A devoted Brighton fan Joe Stephenson faced quite a challenging situation before the Europa League match against Roma.
Less than 24 hours before the game, he and his friends were attacked, resulting in Stephenson being stabbed. Despite spending the night in the hospital and getting 10 stitches, he showed incredible dedication by attending the match of his team at the Stadio Olimpico.
Wearing a yellow overall and using a crutch, Stephenson received a warm welcome from fellow fans. They lovingly chanted: "There's f*** all wrong with him".
With his crutch held high, Stephenson saluted the crowd, who applauded him for his remarkable spirit considering the events of the previous evening.
Joey Thorpe - who was in the group of fans attacked - told BBC Radio Sussex: "We were walking home from a bar and being casual, no chanting and in normal clothes. We just got jumped from behind by about six guys all in balaclavas, all wearing black and hiding their faces."
"I got hit in the back of the head a couple of times and then I fell to the floor. They were just kicking me and punching me on the floor. I got back to the hotel, luckily, because my injuries weren't awful, and I found out that two of my friends got stabbed."
Brighton called on UEFA to take action after their fans were also "pelted with bottles and coins" inside the Olimpico on Thursday.
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