A Unique Derby: How fans will experience Friday

The Derby della Capitale on Friday will be the first-ever Rome derby to be played behind closed doors.

Ahead of the game, we asked five Giallorossi fans how they would be watching this unique derby - and with whom. And of course, we couldn’t resist asking them if they have any special derby superstitions and memories!

Below are their responses...

1. Michele Memeo, 34

“The standard response should be that a derby without fans is still a football match between two teams, just as it is when there are fans in the stands. But as someone who starts getting excited for this match about a month beforehand, that’s just not the case. Not at all.

"The heart of the match isn’t going to be there. There’s going to be no emotion, no tense faces, no nerves. The thousands of pairs of hopeful eyes glued to the pitch won’t be there.

“I’ll be watching the derby with my grandmother. Just me and her. We’ll be in front of the television, each in our own spot, which we’ve stuck to since the start of the pandemic. I’m not superstitious or anything, but even though I don’t believe in that stuff I still need to dress a certain way, I need to go to a certain place and speak to a certain person in the morning, I need to call my mate three hours before the game, I need to fold my legs a certain way in front of the TV, which I need to turn on at a precise time, then put the remote in a certain spot on the table…”

2. Giorgio Bacci, 47

“I’ll watch the game on my own. I’ll put Sky Calcio on, but I’ll mute that and have the radio on, skipping between the various radio stations talking about the game.

“A derby without fans doesn’t mean less, given how important the match is in terms of the league table. Of course, the derby atmosphere that you only get in Rome isn’t going to be there. Its only peers are River v Boca and Celtic v Rangers.”

3. Simone Roselli, 38

“What does a derby behind closed doors mean? A derby without fans is like a chant that catches in your throat.

“I’ll be listening to this derby on the radio. I don’t have a TV subscription so I’ll follow it like I used to when I was little. I’m not really very superstitious, but I do cross myself at kick-off!”

4. Federico Vinzi, 47

“In a derby, the fans are the driving force pushing the team to dig deeper. Over the years, there have been derbies that have become synonymous with lots of different events. The fans have adapted to everything – derbies on a Monday, derbies played amid strikes – but I really do believe that a derby without fans is the worst-case scenario.

“The result matters, the performance matters and the city bragging rights matter, so it’s not worth any less, but it is something we’ll all have to get used to.

“I’ve seen every derby at the stadium since 1988 and I’ve spent many of the Lazio ones confined to my sector in the Curva, on the Monte Mario side. This time I’ll watch it at home, alone. I expect I’ll end up beating my fists and chanting in unison with my neighbour on the other side of my living room wall. That’s the only way I’ll be able to share the moment with someone else, but it’ll still be wonderful, exciting and even more gruelling – like every game you don’t see in the flesh.”

5. Mario Pompili, 59

“This derby will be lacking something without the supporters and the tifos. The fans are very important for the team. I was one of the supporters who created the famous ‘TI AMO’ banner – that was amazing.

“I’ll be watching the derby with my wife. Everybody knows not to call me when the derby is on, because it brings bad luck. I won’t be picking up the phone either way! I’ll be in my spot on the sofa for the whole thing, wearing my scarf and singing: ‘l’AS Roma è la mia vita …’.”