As tends to be the case when England fans travel around Europe to follow their team, foreign countries set up extra security in case of clashes between the two sets of supporters.
Liverpool’s away trip to Napoli this week is no different, as Il Mattino describes the situation as a ‘high tension’ one, claiming around 2700 Reds fans are expected in Naples for the game.
The Italian newspaper report this is of ‘great concern’ for Italy’s Home Office, who remember the problems in 2010 both on their soil and in England when these two sides met in the Europa League.
When Liverpool fans last travelled to Naples, three ended up in hospital with stab wounds after being ‘hunted’ by Napoli Ultra fans, with four others injured.
Il Mattino admit that times have changed a bit, as the hooligan culture in England has died down a bit, but that isn’t going to stop security being at ‘a maximum’ on Tuesday, with prefiltering zones and detailed searches.
At least 500 stewards are expected to be present at the stadium, with that number potentially rising to 600, while a police force will also be around the ground to ensure no problems take place.
Furthermore, the city is expected to stop the sale of alcoholic drinks early in the afternoon to avoid inebriated clashes, as Il Mattino state that when English fans are abroad, they tend to ‘lose their heads’ a bit.
