AS ROMA are facing severe penalties from Uefa after their opening Champions League group B match at home to Dynamo Kiev was abandoned last night when Anders Frisk, the Swedish referee, was felled by an object thrown from the crowd.
TV pictures showed blood pouring from a wound in the middle of Frisk’s forehead after he was struck by what appeared to be a cigarette lighter at the end of the first half, moments after sending off Philippe Mexes, the Roma defender, for kicking Maris Verpakovskis, the Kiev striker.
Frisk needed medical attention to the wound, and after a 40-minute delay, it was announced over the Olympic Stadium loudspeaker that the match was being abandoned.
“The referee decided to suspend the match first because he was seriously hurt, and second because he says that his safety — and the safety of his assistants and the fourth man — cannot be guaranteed,” a Uefa official said.
Television pictures showed a bearded fan in a black T-shirt throwing an object towards the referee, but it was unclear whether that was the object that hit him.
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The incident began when Frisk sent off Mexes shortly after blowing the whistle for half-time. While players and officials remonstrated, Frisk was struck as he made his way off the field to the tunnel.
At the end of the first half Dynamo led Roma 1-0 thanks to a 29th-minute free kick by Goran Gavrancic.
The ugly incident is likely to land Roma in hot water. They will inevitably be fined and Kiev could be awarded the three points. Roma, who have a poor disciplinary record, may also be forced to play their remaining first phase matches at a neutral stadium.