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A Champions League tie between Manchester United and Roma was paused at Old Trafford after fans threw tennis balls onto the pitch during a protest against club ownership.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
A Champions League match between Manchester United and Roma at Old Trafford was brought to a sudden stop in the first half on Tuesday due to a fan protest. The referee paused play shortly after the 20-minute mark when tennis balls were thrown onto the pitch by supporters in the Stretford End.
According to reports, the tennis balls were thrown onto the pitch at 20:05, a time referencing the year the Glazer family purchased the club. At the time of the disruption, Manchester United was trailing 2-0. While the Brazilian player Matheus Cunha was near the area where supporters aimed the objects, he was not hit, and it was reported that fans did not appear to be aiming at any player.
Play was only paused for a few moments. Players were not taken off the pitch, and the first half resumed once the tennis balls were removed from the field, with Roma's third-choice goalkeeper Devis Vasquez getting play underway again.
Several protests occurred before the match began. As the Champions League anthem played and players lined up, fans in the Stretford End released 4,000 green and gold balloons. These colors are those worn by Newton Heath, the club that would eventually become Manchester United. This release was accompanied by a sign that read "For the love not the likes."
According to the i Paper, a prominent fan group had planned these protests because they were dissatisfied with attempts to vent frustrations to the owners, the Glazer family. The group reportedly planned to bring a banner into the stadium reading "No new stadium, we want new owners," but the banner was not allowed in time by UEFA. Additionally, supporters were said to have unfollowed official club social media accounts.
Manchester United has faced significant scrutiny during the 2026/27 season. The club currently sits 17th in the Premier League and in the bottom third of the Champions League standings. This has been a difficult campaign for new permanent manager Michael Carrick.
Supporter discontent has targeted the Glazer family ownership, who have owned the club since 2005. Critics have cited the use of sizable debt to finance the acquisition and various decisions since then. Scrutiny has also been directed at minority owner Jim Ratcliffe, the INEOS chief, who was tasked with day-to-day football operations after arriving in early 2025.
Other targets of chants during the match included CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox. Supporters have previously held protests in the streets outside Old Trafford, claiming that messages are not heard because TV cameras do not display them.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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