Some 1,000 Galatasaray fans on Thursday threw flares and firecrackers in Rome's central Piazza del Popolo square as they marched towards Villa Borghese park, where buses are on hand to take them to the Olympic Stadium where the Turkish team faces Lazio in the Europa League tonight.
Police later baton-charged Galatasaray fans trying to skirt a cordon that was directing them towards the buses. The situation was swiftly brought back under control, also thanks to pleas from heads of the Turkish side's ultras.
Police searched the fans and checked their banners before letting them on the buses.
Rome police headquarters said fans from the two sides "made contact on Wednesday night in the Ponte Milvio area" and that two Turkish team supporters were arrested for possession of "significant quantities of hallucinogenic drugs". The police have stopped and ID'd over 200 fans in central Rome as part of Police Commissioner Nicolò D'Angelo's security plan for the capital. No arrests were made, police sources said.
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