Roma, Napoli, from 1972 to 1987, shared one of the strongest friendships in the entire country and as often happens intense affection breeds the greatest forms of hatred. This is precisely what occurred after the relationship collapsed, as bloody clashes erupted during every match earning the fixture the nickname “Derby del Sole”
Late 70s (The beginning)
In the seventies, Napoli and Roma, have never been a treat to the hegemony of the northern clubs (Napoli had 0 scudettos, Roma had 1 scudetto during the time of fascism in Italy). So, they just had the same feeling, they wanted a center-south team to win. Roma was doing the right things, buying good players, to achieve that. So, Roma was the better side, [Players like Falcao, Ancelotti, Bruno Conti, Pruzzo, Collovati]. This feeling led to the start of what the media still describe as the most beautiful friendship football has ever seen. Before the games, Roma and Napoli fans travelled in mass to the other city and they welcomed each other in their houses.
Olimpico (Roma stadium) saw the Curva NORD completely full of Napoli fans every game. (15-20k seats). During Napoli home game, Roma fans were mixed with Napoli fans in the Curva B (the symbol of Napoli’s most passionate supporters).
The friendship was so strong that you could see something really special on the field too.
Minutes before every “Derby del Sole”, 2 delegates of each fanbases, used to have a walk on the field together, then they would go to Napoli supporters, the chant “Roma, Roma” would start, and then going to Roma supporters and the chant “Napoli, Napoli” would be sang, and then they exchanged their flags.
It was just a party atmosphere every game, regardless the result of the game.
1986
Roma-Napoli 86/87, all the rituals were happening with the 2 delegates exchanging flags and going to the fans. But suddenly Curva Sud started a “Bruno Giordano figlio di puttana” chant (Bruno Giordano son of bitch), to which part of the 15k Napoli fans in Olimpico responded with “Bruno Conti figlio di puttana” (Bruno Conti was Roma best player and symbol). Nothing else happened, but it was the first time the friendship showed some conflicts. The sign that things were not like before anymore.
Napoli won that game, and at the end of the season won for the first time Serie A.
1987 (The official end)
Roma-Napoli 87/88, before the game there was the usual ritual. Both delegates went to Napoli fans in the Curva NORD and heard the usual “Roma, Roma”.
Then they went to Roma fans in Curva SUD and when they went for the exchange of the flags, the Roma delegate refused and went away. The Napoli delegate left alone with all the Curva SUD booing him and throwing stuff. Napoli fans in Curva NORD didn’t get what happened at first. After the Napoli delegate came back and started to tell what happened, and rumors spread throughout all the fans, there was anger for the unexpected behavior from their friends. Meanwhile the game was not helping at all to get rid of the tense atmosphere. Roma needed a win, Roma scored and the game became really tough, 2 Napoli players got red cards. Roma was battling to score more, but Napoli in 9 vs 11 was able to score, and resist to final offense of Roma.
The game ended and Salvatore Bagni put the word end on a story already dead. Out of the heat of the moment for getting a draw in 9 vs 11, he did the f*** off gesture to the Curva SUD.
(In Italian it’s called “umbrella gesture”) That’s the official end of this friendship. Anyway, as told, Curva SUD already decided to end the friendship and one of the reasons was the not so cohesive atmosphere between Roma fans. Roma the year before, bought another Lazio player, and that caused a scission even in the most famous group CUCS (in old CUCS, and CUCS-GAM “Cucs Group Against Manfredonia [Manfredonia was the Lazio player]). So, from most copied and admired Curva in Italy, Curva SUD was facing a period of crisis with many groups that wanted to take the lead. And so, any controversial matter was good as argument against other groups. Later the group Boys Roma claimed the decision to end the friendship.
The final of Coppa Italia (The tragic end)
One of the most significant events that worsened and complicated the situation was the murder of Ciro Esposito in 2014, on the day of the Coppa Italia final between Fiorentina and Napoli at the hands of Daniele De Santis, a Roma Ultra who was charged with murder using a firearm.
Following the events, De Santis was transferred to Gemelli Hospital due to the beating and injuries he sustained, while Ciro died after 53 days of suffering and numerous surgical operations. De Santis a right-wing Roman Ultra from the Opposta Fazione group, stated in court: “I was near my house, and the Neapolitans were causing chaos around it. I knew the neighborhood children were close, so I stepped just one pace out of the gate that separates our neighborhood from the street to signal the Ultra bus to move away… But dozens of them attacked me, started beating me and stabbed me several times. What happened after that I only learned from my lawyer. I panicked and fired four shots. Unfortunately, the young man died… but I did not intend to kill him.”
However, the Napoli supporters present in court claimed that homemade explosive devices were thrown toward the bus from the direction of De Santis and four other people who were with him and that their attack on him was a reaction to that, meaning that, in addition to the murder charge the Rome prosecution also accused De Santis of pre-meditating an attack on the Neapolitans (of which De Santis was acquitted by the court). After a long trial, Daniele De Santis was sentenced by the Rome Court of Assizes to 26 years in prison (later reduced to 16 years) in addition to paying compensation of 140.000 Euro to the victim’s family.
Roma fans many times, showed their support to De Santis, showing not even the death of a young fan could stop what is now a war.
