Man Utd fans arrive in Rome ahead of CL match, fears of violence

(1 Apr 2008) SHOTLIST
1. Wide exterior of Pantheon in Rome's city centre
2. Exterior of wine bar Corsi
3. Mid shot barman putting up alcohol ban warning
4. Various of alcohol ban document
5. Wide of coaches carrying Manchester United fans passing by Via del Corso
6. Close of coach window, sign reading: (English) "Day trip 1, MU travel", Manchester United fans waving from the window
7. Police car escorting the coaches
8. Mid of coach with police car following
9. Various interiors of Irish pub in Via del Plebiscito
10. Manchester United fan showing the Manchester United behaviour guidelines for the match
11. Close of guidelines
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Kevin (no last name given), Manchester United supporter:
"I think that part of coming away in Europe is having a few beers, have a good sing with your fellow fans and enjoy the football match. This year it seems like we are just here to watch the football match and go home."
13. Mid of Manchester United fans in the pub
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Iain (no last name given), Manchester United fan:
"It is rubbish, I'm drinking coke, it is rubbish, it is ridiculous, come on, look at this, we are here to have a good time, we don't want to cause any trouble. We are here to have a good time, drink a couple of drinks, sing our songs, have a good time, come on."
15. Wide of the Olympic Stadium
16. Mid of AS Roma flag in front of the Olympic stadium
STORYLINE
Hundreds of fans of Manchester United football club arrived in Rome on Tuesday to meet AS Roma in a repeat of last season's UEFA Champions League quarter-final, which was marred by fans clashing with police and stabbings.
During the match last season, which Roma won 2-1, police in riot gear clashed with some of United's 4,500 fans.
Police hit fans with batons as opposing fans taunted and threw objects at each other across the partition separating the rival sections, and at least 12 Manchester United fans were stabbed by Roma's "Ultra" fans.
On Tuesday, Italian police escorted coaches bringing British fans from the airport to Rome's city centre.
Italian police have conferred with their Manchester counterparts to develop a detailed security plan for the game.
According to Italian news agency Ansa, Manchester United are due to gather in the afternoon at the Villa Borghese before being escorted by the police to the Olympic Stadium for the match.
Since the morning the Italian authorities have banned the sale of alcohol in bars and restaurants to reduce tension.
Some Manchester United fans, however, were less than impressed.
"It is rubbish, it is ridiculous, come on, look at this, we are here to have a good time, we don't want to cause any trouble. We are here to have a good time, drink a couple of drinks, sing our songs, have a good time," Iain from Manchester, said while he was drinking a glass of coke.
Kevin, a United fan who had come to the Olympic stadium from the south of England for the second year running said the atmosphere had changed for this year's match.
"This year it seems like we are just here to watch the football match and go home," he said.
Rome has been told by tournament organiser UEFA that it could be at risk of losing next year's Champions League final if there is violence at Tuesday's game.
The 2009 final is scheduled to take place at Stadio Olimpico, home of Roma and Lazio.
The Roma-Madrid game last month was marred by brief fan clashes outside the stadium.
There was also widespread rioting in Rome after a Lazio fan, Gabriele Sandri, was killed by police at a highway rest stop in November.
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