Local soccer fans packed into local pubs to watch the Barcelona versus Manchester in the Champions League final game Wednesday afternoon.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola told ESPN that the only way his team can beat "the best team in the world" is to "play beautiful".
Manchester United and Barcelona fans began to arrive in the Italian capital Tuesday before the Champions League final as Rome officials prepared a strict security plan. About 67,000 fans are expected to attend the final, including 30,000 from England and 20,000 from Spain.
Thousands of law enforcement officials are deployed around the stadium and in the city center, and bans on alcohol sales will be in place started Tuesday. The security plan also includes deploying 1,000 stewards inside the stadium. About 500 volunteers from the Civil Protection Department and 1,000 traffic cops will beef up the police and Carabinieri paramilitary police contingents.
About 30 police officers from England and Spain will also help their Italian counterparts.
"All is under control, we don't have any security concerns," said UEFA president Michel Platini. Officials
Security officials say they expect some 5,000 ticket-less fans, largely from England, to show up. They have also seized counterfeit tickets, although the officials declined to give details of what they said was an ongoing probe.
