HUNDREDS of football fans were caught up in violent clashes last night before Manchester United's match with AS Roma.
Police said 18 fans were arrested outside Old Trafford - 11 English and seven Italian - in ugly scenes involving riot police and dog handlers.
Eyewitnesses said a firework was fired by Italian fans at Manchester United supporters and bottles were
hurled between rival groups prior to the game, which finished 7-1 to United.
The main standoff took place at the front entrance to the stadium, where police separated rival fans. Smashed glass from thrown bottles littered Sir Matt Busby Way, however police said there were no reports of injuries.
At one point, a group of about 30 Manchester United fans attempted to charge through the police line, one eyewitness said.
United fans sang "where are your famous Ultras now", a reference to the hardcore Roma group of supporters.
Extra police officers were on standby amid fears of revenge attacks on Italian fans and mounting tension between both camps following clashes in Rome.
The trouble followed last week's clashes in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final in Rome. Hundreds of British fans were injured after they were beaten by Italian riot police at the Stadio Olimpico last Wednesday.
About 3,800 AS Roma fans flew to Manchester for last night's match.
Ahead of the game, the Independent Manchester United Supporters' Association issued a statement urging fans to remain peaceful.
Stephen Fitzsimons, a United fan who was stabbed in the groin by Roma hooligans last week, said:
"People say the hardcore element of Italian clubs don't travel, but I flew back two days ago and saw a few cocky Roma fans on the plane who seemed to be sneering at us. Any reprisals would probably be on innocent people, and I don't want anything to happen which the Roman authorities could use as justification for what they did to us."
After the majority of fans had left Old Trafford and made their way home, Sky News reported further clashes outside the stadium. However a police spokesman said: "We are not aware of any trouble after the game."
Minister for sport Richard Caborn said: "
This was always going to be a highly charged game following the incident last week."
The full article contains 392 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
