When UEFA's Control and Disciplinary Board meet today to examine the ugly events that led to the suspension last Wednesday night of the Roma v Dinamo Kiev Champions League tie, at least one awkward question will hang in the air. Namely, was it a matter of collective responsibility or individual folly?
UEFA must decide if the injury suffered by Swedish referee Anders Frisk - a cut forehead requiring three stitches - was caused by what Roma director Franco Baldini called "the mad act of one person" or was it linked to the overall climate and context in which the game was played?
Having been at the Olympic Stadium last Wednesday night, we would suggest this was an incident that had everything to do with the climate and context. Roma took to the pitch against Kiev in a less than ideal physical and mental state. Just hours before the game, German coach Rudi Voeller had had a blazing row with star striker Antonio Cassano which resulted in the player being dropped from the team and sent home.
From the fitness viewpoint, Roma are well off the pace after a troubled summer marked by the successive resignations of coach Fabio Capello and his successor Cesare Prandelli. Nor did a pre-season tour to the USA and Japan help much with overall preparations. Against Kiev, the side's problems soon became apparent. Throughout that first half Roma captain Francesco Totti, seemingly carrying an injury, spent much time appealing to Frisk for protection from the rough treatment by Kiev defenders.
At first, Frisk repeatedly told Totti to get on with the game. Later, to the great annoyance of Totti and the Roma fans, he booked the Roma captain for a late tackle.
Frisk was an unwelcome appointee since he had been in charge of an explosive Roma v Galatasaray Champions League tie in March 2002 that ended with a sustained bout of fisticuffs between the players. As a result of that fracas, Roma players Totti, Lima and Gabriel Batistuta as well as then coach Capello all received bans.
Against Kiev, playing badly, arguing with the referee and one goal down, Roma gave further unequivocal signs of nervous tension when on the stroke of half-time, French defender Philippe Mexes delivered a bad-tempered little kick to the legs of Kiev's Latvian striker Maris Verpakovskis, right in front of Frisk. The referee had little choice but to send him off, thus fanning the flames of persecution already felt by the Olimpico faithful.
It was at that juncture, as Frisk made his way to the dressing-room steps, all hell broke loose as the Roma fans vented their rage, throwing coins, cigarette lighters, plastic cups at the Swede. One of the flying objects hit the target, scoring a bull's eye that only thanks to good fortune did not do serious damage to the referee. Not surprisingly, Frisk and his team felt their safety could not be "guaranteed" in the second half and thus suspended the match.
Victory and the three points will almost certainly be awarded to Kiev today. Furthermore, UEFA are likely to reject the notion that this was the work of one madman (still to be identified). Roma will almost certainly be forced to play remaining Champions League games this season at a neutral venue (perhaps behind closed doors) while a fine and a ban from future competitions cannot be ruled out.
Given recent events, including the fan-orchestrated suspension of last March's Roma v Lazio derby, it is hard not to feel that a severe sanction is in order.
