Inside Roma’s infamous Fedayn hooligan firm responsible for more than 50 years of stabbings and bloodshed against English football fans
There are fears of violence in Rome tonight as 5,000 Liverpool supporters travel to the Eternal City to watch their team's Champions League semi-final return leg
ROMA'S notorious Fedayn ultras last week beat Liverpool supporter Sean Cox to within an inch of his life, marking yet another ugly chapter in the group's bloody 50-year history.
There are now fears of more violence in the Italian capital tonight as 5,000 Liverpool supporters travel to the Eternal City to watch their team's Champions League semi-final return leg.
Key to avoiding this will be the protection of travelling British fans and the containment of the Fedayn - who have already warned they plan to "hunt and hurt" visiting fans.
Just this morning two fans were attacked by men on mopeds brandishing a metal bar. These attacks, however, are nothing new.
Liverpool supporters were brutalised in the city in 1984 and 2001, as were Manchester United supporters in 2007 and Middlesbrough fans in 2006.
Established in the 1970s, the Fedayn is named after an Iranian terror group and translates to "those who sacrifice themselves".
They have a reputation for knife-work, and their tactics, unlike the bare-knuckled brawls favoured by Eastern European firms, involves stabbing rival fans in the buttocks - a humiliating assault that doesn't render a murder charge.
Alberto Testa, an associate professor in criminology and expert on hooliganism, told The Sun Online it is a small but strong force.
He said: "Because of the predominance of 'Roma' and because of their size, while tending to be marginalised in Rome, they seem to be quite strong and active when the team plays the match abroad.
"Reputation is everything in the ultras world, so what they did a few days ago has been seen by any ultras group in Italy and Europe as an achievement.
"Let us not forget - Eastern European ultras show this - that there is a parallel unofficial championship on who wins fights and is strong."
Alberto estimates the hardcore section of the group numbers only 15 - 20, noting Italian cops will be trying to avoid contact between the two sets of fans.
Police today revealed they may hold Liverpool supporters in the Stadio Olympico until 1am to achieve this.
Some 2,000 cops have also been drafted in for the fixture - which is only the second time Roma has reached the Champions League semi-finals, marking it one of the biggest nights in the club's 91-year history.
However, Geoff Pearson, an expert on hooligans at the University of Manchester, said Italian cops - unlike their British counterparts - had shown no evidence of learn how to deal with hooliganism despite it occurring since the 1970s.
He told The Sun Online: "It's clear that in Rome there are a number of groups of fans or ultras who do have a reputation for unprovoked attacks on supporters.
"There is a history going back to the mid-80s of these groups attacking British fans in Rome.
"Liverpool fans were attacked in 1984 at the European Final. There were attacks on Liverpool fans in 2001 and there have been attacks on Middlesbrough fans.
"There were attacks on Man United fans in 2007, so unfortunately when Europe teams travel to Rome historically they have been targeted by these groups. AS Roma has had a reputation for having those groups for as long as I can remember."
Rome police chief Giampietro Lionetti yesterday warned Liverpool fans to avoid areas and bridges where there have been "ambushes and severe beatings" in the past.
He added: "There is a lot of history between the two sets of fans, and it will our job to keep them all safe."
Geoff added: "A lot of football violence relies on rivalries and history and English teams and Italian teams have that history in abundance.
"Obviously we have the Heysel disaster in 1985 and English fans around that period had a reputation as hooligans.
"English fans are unfortunately still seen as a legitimate target by these groups. They're seen as having fought in the past and can still defend themselves."
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He added: "If there aren't issues... that suggests that the Italian police have done something different.
"It suggests that they've done something to protect visiting fans.
"There's always the possibility extra police that are positioned more tactically, around where Liverpool fans are drinking.
"But I've not seen the Italian police successfully do that yet, so I'm of the view there is a high risk of attacks on Liverpool fans. I would say that it is a high risk fixture."
Last week Liverpool fan Sean Cox was left in a coma after hitting his head on the ground during a violent unprovoked assault.
Yesterday Roma stars wore T-shirts in support of the stricken Irish fan - while two Italian supporters were arrested over the brutal attack.
ADVICE FOR TRAVELLING FANS
- Supporters should socialise at Piazza del Popolo and Piazza di Spagna prior to the match
- Meet at Piazzale delle Canestre, Villa Borghese from 4pm to catch shuttle buses to the stadium
- Under no circumstances should they walk to the Stadio Olympico
- The earlier Liverpool fans arrive at the stadium the better with gates opening at 5pm
- Entry will be refused if the name on your ticket doesn't match that on your personal ID
- Post-match hold back could last until 1am, after which shuttle buses will return to the city
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