Authorities have deployed 300 police officers to Italy's Nations League soccer match against Israel on Monday in Udine amid tight security and against the backdrop of the escalating Mideast conflict and a pro-Palestinian march ahead of the match.
Just over 11,000 tickets have been sold for the match in the northesast Italian city, where 200 police officers and 100 paramilitary Carabinieri officers will be out in force, including snipers, anti-terror forces and sniffer dogs.
Areas around the stadium were closed off 48 hours ahead of the kick-off and declared a 'Red Zone'. Fans were urged to arrive early to due to rigourous security checks and only those with tickets will be allowed through tall metal barriers.
Ahead of the match, Italy coach Luciano Spalletti voiced opposition to Israel's devastating year-old war on Islamist group Hamas in Gaza following the deadly Hamas-led cross-border rampage on 7 October 2023.
"We are going to play this match with the hope of convincing ever more people of the wrongness of war,” said Spalletti.
The conflict has now spread to Lebanon, where Israel is waging an aerial and ground offensive against Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
“There are many Israelis who don’t want it (the war) and we must convince more and more people that this is something that has to stop," Spalletti said.
The pro-Palestinian demonstration organisers said in a statement that Monday's match "legitimises the state of Israel and its policies".
It is the first match Israel has played outside (neutral) Hungary this year.
