Manchester United are on high alert to prevent Roma fans infiltrating the areas of Old Trafford reserved for home supporters in tonight’s Champions League clash.
The fixture has a history of violence and United are determined to make sure more trouble isn’t sparked by Italian ultras buying tickets in the United sections of the stadium.
There were flashpoints when Galatasaray visited Old Trafford in October 2023, and again when Rangers were in town last year after tickets fell into the wrong hands.
There were concerns that the risk of unrest might be heightened by tickets for recent United games going on general sale, but the club insist they are only allocated to fans who were on their database prior to the Champions League draw being made.
The same restrictions apply to supporters forwarding season tickets and all hospitality guests whose tickets have been checked individually before being issued.
However, United will be extra vigilant to prevent Roma fans ending up among the home supporters, with any stray travelling fans being ejected immediately.
The rivalry between United and Roma dates back to their first meeting in April 2007 when Italian riot police were widely criticised for wading into English fans
United won the return leg of the quarter-final 7-1, with police making 18 arrests after fans clashed outside Old Trafford
The official allocation for the Italian club is 3,300, and those fans will congregate at Shambles Square in the city centre before making their way to Old Trafford under close police supervision.
Confidential understands Roma have avoided trouble playing away in Serie A and Europe this season after the Italian football authorities restricted travel for most of their teams.
With the exception of their games against Como and Udinese, Roma have only been allowed to take fans who live outside the Lazio region and are more likely to be affiliated to official fan clubs than the hardcore ultras who live in the centre of Rome.
The rivalry between United and Roma dates back to their first meeting in the quarter-final of the Champions League in April 2007 when Italian riot police were widely criticised for wading into English fans after they reacted to being pelted with missiles by Roma supporters.
A number of United fans were hospitalised, including 10 who were stabbed after being ambushed outside the Stadio Olimpico before kick-off. Roma were fined £31,000 – twice as much as United – and The Independent Manchester United Supporters’ Association pursued legal action against the Italian police for years afterwards.
United won the return leg 7-1, with police making 18 arrests after fans clashed outside Old Trafford. Sir Alex Ferguson’s side knocked Roma out of the quarter-finals again the following season on their way to winning the Champions League, having also played each other in the group stage – when trouble flared in Rome and three fans were stabbed.
Wayne Rooney scores United’s third goal in that 7-1 thrashing. Michael Carrick also got on the scoresheet twice
The most recent meeting between the two clubs, in the Europa League semi-final in 2021, was played behind closed doors due to Covid.
A GMP spokesperson said: ‘Greater Manchester Police is expecting a number of Roma supporters arriving into Manchester today with officers at the airport and would like to offer a warm welcome to all supporters.
‘We are highly experienced in policing high-profile events and have been working closely with both clubs and supporters to ensure everyone can enjoy the match safely. We understand the majority of supporters attend matches peacefully however if there are any issues of disorder, we have a full plan in place to deal with concerns and will take action appropriately.
‘There will be police in and around Old Trafford, so if you have any concerns before, during or after the match, then please speak to officers or stewards.’
United dodge rail chaos
The United squad flew back from London after Saturday’s defeat by Chelsea, avoiding the rail chaos that piled more misery onto their suffering fans.
Michael Carrick and the players took the train from Stockport to Euston on Friday, but returned by plane following the 2-0 loss. They were back at Carrington and heading for home by the time many supporters were left stranded by widespread delays caused by a points failure at Camden.
Confidential understands only one train left Euston for Manchester on Saturday evening and that was rammed with passengers desperate to get home and avoid having to pay for a hotel stay.
British Transport Police had to intervene to calm several disturbances before the train left Euston after standing still on the platform for half an hour, finally arriving at Manchester Piccadilly well after midnight.
Carrick and his players had a miserable time at Stamford Bridge on Saturday – but they did at least avoid the train chaos that affected the club’s fans
Emery exposes system fault
When it comes to Ineos and the footballing decisions at United, much is made about the ‘best in class’ structure they have supposedly put in place.
There is Jason Wilcox as director of football, Christopher Vivell as director of recruitment, with figures like Michael Sansoni, director of data, key to the Ineos eco-system at Old Trafford. Omar Berrada is CEO and Sir Jim Ratcliffe is very hands-on as minority owner.
Carrick slotted into that set-up as head coach without ruffling any feathers. Should he get the boot, it’s fair to question if the structure is actually fit for purpose.
Chatting to Confidential in recent days, sources in the game explained why the current structure would not necessarily suit someone like Unai Emery.
As one of the best managers in the Premier League, Emery should be a dream target if United are to move on from Carrick in the coming weeks. He is, it is understood, on a five-man shortlist of potential replacements.
But Aston Villa boss Emery, for example, is said to choose his own sporting director and deal directly with ownership – rather than a director of football or a CEO – given the immense power he wields.
Would Unai Emery be happy to work with the likes of Omar Berrada (left) and Jason Wilcox?
There are serious questions being asked of Wilcox and Berrada right now. What happens moving forward with Vivell is also an issue.
Which raises the question: if United pivot in the dugout in a bid to save this sorry season and they have any chance of landing a big fish like Emery, why would you stick to a system that wouldn’t be agreeable to one of the league’s very best managers?
Maybe the structure is the problem, after all.
Buchan shirt sells for £10k
It’s approaching half a century since United’s famous win over Liverpool in the 1977 FA Cup final denied Bob Paisley’s side the chance of winning the Treble, but the rivalry has paid off for the family of Emlyn Hughes.
When the two clubs met again at Wembley later that summer and shared the Charity Shield after a goalless draw, Liverpool’s captain and No 6 swapped shirts with his United counterpart Martin Buchan whose white Admiral jersey with the three vertical stripes sold for £10,000 at auction on Monday.
The shirt, which had an estimate of between £4-6,000, was one of 200 lots from Hughes’ career with Liverpool, Wolves and England which were auctioned off by Budds on behalf of his family. A Northern Ireland No 8 jersey worn by George Best also sold for £49,000.
Hughes, who died in 2004 at the age of 57, led the great Liverpool side that would have beaten United by 22 years to become the first English club to win the league title, European Cup and FA Cup in the same season were it not for Tommy Docherty’s team, captained by Buchan, beating them 2-1.
Almost 50 years later, the rivalry between the two clubs is still as strong as ever as United prepare to go to Anfield straight after the international break.
Under 18s blaze a trail
Finding slivers of positivity at United right now is far from easy, but Darren Fletcher’s Under 18s are doing their level best as their 10-game unbeaten run goes on.
Spearheaded by Kai Rooney, Noah Ajayi and Jaume Camacho, Fletcher’s fledglings have hit 38 goals in the past 10 games, scoring 16 in the past three alone with a 6-3 win over Liverpool followed up by a 6-0 win at Burnley and a 4-1 win at Blackburn.
Jaume Camacho, 17, is a real rising star and helping Darren Fletcher’s Under 18s play some scintillating football
This was a squad overshadowed by the brilliance of JJ Gabriel last season and one that started this campaign without too much star power on paper.
But with Camacho, 17, a real rising star – his four goals against Liverpool were sublime – Fletcher’s side are playing some top football and dismantling teams the way other clubs are dismantling United’s first team right now.
United have 99 problems, but Fletcher’s Under 18s aren’t one.
