Man U fans fear trip to Rome
MANCHESTER - Manchester United will give their fans until December 1 to decide whether they want to pull out of the trip to watch the Champions League match in Rome.
The weekend of violence in Italy that led to the football programme in the country being suspended has made some United supporters fearful of travelling to see the game against Roma on December 12 - especially after trouble in the Stadio Olimpico last season.
The club usually allow fans to withdraw their applications up until two weeks before an away European match and will extend the period until 11 days before their last match of the group stage.
United will also keep in touch with Foreign Office about their advice on fans travelling to Italy.
A club spokesman said: "For every Champions League game there is a period beforehand where people can cancel. We are not change our position on the Roma game unless we are advised to do so."
Last season, United accused the Rome police of "serious over-reaction" last season after baton-wielding officers waded into visiting fans at random.
Eleven fans, some with stab wounds inflicted by Roma 'ultras', were hospitalised.
This week's Serie matches called off
ROME - This weekend's football matches in Serie B and Serie C have been postponed in the wake of Sunday's violence in the Italian league.
The country's football federation (FIGC) announced the decision on Monday evening following a series of meetings during the day.
There were no Serie A games scheduled this weekend due to the international break.
Italy's national team are to face Scotland on a Euro 2008 qualifying game on Saturday in Glasgow.
Sunday's violence was sparked by the death of a Lazio fan who was shot by a policeman.
Sports minister wants to halt more matches in next few weeks
ROME - Sports minister Giovanna Melandri has called for Italian football to be halted for several weeks in order to crack down on violence in the sport.
Melandri spoke after a meeting with Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) president Gianni Petrucci and Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Giancarlo Abete in Rome on Monday.
She said: "A decision has to be taken to make a significant gesture.
"I expect the football world to make the right decision, such as halting the tournament for several weeks."
Donadoni dizzy by the weekend's tragedy
FLORENCE - Italy coach Roberto Donadoni has condemned the violence which blighted Serie A over the weekend as "pure madness".
Lazio fan Gabriele Sandri, a 26-year-old disc jockey, was accidentally shot by police as they attempted to quell trouble between fans of the Biancoceleste and Juventus at a motorway service station near Arezzo.
News of the shooting prompted violence on the terraces at the game between Atalanta and AC Milan in Bergamo while, later in the day, fans in Rome armed with batons and stones attacked one of the police units in the vicinity of the Stadio Olimpico before raiding the headquarters of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI).
"What has happened in Bergamo and in Rome is pure madness," said Donadoni.
"It's one of those situations where you feel sick and you wish you could throw it all out. I believe that we are hostages of this violence, but you cannot be a slave in this manner."
It is the latest dark chapter in Italian football and comes nine months after policeman Filippo Raciti was killed after violence broke out at the Sicilian derby match between Catania and Palermo.
Policeman apologetic after accident
ROME - The policeman who accidentally shot and killed a Lazio fan in Italy on Sunday has spoken of his regret over the incident.
The officer, who was trying to quell a fight between Lazio and Juventus fans at a motorway service station near Arezzo, confirmed the bullet was fired in error.
The shot killed Gabriele Sandri, a 26-year-old disc jockey.
"I didn't look at anything, I didn't point my gun at anyone. I was at least 200 metres away, how could I have done that?" the unnamed officer told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
"The first shot I fired was in the air and the second was fired when I was running, it was an accident. I know now, this is the end for me.
"I have destroyed two families, that of the man and mine."
The autopsy on Sandri will be carried out on Monday while police chiefs have already opened an investigation.
Arezzo assistant police commissioner Giuseppe Priore said: "No-one intends to cover for the agent."
News of the shooting prompted violence on the terraces at the game between Atalanta and AC Milan while, later in the day, fans in Rome armed with batons and stones attacked one of the police units in the vicinity of the Stadio Olimpico before raiding the headquarters of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI).
The CONI security guards, who were unarmed, had to barricade themselves inside the building while waiting for back-up.
Italian players try to regroup for future
GLASGOW - Former AC Milan and Rangers striker Mark Hateley expects Italy players to be able to set aside the shock of Lazio fan Gabriele Sandri's death to prepare for their Euro 2008 crunch match against Scotland.
Italian football is in turmoil, after 26-year-old disc jockey Sandri was accidentally shot dead by police trying to deal with fan violence yesterday at a motorway service station near Arezzo.
Lazio's fixture at Internazionale was postponed, and Roma's evening match against Cagliari was called off. But an angry mob turned up at the Stadio Olimpico, attacking police units before raiding the headquarters of the Italian Olympic Committee.
Earlier in the day, the match between Atalanta and AC Milan in Bergamo was abandoned after seven minutes because of crowd disturbances - leaving around half of Roberto Donadoni's squad without a game at the weekend.
Hateley, who made 66 appearances for AC Milan between 1984 and 1987, told PA Sport that the disruption might yet have a positive effect on Italy's preparations for Saturday's qualifier at Hampden Park.
"They are going to have to put this behind them," he said.
"We have seen this before as far back as [the crowd disaster at] Heysel in 1985.
"That was another catastrophic blow to football, and the Italian team reacted well to that.
"They will have learned from that. It is hard to do - but they are all professionals, and the situation will be defused as the week goes on.
"Roberto Donadoni will try to keep his players away from it, and try to get them to focus on the game - which is huge for both teams."
The inaction of much of Italy's squad may be beneficial, Hateley believes.
"I don't think games being cancelled will be a bad thing for Italy as far as preparation for the Scotland games goes," said the former England forward.
"The Old Firm had their games cancelled at the weekend to help Scotland.
"At this stage of the season, rest is better than playing.
"All the big clubs have come off Champions League games, and the players have had a demanding couple of months of high-intensity football - so a break will serve all the players well."
Hateley is not surprised by yet another tragic incident involving Italian football fans and the police.
Last season a policeman was killed following a game between Palermo and Catania on Sicily.
He added: "It was not really a surprise - I've seen it before.
"The supporters have a passionate hatred of certain parts of Italian law enforcement, and there have been battles between them as far back as I can remember.
"Football is a fantastic worldwide game - but people losing lives is not what the game is about.
"What has happened in the past is that it has been brushed under the carpet.
"But now it has come to the fore along with other political issues in football, like racism and sectarianism.
"It's important that it has become more public so that people can see what's happened.
"If you don't do that then you will never solve the problem."
Hateley, now in an ambassadorial role at Ibrox as well as working in the media, believes Scotland can get the three points needed against Italy to ensure qualification for next season's finals.
He said: "It will be nip and tuck. If Scotland can perform as they can do then they will have every chance.
"But it's going to take everybody to be on top of their game and a little bit of luck.
"I would like to think that Scotland could get the result."
