While the AZ stadium is almost sold out on Thursday for the Conference League match against Lazio Roma, the away section remains largely empty. Of the more than 900 purchased cards, about half were returned.
It is not clear whether the reduced interest from Rome has to do with the announced security measures or whether the supporters simply find the European meeting less interesting than, for example, their own competition.
fan zone
To ensure the arrival of the Italian supporters in the right direction, the municipality of Alkmaar is creating a fan zone on the Paardenmarkt where a special tent has been set up. From there, supporters are escorted to the stadium in the evening. In October, the tent was also used to host fans of Cypriot club Apollon Limasol. The football supporters were then not allowed to leave the square. This approach of the municipality is only taken when the risk of confrontations is high.
Nets
Extra security measures have also been taken within the gates of the stadium. To prevent the fanatical supporters from throwing objects towards the field, nets have been placed in front of part of the Van der Ben stand. The European football association UEFA imposed a penalty on AZ against FC Vaduz for throwing objects. In addition to a fine, two sections remained closed to the public during that game. If supporters misbehave, the Alkmaarders will face a new penalty.
AZ won the first match in Rome 2-1. With a win or a draw, the Alkmaarders qualify for the quarterfinals of the Conference League. The kick-off is Thursday at 9 p.m.