© EuroFootball.com
Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni accused the club of inciting artificial passions after English fans coming to the Italian capital to support their team were warned about possible aggressive behavior from local hooligans on the day of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final match.
The "Red Devils" fans received letters and warnings on the official club website advising them to avoid certain areas of the city and contact with the so-called "ultras".
"Rome is a city that welcomes all guests warmly. I appreciate the information that appeared on the "Man Utd" website as an unfortunate incident, but all of this can also pose a danger and risk to safety," said Mayor Veltroni.
About 5,000 English Premier League leaders fans with tickets will arrive in Rome, as well as about a thousand who will watch the match in bars and other public places.
The English are advised not to use underground transport and to avoid the Ponte-Nenni bridge and Campo de Fiori square.
According to "Man Utd" coach Sir Alex Ferguson, such letters are sent before every match and are not a special security measure aimed specifically at the match in Rome.
"We send letters before every trip, but what is much more important is that the Italian police have willingly contacted our people. We hope everything will go smoothly," said Ferguson.
It is worth mentioning that last year, when "Roma" was competing with another English club "Middlesbrough" in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals, 13 English fans were injured in the Italian capital.
