Last night’s Champions League match kicked off with no sign of the violence that has marred previous encounters between AS Roma and Manchester United, partly thanks to draconian security measures involving 1,400 Italian police, as well as a number of police and stewards from Manchester.

Police detained four Roma fans who refused to identify themselves and “responded physically” when challenged, Italian reports said. William Gaillard, the Uefa spokesman, had earlier given warning that Rome risked losing next year’s Champions League final if the match was accompanied by violence.

Fans of the visiting side were mindful of warnings that violence would jeopardise the appeals by four United supporters jailed after disturbances and stabbings last December at a bridge leading to the Olympic Stadium. Dozens were injured inside the ground when they were beaten by police last April. At the match in December, however, the disturbances were outside the ground, partly because of new antihooliganism measures at Italian stadiums and partly because the attendance was low.

Nearly 4,000 United supporters were due in Rome yesterday, although Italian television said that some had failed to arrive because of flight delays. Despite an alcohol ban in the area, some fans could be seen arriving at the ground with beer bottles.

Before the match, Janet Dillon, mother of Kyle Dillon, one of the imprisoned United fans, said that violence would affect her son’s appeal, due on May 2. Kyle Dillon, 23, was jailed for 30 months on charges of assault and resisting arrest. Three other fans with similar sentences – Richard Wimmer, 39, Nicholas Lucas, 18, and Michael Burk, 35 – are also appealing.

Janet Dillon, from Mottram, near Hyde, said her message to fans was: “Don’t go to the game, it isn’t safe. Our police cannot protect you and the Italian police will not protect you because they are part of the problem.”