In a new monthly column for the Gentleman Ultra, Federico Farcomeni is on the ground with all the latest news from the Italian football ultra scene. You can follow Federico’s weekly updates from the Curva on his Calcio Express substack.
Lost Patience in Florence
This month, we witnessed Fiorentina ultras eventually losing their patience with their players as encouragement in Bergamo turned into anger in Lausanne and for the home games against Hellas Verona and Udinese. In the latter, Curva Fiesole left their seats empty for the first 20 minutes of the game, as they displayed the banner “feel ashamed of yourselves!” They then threw flares and smoke bombs. Coincidentally, the team responded well on the pitch and won 5-1. Later during the week, 32 purple ultras were banned (8 of these bans have a length between 5 and 10 years) after the clashes with Montpellier which happened on 4 August 2024 (bans were issued nearly 17 months later!). In fact, the game was played behind closed doors at Viola Park (Fiorentina training centre) that day, but French ultras still travelled to Tuscany with the deliberate intent of facing their Italian rivals.
Como to cease and desist?
Como’s Pesi Massimi stood up displaying the words “Borgonovo one of us” as 17 of them wore a letter each, forming the message in the Tribuna Distinti during their game against Sassuolo. The reason behind this was the fact that in November, Borgonovo’s wife Chantal Guigard and children had officially sent a cease and desist order to the ultra group in order to immediately cease any association with the late centre forward (who died of ALS in 2013) as the heirs seek to regain control of his name.
This means that not even the yearly namesake prize (the 13th was awarded to Gabriel Strefezza, now at Olympiacos) will again be able to be named after Borgonovo. In the 9th minute of the game, also Curva Como remembered their club’s legend with chants.
Pesi Massimi responded by stating: “We have honoured Stefano Borgonovo’s name at every turn. We did so by unveiling the plaque in the square in front of the Sinigaglia stadium, we brought it to the Teatro Sociale, we displayed it with a banner above the main entrance as a warning to anyone arriving in Como. And we conceived, cultivated, and made the trophy that bears his name, now in its thirteenth edition, prestigious. The aspect that most troubles us is the complete lack of plausible explanations; writing that the reason for seeking a reorganization is to suggest that the Pesi Massimi have usurped the name itself, and frankly, this offends us. Forget about robbing Como fans of the trophy that until last season was dedicated to the most iconic number nine in our history. We will certainly be forced to change its name, but the values that man gave us will live on forever in the memories of longtime fans and in their stories to new generations. You may take his name away from us, but you’ll never actually take Stefano away from us. We ask him not to take it too seriously, at least not him, because for us, the affection we have for him will remain the same. Despite everything. Forever ours”. The Borgonovo family have declined to respond to these comments.
Lazio remember legends
Lazio v Bologna marked the first time all-time top goalscorer Ciro Immobile returned to Rome. The episode again was marred by controversy as the club didn’t grant any formal permission to let him say hello to his old Curva Nord. Despite this, long before kick-off (hence outside of the formalities of matchday protocol), Immobile went to greet his old ultras who gave him a scarf and held up a banner stating: “Nobody can prevent a people to hail its history.”
Then the club itself in the shape of current captain Mattia Zaccagni presented Immobile with a special shirt and Lazio ultras also displayed a banner depicting their old striker, holding up more banners: “Welcome back Ciro / Deep down our soul, you’ll always be there.” Lazio fans then again sold out their away allocation in Parma as 3,500 were in attendance at Stadio Tardini, as they set up another kind of tifo – this time, it was a wall of white and sky-blue scarves dominating the visiting supporters section at Stadio Tardini. “Forza Mitica Lazio” was the banner raised on top as they welcomed the teams onto the pitch – inspired to the famous “Forza Lazio” from October 1932, the first “tifo” in an Italian stadium. Their Parma counterparts instead dedicated a huge banner to the late Bitto who suddenly passed away in 2021 – in the morning Boys gathered at the cemetery in Collecchio to commemorate their friend, then another group of ultras marched through the streets to celebrate the club’s 112th birthday (16 December 1913).
Lazio ultras also remembered club legends Sinisa Mihajlovic and Felice Pulici before their home game against Cremonese, as away ultras lent to them the banner they always carry along with the names of PSG Julien (Quemener) and Lazio’s Gabriele (Sandri), both killed by police. The white and sky blue ultras continued the trend of simultaneously lifting up and down their scarves.
No Ultras in Riyadh
After a massive brawl in Genoa (as Napoli ultras were also rumoured to have sided with their Grifone old acquaintances / exclusive video here), Inter ultras released a statement about their absence in Riyadh for the Supercup. All other ultra groups of teams involved didn’t fly to Saudi Arabia although 500 Bologna and 45 Napoli fans still independently travelled to the Arabian Peninsula. In fact, on the day of the final, Napoli ultras took to the streets to protest at the ever-growing restrictive measures against their travels. As they tried a dialogue with institutions, they threatened with changing their official residency in order not to be subjected anymore to territorial bans.
New Curvas and Twins in Serie B
Carrarese opened their new Curva Nord as they hosted Entella. The capacity of the Curva is 2,200 which takes the total capacity of the Stadio dei Marmi at 5,500 and it’s part of a wider renovation project worth 3 million euros. The blue and yellow ultras celebrated with a much-needed win.
Still in Serie B, Modena and Venezia renewed their 34-year twinning as they marched together towards the Braglia, then showed tifos with mixed colours. Some Modena fans are starting to question the twinning as results on the pitch keep going Venezia’s way (but that’s another matter, after all!)
