Manchester United warn fans to take care in Rome

MANCHESTER, England, Apr 2 (Reuters) Manchester United have sent supporters travelling to their Champions League tie against AS Roma warnings to help them avoid potential trouble spots in the Italian capital.

United are taking 4,500 fans to Rome for the first leg of their quarter-final clash on Wednesday night. There are reports that another 1,500 fans will travel to Rome without tickets for the match.

After incidents of crowd violence in Italy earlier this season -- one of which ended with the killing of a policeman and the suspension of Italian league football -- as well as problems for their own supporters in Lens, United have issued travel advice.

''We have sent out our usual letter to supporters but with more information contained than perhaps in the past,'' Phil Townsend, United's director of communications told Reuters.

''Rome is one of the finest cities in the world and we want our supporters to enjoy it and the game.'' United have told their supporters that they should use transport to the Olympic Stadium which has been recommended by the Italian authorities.

And they have also warned them in a letter accompanying their match-ticket to keep away from specific areas likely to attract a build-up of home supporters.

Townsend added: ''We have advised them to avoid one particular bridge and one piazza because they tend to be congregating places for Roma fans and there have been a few knife incidents.'' United complained to UEFA over the treatment of some of their supporters when United played Lille in Lens in the last round of the Champions League and they do not want them to suffer again.

''The Lens incidents tended to be inside the stadium and our advice to supporters is that they will be held (inside the Olympic Stadium) for 90 minutes after the match. At least the fans will be aware how long they will have to wait,'' Townsend said.

At Lens in February, United were unhappy with some of the heavy-handed tactics of the French police as a number of fans reacted to being crushed in one section of the Stade Felix-Bollaert.

Lille were fined 100,00 Swiss Francs (40,000 pounds) by UEFA for a number of offences, while United were fined 15,000 Swiss Francs (6,000 pounds) for the ''improper conduct'' of their supporters.

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