UDINE, Italy - The city of Udine is currently on high alert as Italy gears up to host Israel in a competitive soccer match on Monday. The match is part of the Nations League and is taking place against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has recently extended to Lebanon following a prolonged war in Gaza.
This will be the first match Israel plays outside of neutral Hungary this year. Since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7 last year, the national soccer team has played in Kosovo and Andorra in November. Subsequently, all Israel matches have been held in Hungary, including last month's away game against Belgium in the Nations League after the Belgian soccer federation declined to host the match due to security concerns.
Italy coach Luciano Spalletti expressed his hope that the match will help sway more individuals towards recognizing the futility of war. He emphasized the presence of many Israelis who oppose the conflict and stressed the importance of halting such hostilities.
Despite the significance of the match, ticket sales have been lower than expected, with fewer than 12,000 tickets sold out of the 25,000-seat capacity at the Stadio Friuli. Stringent security measures have been put in place, with areas surrounding the stadium being cordoned off 48 hours prior to kick-off and designated as a 'Red Zone.' Only ticket holders are permitted to pass through the tall metal barriers, and fans are advised to arrive early due to the thorough security checks in place.
Additional security measures include the deployment of hundreds of extra police officers from neighboring areas to ensure the safety of all attendees. Furthermore, a pro-Palestine demonstration is scheduled to take place in the city center at 5 p.m. local time, just hours before the match commences, with an estimated 4,000 participants expected to attend.
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