The conspiracy theorists are having a field day.
AS Roma have caused a bit of a stir after their website appeared to briefly list match tickets for an upcoming Champions League semi-final, against Liverpool, with the draw still yet to take place in Zurich later today at 12pm.
Do they know something the rest of us don’t?
The Champions League has had a long flirtation with controversy, with many football fans believing the draws are constantly fixed to favour certain match-ups and teams, with Real Madrid usually cited. The recurring theory is that the balls containing the team names are heated during the drawing process.
Of course, there is absolutely no evidence for this. But there is this screenshot:
The image is said to be from Roma’s official website’s ticket page, and as you can see, it clearly shows an upcoming home game against Genoa.
Just kidding – a Liverpool semi-final is what we’re looking at here.
The image was first reported by Rome’s daily newspaper Il Tempo. The top paragraph reads:
USER CHANGE
Dear Fans, as foreseen by the D.M. Interior of 6 June 2005 it is necessary by A.S. Rome to verify the identity of users of access rights (season tickets / tickets): those who access the stadium using irregular (presumably the wrong) identities are subject to the penalties provided for by the Law.
On this page it is possible to change the user to a person other than the one indicated on the stadium entrance ticket: the operation has immediate effect if it is successfully completed.
Why it is referencing an Italian law from 2005 that means you must confirm your identity before buying match tickets, I don’t know, but as always with something like this, there will be uproar should Liverpool actually draw the Italian giants.
Which, obviously, they have a 1/3 chance of doing anyway – heated balls or no heated balls.
If they don’t? Well, there will probably be some uproar anyway that UEFA have taken drastic action. Are you a believer or not?
https://twitter.com/JayHornby1/status/984604021066518533
So Champions League Semi Final draw. Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich, Liverpool vs Roma. Let's see if UEFA have fixed it again then #warmballcoldball
— Damon Shipley (@joeshippers78) April 12, 2018
so ChampionsLeague draw is already fixed.
Roma vs Liverpool
Real madrid vs Bayern @realmadrid @FCBayern @OfficialASRoma @LFC @ChampionsLeague— Naafiu Latheef (@NaafiuLathyf) April 13, 2018
I hate been a ‘conspiracist’ , but if this is true @UEFA , you guys have some explaining to do … CORRUPTION AT ITS FINEST 😱😱 …
If the @ChampionsLeague draw comes out like this , I don’t know how I’d feel 🙄🙄 … pic.twitter.com/OD5KNb59Za
— Wade Stephen (@DareToWade) April 13, 2018