Piacenza celebrate twinning
Similarly, in Serie D Girone D, Piacenza (who had also triumphed at Pro Sesto earlier) won at Crema followed by 400 fans who displayed a mixed-colour tifo to celebrate their twinning with the other local team, Pergolettese (Crema is actually the only city in Italy with a derby despite a very low number of inhabitants – 40,000). The twinning has lasted since 1979 as both fanbases share a rivalry with Cremonese.
Treviso in trouble
In the Serie D Girone C, Treviso ultras launched an assault with stones and glass bottles at their 70 Mestre counterparts as a city bus drove them back to the train station after the match. The driver refused to stop but he was then beaten up as away ultras eventually descended from the bus and clashed with their rivals. One of the bus windows was smashed, whilst a policeman was also injured. The driver is on a month prognosis, whilst the two Treviso ultras have been arrested and then released, despite police still investigating to identify the culprits.
SPAL protest bans
As they were banned from travelling to Faenza, SPAL ultras travelled to Ravenna in order to protest against Ravenna’s Police HQ decision. Twenty of them were identified and Curva Ovest released a statement, explaining the situation: “they have already been charged under Article 342 of the Criminal Code, “Insulting a political body of the State,” and many of them have also been issued notices to leave Ravenna and Faenza. Meanwhile, in Florence, other of our guys have been denied requests to suspend their signatures during working hours, as documented by the relevant documentation, despite the law being very clear about protecting the employment of those subject to the obligation to sign (because of the ban).”
Ternana boycott bubble game
This month, Ternana ultras had been allowed to travel for their away derby game in Perugia subject to condition of travelling by bus only (in fact, what in UK has been called a “bubble game”). The red and green ultras refused to adhere to the safety protocol and chose to stay at home. The number of buses found for the tickets’ allocation (1,125) wasn’t enough and the organizers then rushed to find more in the eleventh hour, but eventually called it quits. “At the most important match (we’re launching) the strongest signal – a statement read – Membership cards, counter-membership cards, outside the province, within the province, packed into buses like deportees, buses yes, buses no, decisions by the competent bodies made only a few days before matches. The purpose is clear – discouraging fans from following their teams, especially during the most passionate matches. This is not right! No, this is simply not right. Passion and involvement are reprimanded, constitutional rights are more or less blatantly limited, starting with the right of free movement within the national territory. For this reason, the CCTC (Centro Coordinamento Ternana Clubs), reluctantly, as a strong sign of the Rossoverdi fans’ unity and their dissent, has decided to cancel the five organized buses and not travel to Perugia anymore.”
Wild Kaos still pissed off – 40 years on
Wild Kaos Prato kept celebrating their 40th anniversary – after lighting up the sky in September, they ended up 2025 in style with a big tifo, as they displayed all different banners since 1985 and a banner stating “it’s 40 years that we’re pissed off!”
Macerata divert to challenge local rivals
Also in December, a group of Macerata ultras who were traveling to Giulianova, in the Teramo province, to attend Giulianova v Maceratese, decided for a stopover in Civitanova Marche in an attempt to challenge their local rivals. Upon reaching the roundabout in Civitanova Marche that provides access to the highway toll booth, instead of taking the A14, members of the Curva Just diverted toward the city centre.
Once near the second roundabout that provides access to a shopping centre, they stopped the vehicles—minivans and private cars—forcing the fans out of their vehicles. From there, approximately 30 ultras with masked faces, armed with sticks, flagpoles, and belts, headed into the adjacent bar in search of Civitanova. The operation organized by the Macerata Police HQ allowed for immediate intervention by law enforcement. Ahead of potential trouble, a firecracker was detonated and objects, including glass bottles, were thrown at the officers.
During the escape, a Macerata fan damaged a police car after resisting an officer to avoid being identified. At this point, the ultra fell to the ground and hit the police car. The impact shattered the front window, and the car door sustained significant damage. The ultra managed to escape by re-boarding the bus, while one officer was injured and required urgent medical intervention. Macerata supporters, once aboard their minivans, fled the scene.
Following the incident, the National Observatory on Sporting Events referred the matter to the Analysis Committee for the Safety of Sporting Events. The latter body decided to hold the next home match behind closed doors and ban Macerata fans from travelling to the next four matches. The CASMS decision was followed by the order issued by the Prefect of Macerata to close all stands on Sunday 21 December, for the home match against Chieti.
Taranto stadium nearly ready
Taranto new Iacovone stadium update – stadium will be ready by next summer as the city hosts the Mediterranean Games. The team meanwhile plays in the fifth tier of the Italian football pyramid, at Stadio Italia in Massafra.
Salò Ultras call to arms
Salò ultras (lest we forget they don’t have a team to support anymore after their sporting title was acquired by the city of Brescia to form Union BS) have published a leaflet calling for all Italian ultras to meet up in January and react to the increasing restrictive measure being deployed across the whole of Italy.
GUYS, ENOUGH. What’s happening to the ultras movement is a disgrace. They’re crushing everything: passion, traditions, freedom. Every week there’s a new restriction, a new excuse, another way to silence us. And we’re supposed to just watch?
The time has come to say clearly that we’ve had enough.
If we keep letting colors divide us, they’ll take us down one by one.
Only united can we defend who we are, our future, and that of the kids who will come after us.
Let’s put rivalries and flags aside, at least for this: defending our ultras identity.
We need everyone, every voice, every presence, every group. No one excluded. Either we move together, or they will shut us down one by one.
United we are a wall. Divided we are targets.
You can follow Federico’s weekly updates from the Curva on his Calcio Express substack.