Liverpool players have celebrated reaching the Champions League final tonight by parading banners around the Stadio Olimpico bearing the name of a fan who was stabbed outside Anfield last week.
Sean Cox, 53, was the victim of an unprovoked attack in Liverpool ahead of the first leg of the semi-final.
He sustained a severe bleed to the head and remains in an induced coma at Walton Hospital in Liverpool. Two men in their 20s from Rome have been charged with violent disorder in connection with the incident.
In emotional scenes after The Reds beat Roma tonight, the team held a banner reading ‘Sean Cox – You’ll Never Walk Alone’.
Captain Jordan Henderson also walked with the banner as Liverpool fans – holding their own versions – cheered from the stands.
Despite losing 4-2 to Roma, Liverpool went through to the European final 7-6 on aggregate, where they will face Real Madrid in Kiev on Saturday.
Fears violence would mar the second leg of the semi-final were unfounded as the entire match in Rome passed without incident.
In emotional scenes after The Reds beat Roma tonight, the team held a banner reading ‘Sean Cox – You’ll Never Walk Alone’.
Liverpool fans cheer in the aftermath of their victory at the Stadio Olimpico tonight. In front of them is a banner bearing the name of Sean Cox, who was stabbed near Anfield last week
Sean Cox (pictured right), 53, was the victim of an unprovoked attack by Roma fans outside Anfield ahead of the first leg of the semi-final
Captain Jordan Henderson also walked with the banner as Liverpool fans – holding their own versions of the banner – cheered from the stands
Fears violence would mar the second leg of Liverpool’s Champions League semi-final were unfounded as kick-off passed without incident from the Reds (pictured in the stands of the Stadio Olimpico) in Rome this evening
Away fans are pictured celebrating an early goal after kickoff in Rome this evening. No violent incidents were reported
Liverpool fans are packed onto buses to the Stadio Olimpico after being told they should not walk to Roma’s stadium
Liverpool fans sing from the windows of the buses after being advised ‘under no circumstances’ to walk to the stadium
Huge numbers of supporters were seen queuing outside the ground amid ferocious security checks by Italian security
Fans were advised to take their places in the away end well before the 7.45pm kick-off time, and most took that advice
One Liverpool fan arrived early enough to sneak in a nap before the Champions League semi-final second leg clash
A heavy police presence continue to monitor Liverpool fans in the build-up to their Champions League semi-final clash
Liverpool fans appear to be contained by riot police as they wait to catch buses to Roma’s Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday
Police conduct searches on Liverpool fans outside Roma’s ground, as one supporter in the background lets off a flare
A line of Italian riot police secure the Villa Borghese park as Liverpool fans begin to arrive in order to reach the stadium
Police vans and officers stand guard at the Villa Borghese, where Liverpool fans will board transport to the Stadio Olimpico
A view of the cordoned-off Barcaccia Fountain in the centre of Rome hours before the Champions League tie kicks off
Police guard Liverpool supporters as they board buses at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport ahead of Wednesday night’s match
Some of the 5,000 Liverpool fans expected to be in Rome for the Champions League semi-final pictured at the airport
A massive security operation has been launched by Roman police amid fears fans will be targeted by Ultras groups
There was a heavy presence of both English and Italian police at Fiumicino Airport as fans were buses into the city centre
Liverpool fans sing slogans in the Campo Dei Fiori neighborhood hours before second leg match against the Serie A club
Liverpool fans hold aloft a banner that translates from Italian to ‘Thanks Roma for Mo Salah’
Police oversee proceedings as Liverpool supporters await to board buses towards the Stadio Olimpico
There was a huge police presence in the Italian capital before the showdown as 5,000 Liverpool fans descended on the city for the match.
The Reds were told to take shuttle buses to the Stadio Olimpico instead of walking after an unprovoked attack on a Liverpool fan outside Anfield following the first leg last week.
Safety warnings were issued to both sets of fans, but with just two arrests for drugs offences, the entire matched passed with no reports of violence.
Liverpool were unhappy with conditions immediately outside the stadium, as there were only three turnstiles to cope with all the visiting supporters who were trying to be admitted. It led to long queues and tensions building but, eventually, the vast majority were in their seats by kick-off.
Dozens of riot police were seen surrounding Liverpool fans in Villa Borghese as they waited to board coaches that took them to the stadium. It forms part of a massive security operation mounted amid fears they will be attacked by factions of the Roma Ultras.
The visiting fans were told by the club that ‘under no circumstances’ should they walk to the Stadio Olimpico and were warned they could be held in the away section until 1am – two-and-a-half hours after the scheduled end of the match – so Roma fans can be dispersed.
A re-run of the match will be shown on the big screen for Liverpool fans to watch while they are kept in and facilities on the concourses will remain open.
Two Liverpool fans were detained on arrival in Rome after they were found to be in possession of drugs. A sniffer dog located a small amount of cocaine and marijuana on the two supporters after their arrival at Fiumicino Airport.
The fans were not arrested but had the drugs confiscated, and were allowed to continue with their trip to watch the Champions League match.
