I just got back from the soccer game: Fiorentina vs. Lazzio, which are two cities in Italy. Each city in Italy has it's own team, and they all play against one another. I did not realize the amount of loyalty people have to their teams until today. The Lazzio fans had their own section in the bleachers, and the section was fenced off with chain link with barbed wire on 
top. Next to the Lazzio section there was an entire empty seating section on each side, and security guards flanked the edges of those sections. This is all done to protect against a riot, which, after seeing how the fans are, I can entirely see the reasoning behind. The Lazzio section was chanting in unison throughout the entire game. Their chanting seemed a little more coordinated than the Fiorentina chanting, probably because the Lazzio section was composed of all the most hardcore fans together in one place. But don't get me wrong, Fiorentina did their share of chanting and gesturing at the Lazzio section as well. There were people waving huge flags for the Fiorentinas, and everyone was wearing scarves, which they took off and used as banners to cheer with. I wish I would have known the words to some of the chants so I could join in, but it was fun just to watch too. In fact, even if you do not like soccer, it is worth it just to go to the game and watch the fans. It is different than in America too, because hardly anyone is drinking beer, but people are just so energetic and into the cheering. The score of the game was 0-0 for most of the time, but then in the last minute Fiorentina scored a point. The energy in that stadium was just so intense at that point that it cannot even be described in words. There were groups of younger guys piling on top of each other and basically rolling in the bleachers. All of the security guards around the Lazzio section stood up and formed a barricade to prevent anyone from approaching the section. Just this moment alone made the entire game worth going to. After the game, the Lazzio fans had to stay in their little cage until all the Fiorentina fans vacated the stadium, once again for riot protection. As I have said before, Italians take their competitions seriously.
top. Next to the Lazzio section there was an entire empty seating section on each side, and security guards flanked the edges of those sections. This is all done to protect against a riot, which, after seeing how the fans are, I can entirely see the reasoning behind. The Lazzio section was chanting in unison throughout the entire game. Their chanting seemed a little more coordinated than the Fiorentina chanting, probably because the Lazzio section was composed of all the most hardcore fans together in one place. But don't get me wrong, Fiorentina did their share of chanting and gesturing at the Lazzio section as well. There were people waving huge flags for the Fiorentinas, and everyone was wearing scarves, which they took off and used as banners to cheer with. I wish I would have known the words to some of the chants so I could join in, but it was fun just to watch too. In fact, even if you do not like soccer, it is worth it just to go to the game and watch the fans. It is different than in America too, because hardly anyone is drinking beer, but people are just so energetic and into the cheering. The score of the game was 0-0 for most of the time, but then in the last minute Fiorentina scored a point. The energy in that stadium was just so intense at that point that it cannot even be described in words. There were groups of younger guys piling on top of each other and basically rolling in the bleachers. All of the security guards around the Lazzio section stood up and formed a barricade to prevent anyone from approaching the section. Just this moment alone made the entire game worth going to. After the game, the Lazzio fans had to stay in their little cage until all the Fiorentina fans vacated the stadium, once again for riot protection. As I have said before, Italians take their competitions seriously.
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