Any European football fan knew beforehand that a confrontation between Liverpool (UK) and Roma (Italy) fans at this stage of the Champions League competition for club teams would be dangerous as to hooligan attacks, given that one of the last times Liverpool got this far and met an Italian team (back in the 1980s that is), their supporters attacked the Italians and left 39 dead in what will be forever known as the Heysel Stadium disaster.
<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Clashes between Liverpool & AS Roma fans outside Anfield prior kick off tonight.. <br><br>24/04/18. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LFC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LFC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LIVROM?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LIVROM</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCL</a> <a href="https://t.co/n7Hizec3PX">pic.twitter.com/n7Hizec3PX</a></p>— TheRealCasuals (@Real_Casuals_66) <a href="https://twitter.com/Real_Casuals_66/status/988858886861058048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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This time round it would seem it was the Italian ultras that started taking on Liverpool fans already before the match in large groups, as can be seen in the videos.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Two men arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after 53-year-old man assaulted before the Champions League semi-final. <a href="https://t.co/v6yIV4VohC">https://t.co/v6yIV4VohC</a></p>— Merseyside Police (@MerseyPolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/MerseyPolice/status/988916405834797057?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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As a result, a 53-year-old man was left in a critical condition after he was attacked and stabbed outside Liverpool’s stadium called Anfield just before their Champions League semi-final match with Roma.
<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Trouble outside Anfield just before kick off - Roma ‘fans’ charge using belts & batons - provoking Liverpool retaliation <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LIVROM?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LIVROM</a> <a href="https://t.co/VcMYeZHo7Y">pic.twitter.com/VcMYeZHo7Y</a></p>— Pebs (@UtdPebs) <a href="https://twitter.com/UtdPebs/status/988848036569853952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Later that evening, two Italian men, aged 25 and 26, were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Roma have just bumped into Liverpool’s biggest mob <a href="https://twitter.com/MerseyPolice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MerseyPolice</a> <a href="https://t.co/AGHnvJwGNj">pic.twitter.com/AGHnvJwGNj</a></p>— Transalpino (@transalpino) <a href="https://twitter.com/transalpino/status/988818150530670593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Liverpool said it was "shocked and appalled" and would be offering the victim "our full support".
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: Liverpool fan 'STABBED' as Roma hooligans ambush home supporters with BATONS<a href="https://t.co/QLxGfa5oLO">https://t.co/QLxGfa5oLO</a> <a href="https://t.co/enjW9wRSyq">pic.twitter.com/enjW9wRSyq</a></p>— Daily Star (@Daily_Star) <a href="https://twitter.com/Daily_Star/status/988852762468409344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Inspector Mr Paul Speight of Merseyside Police: "Witnesses report that the victim was hit with a belt and then fell to the ground.
"His condition is currently described as critical and his next of kin have been informed."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Two Italian men arrested for attempted MURDER after Liverpool fan was critically injured 'in attack by Roma supporters' <a href="https://t.co/Lx3omBxOhY">https://t.co/Lx3omBxOhY</a></p>— Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyMailUK/status/988932261453205504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
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In the end, Liverpool won against AS Roma with 5-2. The return match in Rome next week promises to see even more police show up.
Source:
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I always like to discuss these things with a fellow football ban. Dear Kevin, it is true that English fans behaved better in the past few years, certainly at a club level, but how do you think Marseille 2016 fights between Russian and English ultras were received on the continent? And yes you are right, Italian fans are no choir boys either.
Just to comment on the fact that the last time we met Italian teams in the latter stages were 2005 + 2007 - in the final. There was no trouble and the fans got along fine. The Implication that in Heysel, Liverpool fans killed the Juventus ones is more correctly from the fact a wall collapsed on the Italians. That said, a Shameful part of the history. Roma and Italian fans in general do have a history of attacking all English clubs ( I believe a Tottenham fan was stabbed last time they played). The overall implication here is that European Football fans are violent but with Liverpool - and all English Clubs - you will find a very family focussed, safe atmosphere. England have long moved on from the days in the 80s where violence was prevalent. Having actually been at the match last night, it seems some Italian clubs have not. Fiorentina fans visited and mixed happily in previous visits. As have AC Milan. Even Juventus (Who do have history with Liverpool) were impeccable the last time they came to Anfield and it was well policed. In last nights situation you had 30 + Roma fans run into a crowd of innocent people and threw Belts and hammers at them. I think it is unfair to implicate in your opening that Liverpool are like this in general when meeting Italian clubs because I can assure you they are not.