No Oranje vs. Italy Rome reparations match: KNVB

Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) is not going to give the green light to a friendly football match between the Dutch national team and Italy in effort to pay for the damages Rotterdam Feyenoord fans are alleged to have caused during a riot in Rome on February 18th, Telegraaf reported today. The Mayor of Rome, Ignazio Marino, suggested a friendly match between the two teams, it was reported earlier Monday. "We find what happened in Rome to be sad, but we are not a party in this. It still comes down to the Feyenoord supporters who misbehaved in Rome," KNVB spokesman Bas Ticheler said to broadcaster NOS. Ticheler thinks it is odd that KNVB is suddenly a part of the public debate. "It would be strange if we took action," he said, adding that he would not call the Dutch motorist's association if he "was building an apres-ski tent in Austria." KNVB says they have not received an official request from their counterparts in Italy for a match. "I honestly do not expect that to happen. It would surprise me if the request came," Ticheler said.