TNT Sports
Lazio: We are innocent
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Published 16/08/2007 at 15:04 GMT+1
Lazio have launched a vehement defence of the club, saying incidents surrounding Tuesday's Champions League third round qualifier with Dinamo Bucharest had been blown out of proportion.
Eurosport
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UEFA said on Wednesday 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 kick-off.
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.
"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 on Wednesday: "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 violence away from grounds.
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