Before the team’s Europa League last-16 match with Roma on Thursday, two Brighton & Hove Albion supporters were robbed and stabbed in Italy.
In anticipation of the Seagulls’ trip to the Stadio Olimpico, where Roberto De Zerbi’s team will play Serie A team Roma in a first-leg match, about 4,000 fans have traveled to the Italian capital.
A restaurant employee notified police shortly after midnight on Wednesday that two fans had entered to request assistance after being stabbed close, according to reports from Italian media, which were cited by the Independent.
It is believed that the attack occurred slightly over four miles from the Stadio Olimpico, the famous Roman Colosseum in the capital.
It was reported that a group of six or seven masked individuals carried out the attack, stealing the victims’ backpacks that held their wallets. Following their hospital stay for minor injuries, the supporters—two men, ages 27 and 28—have been released from the hospital.
The incident has been reported to Sussex Police, who are reportedly in Rome ahead of Thursday’s game. They have also had conversations with the two victims. The fan said,
“Me and a couple of my mates got attacked in Rome last night after leaving a bar. Just want to say that every Brighton fan in Rome please be careful. It’s so dangerous out here and worse than Marseille.”
In response to the incident on X, Brighton’s police liaison officer, Darren Balkham, stated: “We are aware of the incident reported in Italian media last night. I have chatted with both of the Brighton supporters, and they seem fine. We reiterate the advice of the club published on the pre-match info.”
Before their trip to Italy, Brighton gave detailed travel instructions to their supporters earlier this week and advised them not to wear the team’s colors.
Brighton, who won their Europa League group and advanced past Marseille, Ajax, and AEK Athens, is preparing for their first-ever European knockout match.
The finalists from the previous year, Roma, placed second in their group and needed a 4-2 victory over Feyenoord on penalties after a 2-2 draw over two legs in the playoff round to go to the round of sixteen.
