Fan Club Spotlight: AS Roma Club Saint Petersburg

In today's Roma Fan Club Spotlight, we speak to Liuba Dyshlyuk from AS Roma Club Saint Petersburg about football culture in Russia, World Cup 2018, and learning Italian...

What can you tell the readers about yourself and your role with AS Roma Club Saint Petersburg?

Liuba Dyshlyuk: “Roma Club Saint Petersburg is mainly managed by two women, Tatiana and myself - friends united by yellow and red. We organise events, help other Russian fans to get tickets to matches, and translate Curva Sud songs. We even both learned Italian so we can help Russian fans with information about AS Roma and Italy as a whole.”

When was AS Roma Club Saint Petersburg formed and what was the idea behind setting up the club?

Liuba: “Roma Club Saint Petersburg was born in 2008, when social networks were becoming popular in Russia. We originally created a group on Vkontakte, Russia’s original social media platform, for AS Roma fans in Saint Petersburg, to organise watch parties in the city.

“Back then, it was difficult to find a pub in Saint Petersburg that showed AS Roma matches, as Russians prefered other leagues and other teams. Fortunately, we found the Dog’s Nose Pub, which always shows Roma matches, and has become our home.”

The club has been around for 12 years - what has changed since then, and what has remained the same?

Liuba: “Definitely the amount of members who travel to support Roma, at Stadio Olimpico, and away matches. There is always a presence from AS Roma Club Saint Petersburg at Roma matches around Europe.

“We have also improved our level of Italian, as we are all Russians in AS Roma Club Saint Petersburg. Many of us have studied the language to be more close to the culture of Roma, and Italy.

“And, of course, throughout these years we have formed friendships with many other Roma fan clubs around the world.

“The one thing that has remained constant is our love and passion for the Giallorossi.”

What does a normal Roma matchday look like for members of AS Roma Club Saint Petersburg?

Liuba: “Matchday for all AS Roma Saint Petersburg fans starts the same way: In the morning, we sing Curva Sud songs, and we are nervous and anxious all the day long, going over every detail about the upcoming match.

“After work, we go to our home bar, Dog’s Nose Pub, and watch the match together. If the match is on a weekend, we meet even earlier to chat, and to talk to every member of our fan club.

“Italian tourists in Saint Petersburg are rather numerous, and some of them are Roma fans who find us through Facebook, and come to watch matches together with us as well.”

Have any members of the club been over to Rome for a match this season?

Liuba: “As we have mentioned, we try to go to Roma matches as often as possible. This season, members from AS Roma Club Saint Petersburg have attended matches against Cagliari, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Parma, Başakşehir, Fiorentina, Lazio, and Atalanta. As much as we enjoy home matches at Stadio Olimpico, we love travelling to different cities around the world, supporting Roma!”

Why should someone join AS Roma Club Saint Petersburg?

Liuba: “Apart from the fact that we are the original AS Roma fan club in Russia, Saint Petersburg is also a cultural capital, and one of the best cities in the world! Every person should visit the city and come to drink with us for future AS Roma victories!"

Can you describe what the football culture looks like in Russia, and how that has impacted your fan club?

Liuba: "Russian football culture does not differ a lot from football culture in Italy, so it is easy for us to understand everything that happens in Italy, and in Rome in particular. Also, travelling so often to Roma matches helps us to stay in touch with the club even further.”

How important was the 2018 World Cup to the Russian football community, and did members of the fan club get involved?

Liuba: “Many of our members attended or worked at World Cup matches in 2018. The World Cup was also a great opportunity for us to meet other Roma fans in person, who were travelling from all around the world to support their national teams. It was a special summer!”

What is your favourite Roma moment since AS Roma Club Saint Petersburg was formed?

Liuba: “Our favourite moments are always when Roma plays in Russia, or nearby. We can easily attend Roma away matches in Donetsk, Borisov, Kharkiv and Moscow. These matches unite many Roma fans from Russia, and surrounding countries, as it is easier for all of us to travel.

“Roma’s match against CSKA Moscow in 2018 in was very special for us. There were around 300 Roma fans from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan - the most well-attended event for Russian Romanisti ever.”

What does it mean for AS Roma Club Saint Petersburg to be members of the Roma family, especially during this difficult time?

Liuba: “Members of AS Roma Club Saint Petersburg keep in touch often to share the news about the situation with COVID-19. Quarantine in Italy started much earlier than here in Russia, and our Italian friends gave us advice on best practices when quarantine in Russia began.

“We have also taken part in charity initiatives organised by fans, and the club itself.

“However, the most helpful thing these days is moral support, when we cannot be together watching matches. We share Roma moments from the past, tell jokes, send videos, and remind ourselves how special this AS Roma Club Saint Petersburg family can be.”

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