ROME (AFP) - A surreal almost eerie atmosphere pervaded the Olympic stadium ahead of the behind closed doors Champions League tie between Roma and Germany's Bayer Leverkusen.
UEFA, European football's governing body, have banned supporters from attending the Group B match after referee Anders Frisk was hit by a missile thrown from the crowd at Roma's home match against Dynamo Kiev in September.
Roma will also have to play their final first round match at home to Real Madrid on December 8 without spectators.
Around 2,000 people have been allowed into the stadium. 480 places have been set aside for journalists and technicians, 150 for players and directors, 60 for photographers and the rest are for the police, stewards and cleaners.
The Roma team, who could have expected to play in front of a full house had fans been allowed in, appeared briefly to test the surface in near silence.
In one small concession, Roma fans were allowed into the stadium a day earlier to unfurl banners in the east stand after receiving clearance from UEFA.
Roma must beat leaders Leverkusen to keep alive their already slim hopes of reaching the knockout stages, having lost all three of their Group B matches.
Leverkusen, Dynamo Kiev and Real Madrid are level on six points and separated only by goal difference, while Roma are rooted to the bottom of the table.
The first Italian club to play a European match behind closed doors was Juventus in 1985 following the Heysel disaster - prior to the European Cup final with Liverpool - which resulted in the deaths of 39 spectators.
The Turin club met Serie A rivals Verona in the last 16 of the European Cup at their old Communale stadium.
11/03/2004 - 19:10 GMT - AFP