Merseyside Police will be on red alert ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League semi-final clash with Roma after it emerged the Italians’ team coach will take the same route to Anfield as Manchester City did earlier this month.
City’s journey to the stadium made headlines in the quarter-finals after their bus was pelted with bottles and pyrotechnics, smashing the drivers’ door and damaging the front windscreen.
Now it has emerged that Roma will take the same route, with the Anfield club urging supporters to refrain from using flares and pyrotechnics near the stadium.
Liverpool fans threw bottles, rocks and fireworks at the Manchester City coach earlier in April
It has now emerged that Roma will take the same, longer route to the stadium on Tuesday night
A statement on the club’s offical website read: ‘Liverpool Football Club would like to advise supporters attending Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final match against AS Roma that the coach arrival route will take place along Arkles Lane, near to Anfield stadium.
‘LFC reminds fans that the use of flares and other pyrotechnics in and around football stadiums is prohibited. Supporters who do ignite such devices will face arrest and prosecution.
‘The club has been charged recently by UEFA for Liverpool supporters using pyrotechnics during recent matches, which will result in sanctions being imposed on the club and could result in ticket allocations being reduced at future games.’
The windscreen and the driver’s window of Manchester City’s bus were damaged by missiles
Roma’s route has been made public and police are on red alert after the previous ugly scenes
Usually for a European clash the away coach would drive up from the Titanic Hotel, turn right off Walton Lane and head up past the King Harry pub towards Anfield.
Building work and scaffolding on the date of the City game meant the route was changed by police in an attempt to ensure fan safety, and the same will happen for Tuesday night’s match.
On Monday, Merseyside Police vowed to crack down on any fan disturbances following the ugly scenes with Manchester City on April 4.
Liverpool supporters’ actions led to a UEFA charge and strong condemnation from Reds boss Jurgen Klopp.
Local police are on alert for any untoward behaviour ahead of Tuesday’s last-four clash, promising a ‘firm, fair and friendly’ approach which they hope will keep football in the headlines.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp admitted it had cast a shadow over the tie prior to the last match
Klopp has urged his side’s supporters to be respectful of Roma ahead of their last-four clash
Speaking on Monday, Klopp once again urged his side’s supporters to be respectful to Roma ahead of the semi-final.
He hopes Anfield will be even noisier than it was for the match against the Premier League champions, but he does not want supporters to overstep the mark again.
‘In the stadium, do it again — and better,’ said Klopp. ‘Out of the stadium, please show the respect we have to show. This is such a fantastic football club, outstanding football family, known for fantastic atmospheres all over the world, so we don’t need to throw whatever at the bus.
‘Please show the respect they deserve. We are opponents on the pitch but I really think we can show how wonderful Liverpool people are and the city and the spirit of the club. We can show it 20 minutes before the game and then the whole world knows it. All the people here deserve that we show this.’
Liverpool issued a statement condemning ugly scenes before the last Champions League tie
City’s team bus received a raucous reception as it arrived at the ground just after 6:30pm