After the controversy stirred up in Rome before last night’s match by Manchester United’s warning to their supporters about the dangers posed by the fans of AS Roma, it was predictable that the Champions League quarter-final, first leg at the Olympic Stadium would prove memorable for the wrong reasons.

Rome’s mayor and chief of police had taken exception to the warnings issued by Manchester United of possible attacks by Roma Ultras and fan websites had filled up with outraged remarks that took little account of the violent history of Roma supporters.

Squads of Carabinieri were highly visible in the piazzas and streets of the city centre during the afternoon, ostensibly to prevent confrontations between rival groups of fans. United supporters seemed unconcerned about the alleged dangers, sporting their replica shirts. They might have been less at ease if they had known that as much danger to their safety would come from those dressed in the black of the security forces as from those in the maroon and gold colours of Roma.

The police were out in even greater numbers at the ground, with riot shields and batons, but they were apparently unable to prevent locals from ambushing about 300 United fans on a bridge over the River Tiber close to the stadium, making a mockery of advice that there would be safety in numbers.

If the visiting team’s spectators imagined that they would be safe once inside the stadium, they were mistaken and unaware of the history of policing in this venue. Most of the 4,900 United fans who had bought tickets through the club were corralled into a red wedge in a corner of the stadium, well away from the Curva Sud, the Roma fans’ traditional end, which was almost full two hours before kick-off. However, the Curva Nord, the Lazio end when the other Rome club are using the stadium and well within a bottle’s throw, was also populated with home fans.

The United supporters could not be accused of playing it safe, chanting “Lazio” in a bid to make themselves as unpopular as possible. The announcer had hoped that spectators would enjoy a “nice evening of sport” but also read out dire warnings from Uefa of the consequences of violence. The referee, she said, had the authority to suspend the match if violence broke out. They were to prove empty words.

The violence started in earnest when Roma took the lead after 44 minutes. Until then, a few stray missiles had been thrown between the rival fans, but Taddei’s effort sparked off a more concerted aerial assault from both sides. Appearing to ignore any wrongdoers among the home team’s fans, the Carabinieri baton-charged into the United enclosure, lashing out, apparently indiscriminately. Several United fans were left bleeding profusely from head wounds and one fan was seen on the ground with blood coming from his forehead. The man was led away from police by other supporters.

Some of the United fans gave as good as they got and others responded by hurling more missiles into the onrushing uniformed ranks, but most were forced to attempt to leap over seats to safety. Some managed it, but many others could not.

The referee, Herbert Fandel of Germany, probably did not see what was happening in the United section. So we will never know whether he would have had the courage to suspend play because of violence perpetrated by police rather than so-called hooligans.

Viewers at home, however, had a close-up and television pictures showed fans repeatedly beaten by the police as they lay on the ground. “They [the police] are not preventing it, they’re fuelling it,” David Platt, the former Juventus midfield player, who was summarising for a television company, said.

Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager, who can be as outspoken as anyone when it suits him, declined to comment on anything other than footballing matters afterwards. As he spoke, the United supporters were being kept in their places for 90 minutes after the final whistle. The expression “insult to injury” springs to mind.

Supporters condemn scenes

Manchester United supporters on the web reacted with understandable dismay to the television pictures of the violence in the first half at the Olympic Stadium in Rome and even rival supporters felt sympathy

“They should sue the cops”
Asian, Redissue, United forum

“Platini was a player with great vision on the field, bet he chooses not to see the police violence”
Aphextwiner, Redissue, United forum

“I actually feel a touch of sympathy for them [United]. Roma’s fans and the Italian police are scum”
Bass Man, RAOTL, Liverpool forum

“Totally over the top policing by the Italians”
Ridersonthestorm, Arseonline, Arsenal forum

“Manchester United fans should have all our support. That was disgusting. We should stick together on this one. We are all fans”
John Phillips, Chelseafc, Chelsea forum