Liverpool supporters were attacked by hooligans both before and after
their Europa League match at Zenit St Petersburg on Thursday.
A report on St Petersburg's Peter TV channel said that on the night before the last 32 first-leg tie - which the Reds lost 2-0 - a 40-strong group had attacked travelling fans as they emerged from a bar in the city.
Liverpool
supporters were forced to take shelter inside before security staff
used baseball bats to disperse the attackers. Local media reports said
nobody was seriously injured in the incident.
Supporters
also said they had been attacked on metro trains as they travelled to
and from the Petrovsky Stadium, with some also claiming to have been
attacked inside the ground.
In the days before the game,
Zenit officials had said they were working to ensure a safe atmosphere
at the match, at which there was a high police presence, after Liverpool
raised concerns about potential racism.
A statement from
the Russian club issued earlier in the week said: "The club's personnel
have been working hard so that the players and fans alike would enjoy
the match.
"Zenit have always condemned any form of racism.
We hope our opponents share the same principles and tomorrow we all be
treated to a great football match and passionate crowd support."
Liverpool
raised concerns because supporters in St Petersburg - a city with
strong links to nationalist right-wing politics - have become notorious
for racism.
In December, the club's largest fan group demanded that no black or gay players should play for Zenit, but the Landscrona group later insisted its message was misrepresented.
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