AGI – It’s the night of the restart: with the European football championships at the start at 21 at the Olympic Stadium in Rome with the Italy-Turkey match symbolically Europe comes out (or at least it is about to emerge) from the pandemic nightmare in which it has fallen since the beginning of 2020. At the Olimpico it is – and must be – a day of celebration. And i know it too Turkish fans who set out in groups in the afternoon for the stadium, often escorted by the police, to head towards the north entrance of the Olympic Stadium i cuthe gates opened at 18. Uefa has established that they will be in that area of the stadium, while the Italian fans will be positioned on the south side. In all, about 16 thousand spectators: 7,000 Italians and 3,000 Turks, from all over Europe, and an international audience of about 6 thousand units, to witness the challenge between Italy and Turkey.
© Maria Letizia D’Agata for AGI
Turkish fans head towards the Olympic stadium
Turkish fans are expected at the Olympic stadium for the match of the European football championships scheduled for tonight are resident in the Schengen countries. The visiting fans gathered in the Piazza di Spagna area, in the historic center of the city where the checks were put in place by the police headquarters for the game. The plan of security provides controls not only in the area of the stadium, but also in the center and in particular in the fan zones. Two shuttles were organized to accompany both Italian and Turkish fans to the stadium. Near the Olimpico, shortly before the opening of the gates, several groups of Turkish fans, all with the red shirt and the printed crescent, lit smoke bombs and intoned choirs, praising the team they belong to. Entry operations took place safely. Many young couples are on their way to the stadium, many with children.
© Maria Letizia D’Agata for AGI
Fans outside the Olympic stadium before Italy-Turkey
A welcome and entertainment service is also available for Turkish fans, near the entrances where some young people welcome the fans, greeting them and providing them with all the information necessary. On the opposite side to the square of the Farnesina, however, a large group of Italian fans waited for the opening of the gates to be able to enter the stadium intoning chants the support of the Azzurri especially the national anthem. The fans of the opposing factions have also faced each other with various teasing, but all under the eyes of security and without problems. To keep the situation under control, in addition to the police and the police, there are the young people of animation, not all properly ‘young’ as they are aged from 18 to over 50, which in English and Italian invite the fans to experience the match as a moment of sport.
The police station ordered the stop to consumption of drinks in glass at the Olympic stadium and in the ‘fan zones’ in view of the inaugural match of Euro 2020. Instead, you can consume alcohol and not in plastic containers. The police headquarters has adopted an ordinance of the prefecture “prohibiting the sale for the administration and take-out and transport of glass bottles and containers in certain areas adjacent to the Olympic Stadium on the days in which the football matches will take place “.
© Maria Letizia D’Agata for AGI
The balloons with the flags of the 24 national teams of Euro 2020
Yesterday in the last press conference before the start of the European Championships the blue coach Roberto Mancini admitted that “the first match is the most difficult”, then added: “But we want to have fun and get to the end.” There is expectation for the inaugural ceremony which will see him return to the Olimpico lawn, as testimonal, two big names in Roman football, with different professional backgrounds but emblem of the Roman world: Francesco Totti, historical captain of AsRoma, in the Giallorossi jersey for 25 years, and Alessandro Nesta, the Lazio flag, who grew up in the white and blue youth teams and for several years captain of the team which then moved to Milan. Both are world champions, winners of the 2006 edition of Germany. Both very close to Rome and to the colors of their teams of origin. Enthusiasm is soaring then but, we have to admit, the pandemic still holds in check by imposing on many cities, including Rome, to adopt restrictions in terms of the presence of the public in the stands.
Yesterday Mister Mancini said that he slept in these nights and he hopes not to be able to do so from early July when the tournament will reach its crucial stages. There is a lot of enthusiasm in the team and desire to do well. Captain Chiellini, during the press conference held at the Olympic stadium, recalled that Italy’s defeat against Sweden cost Russia their elimination at the World Cup, is always present and that for this reason, when there are great events like the European Championship now, there is always a desire to do well and seek redemption.
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