Polish authorities on Tuesday played down fears of trouble when the Euro 2012 host nation meets Russia next month in what looks set to be the most politically charged match of the tournament. Interior Minister Jacek Cichocki said that Polish police were working with their Russian counterparts to head off hooliganism, just as they were liaising with the forces of other nations taking part.
"We're aware of the talk that's doing the rounds on the Internet, but it hasn't been confirmed via our professional contacts. And if it is confirmed, we'll be co-operating with Russia to ensure these people don't get here," he told reporters. Russia and Poland have been drawn in Euro 2012 Group A - which also features the Czech Republic and Greece - and meet in Warsaw on June 12. Besides the Polish capital, where both Russia and Poland will have their base camps, the other Group A matches will be in Wroclaw. With both Poland and Russia home to a violent hooligan hardcore, and sharing centuries of bad blood, Polish media have seized on a report in Russian weekly Ogonyok that the visitors planned to cause trouble.
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