Only 3 turnstiles for 5,000
FEARS that violence would disrupt the second leg of Liverpool’s Champions League semi-final eased as the build-up to kick-off passed without incident. But there was some pre-match anxiety when Liverpool’s 5,000 fans were funnelled through only three turnstiles, leading to long queues. Liverpool had issued a detailed safety bulletin on the morning of yesterday’s game, in which they urged their fans not to walk to the Stadio Olimpico and instead take shuttle buses. Added to that, there was a heavy police presence around the Metro stations and the main squares throughout the day to ensure no flashpoints erupted. Both bridges across the River Tiber — notorious in the past for visiting fans being attacked with knives — were also constantly monitored. Liverpool were unhappy, however, with conditions immediately outside the stadium. With so few turnstiles, supporters had to line up waiting to be admitted. It led to long queues and tensions building, but the vast majority were in their seats by kick-off.