Local police officers searched some Liverpool fans for alcohol as they made their way around the city
A group of Liverpool supporters pose with a flag outside the famous Colosseum in Rome ahead of Wednesday’s match
Liverpool fans have been making their presence felt around the city ahead of the second leg of the European semi-final
One Liverpool fan dressed in papal robes as they enjoyed their visit to the Italian capital on Wednesday
Many Liverpool fans were taking the opportunity to visit some of Rome’s ancient monuments, including the Colosseum
Three Liverpool fans at the famous Spanish Steps in Rome as they soak up the atmosphere ahead of the match
Again, there was a police presence of both uniformed and non-uniformed officers to keep watch in the city centre
Another set of Liverpool fans pose with their banners in front of the Spanish Steps as the countdown to kick-off begins
The Liverpool fans will be transported by bus from the city centre to the Stadio Olimpico under police guard
Plenty of pre-match beers were being sunk in this bar as some of the travelling Liverpool fans enjoyed their visit to Rome
Liverpool have issued extensive advice on safety to their travelling fans, including orders not to walk to the Stadio Olimpico
The big match atmosphere continued to build throughout the afternoon in the Eternal City – this was the Campo de Fiori
There have been no reports of any violence between rival fans. Police took the precautionary measure of closing bars when they became too crowded and ask fans to disperse.
The majority of Liverpool fans gathered in cafes and bars a short distance from the tourist attraction of the Spanish Steps. Later they walked to a nearby park where a fleet of buses ferried the fans to the stadium.
In a fresh set of advice to fans published on Liverpool’s official website, they urged spectators to arrive at the stadium as early as possible because ticket checks and bag searches were likely to be ‘long and arduous.’
Entrance gates opened at 5pm for the 8.45pm kick-off local time with shuttle buses to the stadium from the Piazzale delle Canestre at Villa Borghese running from 4pm.
Buses will transport fans back once they are released from the ground. They were also told not to hang banners and scarves from monuments, fountains and statues in the historic city.
It comes after Roma hooligans attacked Liverpool fan Sean Cox, 53, outside Anfield ahead of last Tuesday’s first leg, leaving him with severe head injuries.
Fans had been encouraged to keep a low profile in Rome but that request clearly went unheeded in some areas
Liverpool flags and banners were seen everywhere as thousands of fans enjoyed their trip to the semi-finals
Liverpool are seeking to reach their first Champions League final since 2007 and claim their first title since 2005
A group of Liverpool supporters went to Capitol Hill in Rome to meet local government and club officials for a show of support for Liverpool fan Sean Cox, who remains in a medically-induced coma after being attacked by Roma thugs outside Anfield
Liverpool supporters sing their way through the evening as they arrive in Rome on Tuesday, the eve of the semi-final
Liverpool fans were naturally in high spirits with a 5-2 advantage from the first leg as they chase a first final since 2007
Liverpool fans are optimistic their team can overcome Roma and then Real Madrid in the final to win the trophy a sixth time
Liverpool fans could be kept inside the Stadio Olimpico until 1am as a security precaution until home supporters disperse
Italian police officers watch on as the Liverpool supporters socialise in the centre of Rome on Tuesday evening
Reds supporters pose for a picture outside a bar on Tuesday evening – the night thankfully passed off without incident
A group of Reds supporters climb on top of a green container to lead the chants as they descended on the Italian capital
Giampietro Lionetti, head of the Rome police special branch, confirmed that Liverpool supporters could be kept inside the away section of the Stadio Olimpico until the early hours if necessary.
The match will finish at around 10.30pm local time, unless it goes to extra-time or penalties in the event Roma match Liverpool’s 5-2 margin of victory from the first leg.
‘If all goes well, we will let the Liverpool fans out earlier, but it could happen,’ he said. Barcelona supporters in Roma for last month’s quarter-final were kept in the ground until 1am despite there being less risk of trouble.
If Liverpool fans are kept in, it could impact on charter flights back to England in the early hours, with the first of these scheduled to depart at 1.15am local time. Lionetti added: ‘We need to work to keep hardcore fans from both sides separated.’
Police in Rome have given Liverpool fans safe zones, while warning them to avoid certain areas around the Stadio Olimpico
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp appealed for calm in his press conference ahead of the fixture. Hesaid: ‘I would have given a one-and-a-half-hour speech if I thought that somebody would listen to it — the right people would listen to it — about why it is important to behave in a right way, but obviously that doesn’t really work.
‘I trust in the police, and all the other forces who do these things. Me, I will prepare a football game and it is quite special because it is a semi-final. But I cannot imagine why somebody goes there and plans something around the football game. I don’t know why they have these thoughts and why they want to express themselves in these moments and have these little or bigger fights.
‘I have absolutely no tolerance for these things. I really hope we are already over the mountain and people are a little bit more aware of what could happen and are responsible. If somebody (misbehaves), then it should be really massive, the punishment.’
Italian police have urged Liverpool fans to be careful amid fears of violence orchestrated by Roma hooligans this week
A huge 5,000 Liverpool supporters are expected to descend on Rome as they stand just a step away from the final
The first leg was marred by violence outside the stadium, in which a Liverpool fan, 53-year-old Sean Cox, was attacked
Manchester United fans previously fought with riot police during a match against Roma in 2007