Roma – Juventus: for Fausto Iosa, for popular football, for whites and blacks

I’m definitely not a fan of the big club circuses in pre-match. Sometimes I get too close to kickoff to avoid silly, eardrum-shattering music or sloppy celebrations. That’s what I am, an extreme on this point. And I always have a certain preconceived notion when companies try to organize groups and such. It will be because – it is appropriate to say so – the example of what Juventus did in their own stadium is not only promising, but also deeply disturbing. Therefore, the single idea, so remote, that someone would like to replace the organized cheer artificially, rings many alarm bells in me.

Let me be clear, this is not the case. These are just musings to “justify” my appreciation for the club’s dance in all sectors (except the South, of course). An endless series of yellow and red vertical stripes made up of cardboard. A tangible reference in the historical continuity of what – in these parts – for many is the mother of all choreography. Actually, to tell the truth, the show took place on March 16, 1986 at the stadium Olympic He has a father: the unforgettable Fausto Iosa, the historical figure of CUCS and the creator of this choreography capable of engaging the entire stadium (we are talking about thirty-seven years ago, there were no technologies and there were not yet the curves of Northern Europe to teach us how to use the level, compass and ruler so as not to get lost up to one centimeter). A choreography that coincided with one of the Giallorossi’s clearest successes against The Old Lady. A 3-0 sheet signed by Graziani, Pruzzo and Cerezo causes jubilation for the crowd who daydreamed of the three-color tricolor. It was a year of preparation for the Roma lead, led by Sven-Goran Ericsson, which then ended with a 3-2 Roma Lecce that went down in history.

Roma-Juventus has always been a game of contradictions, rivalries and disagreements. Bitterness is almost the natural outcome when it comes to a club that has historically been the “powerhouse” in our country and a less successful arena, sometimes regional, but guardian of an unwavering faith like that of Rome. A cm, a warm and noisy environment, tarnished only in recent years by the general homogeneity of our stadiums and the obligatory “normalization” of the first division. This evening it was a pleasure to once again understand some aspects of these old challenges and enjoy a fraught environment, which decided to unite around its team and follow a gritty and grumpy southerner. It is symptomatic of how truly endless (and often underutilized) this fan base is.

There is a spirit that connects generations of Roma supporters that goes beyond the ultras side. It is to know one’s court as an arena and to try it out as often and willingly as if it were the last vital battle. team and their colours. You can find everything in these games. The mixture of humanism nicely reproduces the popular image of football, which still manages from time to time to overcome the logic of cold marketing applied to the ball. So it happens that a young man of sixty at Tribuna Tevere invites those present to follow this or that chorus of the curve. Or, better yet, throw it out of the blue. It happens that when faced with a historically hated opponent, even one who in life is a respectable professional, accustomed to wearing a jacket and tie and never getting upset, gets carried away by teasing his neighbor and denigrating fans with different colors. As I often say, the Roma fan has a strong tribal spirit. Sometimes it may be vulgar and vulgar, but it is strongly connected to the different aspects present in the city. The culture of stadiums that must be preserved in any way.

Moreover, going into the ultras aspect in more detail, it must be said that blacks and whites did their best this night to make the dispute on the stands interesting. In addition to the joy of watching Juventus fans organized in the return sector and groups Cherya It led to a good cheerleading quiz, featuring a small but always welcome flashlight, sound throughout the match and the final curtain made of pyrotechnics being exchanged in the style of a volleyball match with the Curva Nord. I’ve always thought that getting all the Juventus players in the sector to sing in full was a really difficult task, because of the heterogeneity of those present, so for the ultras there’s double work to do. On several occasions, however, applause and choruses of the answer are followed by almost everyone, as well as constant provocations towards the opposing audience.

Side note: You can think what you want from the Juventus supporters, but I think it cannot be denied that the repression against them has now reached levels that – fortunately – have never been witnessed by anyone in Italy. This is because it seems that it is not “only” the classic stern attitude of the police headquarters, but the surgical desire to strike the Juventus ultras, staged and executed with great pomp by various elements, even the extra police (in favor of a connoisseur…). And if anyone can point out that over the years there have been many other situations outside the stadium that would justify it in return, I can answer that there are courts for judgment and conviction. But the desire to make the stadium a living room, going so far as to ban harmless paraphernalia such as drums, streamers, and amplifiers, is really an allusion to sinister and indiscriminate revenge.

As far as the Roman south is concerned, it is the evidence that is worth mentioning. Plenty of sound, curving slaps, waving flags, and exuberant enthusiasm. All the ingredients to turn the inertia of the match to one side (this is obviously more of our delusion than anything else, that we feel the playground like children despite some white hair being touched for a while, but let me imagine…) And allowing Mancini to step into the central streets and drop the shot with which he beat the Juventus goalkeeper, giving his three golden points and a victory always generates great jubilation in Rome.

The end credits, as mentioned, were marked by skirmishes between the guests and the North, while the rest of the stadium was busy celebrating the victory. Too bad for the cannonball that blasted the music which greatly de-centered (and cheered) the fans on these occasions. We must understand how little the courageous call of the speaker and how sweet the cries of those present. But the question is now social and, therefore, should be deferred to other episodes of my personal battle against the noise pollution generated by these trading choices.

The last picture is the honking of cars slowly blaring along Lungotevere, trying to get home with flags and scarves outside the windows. Regardless of the position in the standings and the fact that, in all likelihood, there will be no tournaments to celebrate this year either. Do you remember the correct and unique meaning of popular football on such occasions. When the ball casually unites everyone in joy or pain.

Simon Meloni