What the hell is wrong with Italian football? Another death, an innocent bystander shot accidentally by police trying to stop other fans rioting. Games called off all over the peninsula, one in Bergamo abandoned after fans threatened to riot unless the game was abandoned, fans chanting 'murderers' at the police at other venues. Latest news indicates that the death might not have even been football related. The self-righteous reaction of many 'fans' is sickening. Policeman killed last February, he deserved it. Innocent fan killed, we could be seeing the repurcussions of this for some time to come.
I know Italian football fans are utter assholes. I have no problem saying that. I lived in Genoa for a year to support my team, Sampdoria, luckily without any unpleasant incidents all year long, even at away games. My team are not one of the roughest, however there was alway an utterly insane police presence at all of the games - it looked like Genoa's entire police force was there every Sunday afternoon. For one game, against Milan, two enormous 500m-long walls were constructed at the stadium to allow the Milan team and fans to drive in unmolested. This wasn't because of tension with Samp fans, rather tension with Genoa's other team, Genoa. Fifteen year earlier, a Genoa supporter was killed by Milan fans. Fifteen years on, the Genoa fans were still out for blood. The walls were made to protect Milan from the supporters of a team that weren't even involved in the game.
The hardcore fans, the Ultras, have incredible amounts of power within the club. They can force players they don't like out of the club, their opinions are taken very seriously by the club. This weekend, we saw that they can have games abandoned if they want.
I'm so saddened by this. I want to watch my team play, I was even planning a trip to Genoa in January. I'm not scared to go now, I just don't want any part in this. It's not even about football anymore, it probably hasn't been for some time for many of Italy's 'fans'. Resentmant towards alleged police aggression will remain high, I'll be surprised if we don't see some revenge attacks on the police.
Enough. I feel sick. It's just a game.
