's fair to move the site of CL final elsewhere but I'm not sure they should take this decision basing exclusively on what will happen today

We don't want to see you on the news as a stabber now alright? Laughing

G_Man · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 5:20 pm

smithy wrote:

If any of this violence that happened had been in England , every English team would of been thrown out of the Europe and branded thugs like the old days. It's seems to me that it's one rule for the Europeans another for everyone else.

Roma should of been chucked out the comp last season.

Gotta disagree here. i doubt english teams would get chucked out.

England is european also?

Flipper · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:49 pm

the mafia thingy sounds scary in books..

but we all know how fanatic the italian footie supporters are..

i wonder alucard would spot this one and pop up to speak his mind.. lol..

MontyMagpie · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:28 pm

smithy wrote:

If any of this violence that happened had been in England , every English team would of been thrown out of the Europe and branded thugs like the old days. It's seems to me that it's one rule for the Europeans another for everyone else.

Roma should of been chucked out the comp last season.

Totally agree and they should throw out all the Italian sides out of european competitions for 5 years.

G_Man wrote:

Gotta disagree here. i doubt english teams would get chucked out.

England is european also?

Don't you remember Liverpool got all English clubs thrown out of Europe for 5 years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heysel_Stadium_disaster

There is even something on Roma here slashing Liverpool fans in 1984.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heysel_Stadium_disaster#1984_-_Liverpool_vs._Roma

Wtebar · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:31 pm

Raul wrote:

Pffff this piece of news is so english...

By the way the final of 2010 will be in Bernabeu Very Happy

It will be nice for Torres to score the winner in his home town. Smile

GOBati · Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 12:09 pm

This thing of ruling out italian sides from Europe is just pathetic and biased. This is the frustration of some of the english supporters that pops out time to time against the italians just because they want us to be labelled as the new hoolingans in their spot... criminals will always exist of every race and country and as I've always said the solution is not to kick out the italian clubs from european competions, what's the point in doing this?

The problem is how to hold the criminals out of the stadiums and this isn't up to the clubs to being solved.

Raul · Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 9:02 pm

Wtebar wrote:

Raul wrote:

Pffff this piece of news is so english...

By the way the final of 2010 will be in Bernabeu Very Happy

It will be nice for Torres to score the winner in his home town. Smile

Bernabeu is not his hometown though Razz

G_Man · Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 12:25 am

MontyMagpie wrote:

smithy wrote:

If any of this violence that happened had been in England , every English team would of been thrown out of the Europe and branded thugs like the old days. It's seems to me that it's one rule for the Europeans another for everyone else.

Roma should of been chucked out the comp last season.

Totally agree and they should throw out all the Italian sides out of european competitions for 5 years.

G_Man wrote:

Gotta disagree here. i doubt english teams would get chucked out.

England is european also?

Don't you remember Liverpool got all English clubs thrown out of Europe for 5 years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heysel_Stadium_disaster

There is even something on Roma here slashing Liverpool fans in 1984.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heysel_Stadium_disaster#1984_-_Liverpool_vs._Roma

On the year i was born to. I shoulda remembered. Me bad