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Two Roma supporters arrested for assault on Liverpool fan

A man in Liverpool is fighting for his life after two AS Roma fans allegedly attacked him before a match between the two teams on Tuesday night.

Published: 25 April 2018 12:16 CEST

Two Roma supporters arrested for assault on Liverpool fan

AS Roma fans at a match in 2017. Photo: Filippo Monteforte/AFP

The 53-year-old victim, who had reportedly travelled to the UK from Ireland for the match, sustained a serious head injury in the attack.

He is being treated at a specialist neurological centre, where he is said to be in critical condition.

Two Italian nationals, both men and aged 25 and 26, have been arrested for attempted murder, Merseyside Police said.

Witnesses say he was injured when a fight broke out between Roma and Liverpool fans outside a pub shortly before kick-off. He was reportedly hit with a belt and fell to the ground.

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Liverpool FC, who won the Champions League semi-final first-leg match 5-2, said they were “shocked and appalled” by the incident.

Roma also condemned the violence.

“AS Roma condemns in the strongest possible terms the abhorrent behaviour of a small minority of travelling fans who brought shame on the club and the vast majority of Roma's well-behaved supporters at Anfield after getting involved in clashes with Liverpool supporters before last night's fixture,” the club said.

European football's governing body UEFA said it was “deeply shocked by the vile attack”, adding it was waiting to receive full reports before deciding on potential disciplinary charges.

A total of nine men were arrested for various offences before and after the match, including assault, possession of offensive weapons, criminal damage and being drunk and disorderly.

READ ALSO: 'If society is corrupt, football will be corrupt'

Photo: Oscar Federico Bodini/Flickr

Euro 2020: Concern about virus spread after Italy players' ‘unauthorised’ victory parade through Rome

Photo: Tiziana Fabi/AFP

The team’s bus parade through the city on Monday night following their Euro 2020 triumph “was not authorised”, according to Matteo Piantedosi the head of Rome’s prefettura (the public safety authority).

Thousands of fans packed the streets of central Rome to see the team celebrate their cup win after beating England on penalties in the final.

READ ALSO: ‘Football came home’: Italy celebrates Euro 2020 victory over England

Piantedosi told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera on Wednesday: “We had denied permission to celebrate Italy’s victory in the European Championships on the open bus, but the pact was not respected.”

Piantedosi, who is Rome’s top public security official, said police had “no choice” but to let the parade go ahead after players Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci insisted on it.

Photo: Vincenzo Pinto/AFP

A meeting had been held on Friday with the Italian football federation (FIGC) to discuss plans for the celebrations if Italy won, said Piantedosi.

“I had agreed the line with Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese and Chief of Police Lamberto Giannini,” he said.

“It was clearly explained that [the parade] was not possible. We said we could not authorize it.”

Piantedosi said the Italian football federation (FIGC) initially agreed to hold a “controlled” ceremony in Rome’s central Piazza del Popolo instead of the parade.

After players insisted on the bus tour on Monday however, Piantedosi said, authorities reluctantly let them go ahead due to fears of sparking public disorder.

“At that point we had no choice but to acknowledge the situation and handle it in the best way we could,” he said.

READ ALSO: Covid cases on the rise in Europe once again as WHO warns of Euro 2020 risk

Photo: Andreas Solaro/AFP

In a statement on Wednesday, the FIGC said it had acted responsibly but decided not to disappoint fans who had come to celebrate with the team.

Footage of large crowds thronging the bus carrying the ‘Azzurri’ and the European Championship trophy through the capital however fuelled concerns about new outbreaks of coronavirus, after Italy’s infection rate began to rise again last week.

The World Health Organization warned earlier this month that crowds and gatherings connected to football matches will fuel a new rise in cases across Europe this summer.

READ ALSO: Delta variant in Italy will be ‘prevalent within 10 days’: health official

Italy’s health minister Roberto Speranza also voiced concerns on Monday about the consequences of people gathering to watch sporting events.

He said the European football championship win was “a great joy after terrible months,” but “even in these moments of national pride we can’t forget that our ‘game’ to defeat Covid is not yet won.”

There are currently minimal health restrictions in place across Italy, however masks are supposed to be worn in crowded public places, including outdoors.

“Footage shows that police were virtually the only ones [in the crowd] wearing masks,” said Piantedosi.

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