During their match against Como, Bologna fans displayed two solidarity banners for the Milan and Inter ultras, showing support for them.
For the games against Bari (Coppa Italia) and Cremonese, both played at San Siro, the atmosphere was rather strange as Curva Sud were completely silent.
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The reason was because of protests against the club’s latest measures on the group, which we discussed in a long read earlier this week over on the Substack.
The Curva were present in Friday’s win over Lecce to return to chanting and singing for the team, but by now everyone in Italy is aware of the ongoing issues.
During their game against Como, Bologna’s ultras displayed a banner reading: “Football is passion, not repression. Solidarity with the Milan ultras.”
On social media, the group added: “Football is passion, not repression. Following what happened within the two Milanese stadiums, events on which we do not wish to express any opinion, the clubs have decided to ignore all reasonable considerations rather than take responsibility.
“For us, being an ultra means bringing people together, belonging, and making sacrifices every week. To travel throughout Italy (and beyond) at any day and time. It’s colour in the curva, it’s cheering, it’s pride and we don’t want what happened in Milan to be used as a pretext to indiscriminately wipe out the entire movement.
“This is a dangerous precedent for everyone. In a world where we’re losing touch with reality, we decide to stand firm on issues that are untouchable for us. Therefore, we find ourselves reluctantly making the decision not to attend San Siro, as our principles, our values, and our name cannot be questioned.
“For these reasons, we urge all Bolognese residents not to attend the away match at San Siro and, if they do go, not to hang patches or improvise chanters on the balustrades, remaining in line with last year’s rules. And now enjoy your theatre. A.Costa Curve.”
Phew, now neither side will have any vocal support. Thanks lads.
Can someone explain what the friction is between the Sud and the owners?
Owners are butthurt because of their loud protests against them and now try to suppress them under the pretext of other unrelated criminal activities of some Curva Sud top members.
100%!
Bark against the ownership and see if they let you in the next season. Did Curva think this would go unpunished? 🙂
They did it under Berlusconi, and I believe under li yonghong too . They just want dont want criticism from their fans or reporters.
Look on YouTube for the Search Party video about Ultra groups and the Mafia.
The club have been very punitive about it and, frankly, it feels like Milan are being treated particularly harshly when you consider the worst issues were the Inter leaders… but I understand the point.
However, there are a bunch of non-criminals who are loud supporters who haven’t been allowed to get their usual season tickets or take banners into the stadium.
Like usual, it’s a polarising issue and lots of people take one side or the other. The truth is somewhere in the middle and a lack of compromise.
The management makes it a polarizing issue. They could deal with the matter but it’s a huge opportunity for them to get rid of the people who care about the club and protest about how it’s managed. Like Boban or Maldini before. Neo-liberalists revealing their fascist and authoritarian face, nothing new here.
I recently watched a YouTube video by Search Party where they talk about the mafia infiltrating the ultras to make money on tickets and selling attractions around San Siro. I’m supporting the club on this one.
That’s been around since before Berlusconi. Can’t weed it out of the curva. Milan management doesn’t give a rat’s @$$ about the “criminality”. It’s the Bad PR that is criminal to them.