Lazio president Claudio Lotito has defended fans of his club following reports that Borussia Monchengladbach fans were attacked before last night's game.

According to reports in Italy, three fans suffered stab wounds as they made their way to the Stadio Olimpico to watch the Europa League contest.

Lotito was keen to stress that there is no evidence present to suggest that the people who committed the attacks were fans of Aquile.

"I would like to put these incidents in context," Lotito told Sky Sport Italia. "I spoke to the police and was told two of them weren't actually stabbings, as the people barely noticed the contact.

"I would also urge the media not to label the protagonists of all these incidents as 'Lazio fans'. Rome is a metropolis and as such is inhabited also by bad people. For example, there is no suggestion so far that those behind these incidents were part of Lazio's organised fan groups.

"Nobody is trying to justify this behaviour, but I say this because I am in constant contact with the police and want to understand if these people really are linked with Lazio."

Tottenham Hotspur fans were also attacked when they visited Rome in November.