MANCHESTER UNITED will today take part in talks in Italy aimed at preventing a repeat of the crowd violence that has marred their previous matches against Roma in the Champions League. A delegation led by Ken Ramsden, United's club secretary, will meet Roma's officials to discuss ways of ensuring the safety of the travelling supporters when the clubs meet in the quarter-finals.
When they met at this stage last season there were violent clashes outside the Stadio Olimpico and 12 United fans were stabbed. Dozens more were injured during a series of indiscriminate attacks by riot police inside the ground.
Another five United supporters were stabbed, and six arrested, before the teams met in the group stage of this season's competition in December, and Uefa intends to appoint their highest-ranking security officials to the quarter-final in Rome on April 1st.
United will also ask for permission to take their own stewards and there will be a major presence of officers from Greater Manchester police. Special arrangements will be made to take English supporters to the stadium in a convoy of buses, and United are appealing for their fans to take extreme care.
Uefa yesterday announced the award of a major package of media rights for the Uefa Champions League from 2009 to 2012 in Britain to Sky Sports. After the first round of bidding, BSkyB emerged as the clear winner for a number of rights packages including exclusive coverage of all live matches and highlights on a Tuesday and all matches on a Wednesday - with the exception of the first-choice match.
BSkyB's package also includes simultaneous coverage of the Champions League final and Super Cup, comprehensive highlights, delayed match coverage and magazine programmes.
Bolton manager Gary Megson has confirmed goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen will miss the remainder of the club's season with a back problem. The 32-year-old was absent from Wanderers' league 1-0 defeat by Wigan at the JJB Stadium on Sunday.
Alan Curbishley has hired Italian Gianluca Nani as West Ham's first technical director after admitting he needs help finding his way in the global transfer market. Nani will join West Ham in the summer from Brescia, where he has helped develop the likes of Italian World Cup winners Andrea Pirlo and Luca Toni.
