'Italian police showed no brutality'

Updated 09.51 Fri Apr 06 2007

Keywords: Premiership, Champions League, Roma, Manchester United, football, sport, Uefa, violence

A leading Italian politician has blamed Manchester United fans for the violence which overshadowed their Champions League quarter-final in Rome.

Uefa is investigating the ugly scenes which unfolded at the Stadio Olimpico as AS Roma claimed a 2-1 first-leg lead over Sir Alex Ferguson's men on Wednesday night.

"I have seen the police maintain their position. You cannot accuse our law enforcement officials of brutality" - Italy's Minister of Justice, Clemente Mastella

Baton-wielding riot police charged United fans in the ground, while both sets of supporters threw missiles over the plastic screens separating them after trouble flared at half-time.

Manchester United have condemned the "over-reaction" of Italian police while backing an official government examination into the violent scenes which resulted in 18 of the visiting fans being taken to hospital for treatment.

But Italy's Minister of Justice, Clemente Mastella, who was in the stadium, has been quoted as saying: "At the Olimpico, I have seen only one thing - English fans who are not the best example of how to support the team they love who provoked police.

"I have seen the police maintain their position. You cannot accuse our law enforcement officials of brutality."

Rome's police, who are urging people to wait for an investigation, said: "As the British Embassy has rightly said, both sets of police (English and Italian) are working together to find the most objective analysis of the incidents that occurred.

"In this situation, to get the facts right is the most important thing and the reaction should come later."