The Sun has claimed that a specialist team of Italian cops will monitor Lazio fans throughout their trip to watch their team play against Celtic.
Around 1,300 Italian fans are expected for the match with a claim that 300 of them are from the Ultras group that has forced UEFA into a partial closure of the Stadio Olympico for the visit of Celtic next month.
Under UEFA rules Lazio will have the names and passport details of the fans issued with tickets but it seems that the authorities in Scotland and Italy are taking no chances.
In 2015 Ajax hooligans caused havoc in Glasgow city centre under minimal supervision from Police Scotland but a repeat of that carnage seems unlikely.
Under the headline ‘CHAOS ALERT- Anti-Mafia cops will travel to Glasgow to monitor 300 notorious Lazio ‘ultras’ ahead of Celtic clash’ The Sun reports:
SPECIALIST anti-mafia cops are flying to Scotland in a bid to stop notorious Italian footie fans causing havoc. The crack squad will monitor around 300 feared Lazio “ultras” before, during and after Thursday night’s clash against Celtic.
Elite “Special Operations” officers, known as DIGOS, often hunt down mobsters and terrorists. But the unit, led by Claudio Ciccimarra, has been called in to crack down on thugs from the Rome club and prevent clashes with Hoops supporters at the Europa League tie.
It comes after Uefa ordered Lazio to shut sections of their Stadio Olimpico ground for next month’s return fixture over their supporters’ fascist gestures and racist chants. Sources in Italy said the Parkhead match will be “delicate” to police.
One added: “There are fears of clashes with Scottish fans. The DIGOS will track around 300 Lazio ultras.” It’s understood Scots cops will escort about 1,500 Italian fans to and from Celtic Park.
Celtic have been allocated 9,000 tickets for the November 7 match between the two clubs in Rome.
