Arsenal Fans Attacked in Rome, but Does UEFA Even Care?

On a tension packed night in Rome last evening, events on the pitch were once again overshadowed by matters off it.

In a nerve wrecking shoot-out, Arsenal beat their capital counterparts Roma to progress to the quarterfinal stage of the prestigious Champions League competition.

Come May, two sides will return to the Stadio Olimpico to battle it out for the right to be called European Champions of 2009. But should Rome get the honour and financial rewards of hosting such an event?

Owing to violent clashes and racist chants that have marred European games in recent seasons, at the start of this season UEFA announced that it would not hesitate in moving either the Europa or Champions League final if they felt the well-being of fans may be endangered.

Judging by events when Manchester United visited last time, and the events of last night, the safety of away fans visiting Rome is questionable.

Prior to the match, Arsenal fans travelling to the game were each issued a booklet warning them not to visit certain parts of the city or travel to the game alone.

"If you travel to the stadium independently, please be aware you are at risk," stated the booklet circulated by Arsenal.

"Do not take trains to the Piazza Flaminio or attempt to use the Ponte Duca D'Aosta bridge as these are habitual routes taken by the 'Ultras' (Roma's hardcore supporters). Please stay away from the Campo De Fiori."

The fears of the club came to fruition when a bus carrying Arsenal fans to the game was attacked by a large group of Roma fans.

Windows were broken by stones thrown at the bus, as the Roma fans tried to make their way onto the vehicle to attack the travelling support, with one Italian being successful.

In the melee that followed, one Arsenal supporter was injured and required hospital treatment.

A spokesman for the British embassy in Rome said: "He was on board a private bus when they got lost near the stadium. Some Roma fans tried to get on to the bus and in the ensuing fight he got injured in the leg. It's not clear if the weapon was a knife or a shard of glass from one of the windows on the bus which was broken."

In the grand scheme of things, this can be considered a minor incident, however, when are UEFA and the powers that be going to grow a set of balls and actually follow through on their threats to severely punish clubs caught up in such behaviour?

As already noted, prior to the tournament UEFA pledged to move a game if they felt the safety of travelling fans was in doubt. Does someone have to be killed before they do so?

Italy is renowned for its extremely violent "Ultras," which were infamously responsible for the death of a policeman not so long ago, and there have been serious clashes between Italian supporters and travelling fans in the recent past.

FIFA and UEFA seem to content to issue threat after idle threat. 

Someday they will learn actions speak far, far louder than words.