In the Europa League, Brighton will be visiting AS Roma in the first leg of the round of 16. For two England fans, the trip to Italy turned into a nightmare.
Two supporters of the English first division club Brighton & Hove Albion were attacked with a knife and stabbed before the first leg of the round of 16 of the Europa League against AS Roma in Rome (from 6.45 p.m. in the live ticker on t-online). Several media outlets report this unanimously. A group of up to seven people is said to have carried out the attack on the two.
Shortly afterwards, the two fans were reportedly able to escape into a shop with wounds on their legs. On Thursday night, the two were taken to various hospitals with minor stab wounds, according to the BBC. A wallet containing money and documents was also taken from them.
The two injured people are among the approximately 3,500 Brighton fans who traveled to Rome. Another of them told BBX Radio Sussex: “We were on the way home from a bar and we were dressed normally, no singing, everything completely normal. Then we were ambushed from behind by about six guys.” Everyone was masked with a balaclava and dressed in black.
“Street crime can happen in Rome”
The fan himself then received a few blows to the back of the head, “and then I fell to the ground. They kicked and hit me. I came back to the hotel because luckily my injuries weren’t that bad.” But then he found out that two of his friends had been stabbed. However, there is no evidence that the attackers were Roma supporters.
The all-clear has now been given for the two injured people. Sussex Police Albion Liaison Officer Darren Balkham said he had spoken to the two victims and they were OK. He also referred to the club’s official safety instructions. A Brighton spokesman also said: “Street crime, including pickpocketing, can occur in Rome. Be vigilant, take sensible precautions and have valid travel documents.”