Twice a year, the Stadio Olimpico is lucky enough to hold Italy’s biggest derby of the season. Forget Inter vs Milan, Juventus vs Torino, or Atalanta vs Brescia; for these two Roman clubs, this game is the most important fixture of year.
For most fans, when the fixture list is revealed at the start of the season, they immediately look for games with the top clubs or great away days, but for Lazio and Roma fans all their eyes search for is that one game and how long they have to wait to go toe-to-toe with their rivals.
It was 1927 when this ‘brotherly’-like feud was created after Benito Mussolini ordered all four football clubs in Rome to join forces and become a super power strong enough, to rival the northern giants, to win the Scudetto. Unlike most things that the infamous ‘Il Duce’ ordered, this one did not go his way as only three of the four teams accepted, leaving one who defied the proposal; Lazio. Hence the rivalry was born!
Almost all the fanbases of both clubs are within the capital – with Roma fans believed to be from the city with Lazio fans said to come from surrounding areas.
The passion and meaning of the derby came to mean so much more to the ‘Laziali’ and ‘Romanisti’. Almost all aspects of the two clubs differed in the past with Lazio previously seeming to be proud of their right-wing philosophies and ties to activist groups, whereas Roma fans are seen as more left leaning.
As well as this, Roma adopted the colours of yellow and red which are seen as the colours of the uniform worn by soldiers during the Roman Empire. This contrasts to Lazio’s sky blue which originates from the colours of Ancient Greece.
The fans have always made the derby so much more thrilling with every season – the Curva Nord and Curva Sud battling it out to see who can create the most thrilling and amazing display.
A sensual overload of banners, placards, explosions, light and confetti is always seen on both stands as a way of ‘getting one over’ on their rivals before the game has even started.
For example before one derby, the Lazio fans had heard that Roma’s main display was to be a pirate ship. So in response, they took it upon themselves to also have a forward facing pirate ship pointing at the opposite banner with a phrase which translates roughly to ‘Look who is in the distance…CHARGE!’.
Both sets of clubs have an extremely passionate set of Ultras who take their love of the club to a different level. Lazio’s world renowned ‘Irriducibli’ (IRR) made a name for themselves throughout Europe with their crazy mentality but also cashing in on this popularity with several shops around Rome selling merchandise before disbanding following the assassination of their leader Fabrizio Piscitelli who was known as ‘Diabolik’. They were replaced by ‘Ultras Lazio’, which is made up of ex-IRR members, and they introduced themselves to the footballing world before their game against Bologna last March.
Another crazy right wing Ultras group is ‘Boys Roma’ who are one of the oldest in the country. They were formed in the early 1970s and are infamous for stabbing opposing fans, especially those of English clubs, in their bottoms as a form of humiliation.
They also played a key role in getting the 2004 derby abandoned four minutes into the second half after false rumours spread around the stadium that the a child had been killed by the police before the game which led to leading members of the group going onto the pitch to confront Roma players, including club legend Francesco Totti.
This year’s first derby will be extremely odd, with no fans banners or atmosphere. Despite this, the passion will still be felt by all those sat at home watching and shouting for their half of Rome to win. Everyone will be waiting for the time when fans are allowed to enter once again and the derby will be as great as it always has been.
THE TEAMS!
Hosts Lazio have won 38 Serie A meetings compared to Roma’s 54 but their club president Claudio Lotito hopes his team will spoil Roma counterpart Dan Friedkin’s first derby.
Simone Inzaghi’s Lazio are currently eighth in the table compared to their rivals the Giallorossi who are in third.
The Bancocelesti’s key dangerman is last season’s Capocannoniere (Serie A top goalscorer) Ciro Immobile – who has scored 11 league goals so far this campaign.
They will be looking to follow-up on their last two victories against Parma and Fiorentina.
Lotito and star man Immobile had a private audience last weekend with Pope Francisco to celebrate the club’s 121st anniversary.
Meanwhile, Roma fought back to gain a respectable point in an entertaining 2-2 draw against Inter last weekend.
It is important that they win, not just for local pride, but to avoid losing ground on the two Milan clubs as they challenge for the title.
They are hoping that former Barcelona and Chelsea star Pedro will feature having returned to training this week.
Last terms two derbies finished 1-1 and the season before that Roma won their home game 3-1 but Lazio won the reverse fixture 3-0.
Lazio Serie A form: DWLDWW
Roma Serie A form: WLWWWD
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
The first ‘Derby della Capitale’ was on December 8, 1929 when Roma won 1-0 thanks to a Randolfo Volk goal. It was not until October 23, 1932 when the Biancocelesti got to enjoy their first win when they beat their bitter rivals 2-1.
Roma’s hold the record for the biggest derby victory which dates back to the 1933-34 season when they hammered their city foes 5-0. However, it is Lazio who hold the record for the most derby victories in a season when they enjoyed four wins in the 1997-98 season when they won 3-1 and 2-0 as well as a 4-1 and 2-1 victory in the Coppa Italia quarter-final.
In all their history, the two teams have only ever met once in the Coppa Italia final. That took place on May 26, 2013 when Lazio were victorious thanks to Senad Lulic’s 71st-minute winner.
In the build-up to Friday night’s game ex-Roma star Antonio Cassano controversially stated: “Da quando #Lulic gli ha fatto gol in #CoppaItalia, è successo come al Boca in Libertadores: una è morta, l’altra, come #Lazio e River, vivrà in eterno. La #Roma potrà vincere anche 10 derby, ci si ricorderà sempre l’immagine del gol di Lulić”.
Which basically translates to when Lulic’s scored in the Coppa Italia, it was similar to Boca in the Libertadores where one is dead, the other, like Lazio and River, will live forever. Roma can win 10 derbies, but you will always remember the image of Lulic’s goal.
Lazio vs Roma – 19:45 (UK) – Friday 15th January live on Premier Sports 1.
By Max Payne
