Away fans will not be welcome at both Feyenoord – AS Roma and AS Roma – Feyenoord next month, the Rotterdam team announced via official channels. Arne Slot's team will receive the Italians in De Kuip on February 15, after which the return in Rome is scheduled for February 22.

Feyenoord and Roma were informed on Monday by the Italian authorities that no Feyenoord supporters are welcome during the return on February 22.

“Now that this decision has been taken by order of the Italian Ministry of the Interior, the so-called triangle (mayor, police chief and the chief public prosecutor) and the club do not consider it responsible to receive Italian supporters in De Kuip. This is from the point of view of both safety and, for Feyenoord, from the point of view of sportsmanship,” reads the club's statement.

Fans of the Rotterdam team were also not welcome in the Italian capital earlier this season, when the reigning national champions took on Lazio in the group stage of the Champions League.

The ban on away fans in both the Netherlands and Italy is no surprise. That was also the case last season. The tensions have everything to do with the disturbances during the Feyenoord match in Rome in 2015, when a fountain was destroyed.

Feyenoord and Roma meet each other in the play-off round of the Europa League and have to fight it out together to see who can report in the round of 16. Slot's team finished third in a Champions League group with Atlético Madrid, Lazio and Celtic and therefore missed out on a ticket to the knockout phase of the billion-dollar ball.

Roma in turn finished in second place in Group G of the Europa League, which also consisted of Slavia Prague, Servette FC and Sheriff Tiraspol. The Italians dismissed José Mourinho more than a week ago due to the disappointing sporting results. Club icon Daniele De Rossi has been appointed as his successor.

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