Lazio deny responsibility for Champions League trouble

Rome, Aug 16: Lazio launched a vehement defence of the club today, saying incidents surrounding Tuesday's Champions League third round qualifier with Dinamo Bucharest had been blown out of proportion.

UEFA said yesterday it would review the Rome first leg, which was marred with five Romanians being injured in clashes with Lazio fans outside the Stadio Olimpico before kickoff.

Racist chanting from a small section of fans was also heard during the 1-1 draw, although it was quickly drowned out by whistles from the rest of the crowd.

''The club finds it sad that these marginal episodes have been over-emphasised by some media organisations,'' the club said in a statement.

''They do not come from the search for objective truth but from the desire to place the team and the fans in a bad light.

''Lazio recall that all Lazio supporters promptly and loudly protested against the sparse group of supporters, whose chants were immediately drowned out by a chorus of dissent.'' The club also said it could not be held responsible for the trouble outside the stadium and that it awaited UEFA's findings with confidence.

A UEFA spokesman said yesterday: ''There is no doubt that there is a violent history surrounding Lazio fans and we always seem to have problems.'' Italy has strengthened stadium security following revulsion at the death of a policeman in riots outside a match at Catania in February.

However, Italy's Interior Minister Giuliano Amato said on Wednesday it was difficult to stop soccer violence away from grounds.

Reuters>