Derby behind closed doors, mayors united for peace among fans

THE MAYOR OF EBOLI The mayor spreads hope Mario Conte: «The match could have been played with open doors. We even had accessible stands, so as to keep the fans apart». Then he becomes a lawyer again, carried away by the realism of the court where he works: «Unfortunately there are negative reports from the police, the prefect will never take a step back». Too many injured, too many bruises, too much damage in the two cities. Without forgetting the trials in court: «Dozens of fans accused of injuries and aggravated damage». It resembles a fragile rainbow, Conte’s hope: «But there is a solution. I imagine an agreement between the two fan groups. An official act. A serious commitment from all the ultras to avoid clashes“. Sometimes all it takes is a firecracker, a rude chorus. And it’s immediately urban warfare: “For this reason, I am committed to my colleague Cecilia French to act as an ambassador for this idea. Let’s organize a meeting among the fans and return to a civil climate. It will be the only key to convincing the prefect and the competent authorities“. The sad alternative is the big screen in the squaresthe empty stands at the stadium, where even the club managers and the players are somewhat blaming that sad atmosphere. That “divine” punishment: the match behind closed doors. The players were forced onto a football pitch with a maximum of twenty spectators in the stands. The rest of the fans were outside. Violent and peaceful. Convicts and those with no criminal record. Everyone was out of the stadium: «I am convinced – Conte starts again, in a tone of father of the family – that the stadiums can reopen. The violent are only a small minority. We can isolate them. Or at least convince them to experience the game with us. Without anger. Without rancor. We are in 2024, we must overcome the troglodyteness of the last century».

THE MAYOR OF BATTIPAGLIA «My partner is from Eboli». The words of the mayor of BattipagliaCecilia Francese, who has been romantically linked to him for years Gerardo Rosania, already mayor of the neighboring town, give a good idea of ​​the endocrinologist’s desire to attend an open-door derby in a civilized atmosphere. «Why are fans never allowed to attend this match?“, asks the Frenchwoman. In this regard, she recalls an illustrious precedent that dates back to March 2017: even then the main football teams of the Piana del Sele played in the Eccellenza championship. On the occasion of the match played at the Dirceu, which the Zebrette, against all odds, took home (with the 0-1 of Gerardo In Biase) interrupting the sensational streak of positive results of Ebolitana, until then undefeated in the championship, the Francese answered present to the invitation arrived from the then mayor Massimo Cariello, historical fan of his city’s team, watching the derby directly from the stands of the stadium in via dell’Atletica: «I was in the stands and nothing strange happened. It was an afternoon of healthy fun. I struggle to understand the reasons for these restrictions». The rivalry between Battipaglia and Eboli is one of the most heated sporting rivalries in the Salerno area: two neighboring cities that share countless geographical, historical (before autonomy, dated 1929, a good part of the current leader of the Piana was a fraction of the ancient neighboring reality) and social similarities, considering the thousands of people who every day frequent the streets of the “neighbors” for study and work reasons. There have been episodes of violence during derbies, but the last precedents date back more than twenty years ago. «It is true – acknowledges the Frenchwoman – that for years there has been this rivalry between the fans of Battipaglia and Eboli, but the citizens of both realities are showing great maturity on the pitch and in the stands».