Following riots during the city derby between AS Roma and Lazio Roma, the Italian government has banned both sets of fans from away games and announced changes for the coming season.
The Derby della Capitale between Lazio Rome and AS Rome in the direct battle for Champions League places was as heated as it was close. With the 1-1 draw, Roma extended their unbeaten run to 16 games, but city rivals Lazio remained closer to European competition, two points ahead in sixth place.
However, riots between the two sets of fans overshadowed the game, which will have consequences. The Italian government announced that both clubs will have to play three away games without their fan groups, and for safety reasons, the city derby will only be played during the day from next season onwards.
Union welcomes changes
“All necessary measures” will be taken to protect the police from further attacks by hooligans, announced Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi. Before and after the game, there were various clashes between both fan groups and with the police, in which a total of 24 police officers and security personnel were injured by Lazio fans.
By Tuesday evening, seven fans from both clubs had already been arrested for participating in the riots, and the police confirmed that video footage would be used to identify further participants. In the past, clashes between the two city rivals had repeatedly led to riots, which was a particular cause for concern for the police union.
“It is unacceptable to continue to comply with television demands at the expense of safety,” said Domenico Pianese, head of the Italian police union Coisp. After the events, the union particularly criticized the decision to play the high-risk match in the evening, as this made the police’s work more difficult – a problem that will no longer exist in the coming season.
Lazio will be affected by the restrictions as early as the next matchday when they face CFC Genoa on Monday (3 p.m.), while Roma, who played the derby without Mats Hummels, will host Hellas Verona on Saturday (8:45 p.m.).
