Supporters and Rivalries
Lazio is the sixth most supported football club in Italy and the second in Rome, with around 2% of Italian football fans supporting the club (according to La Repubblica’s research of August 2008). Historically the largest section of Lazio supporters in the city of Rome has come from the far northern section, creating an arch like shape across Rome with affluent areas such as Parioli, Prati, Flaminio, Cassia and Monte Mario.
Founded in 1987, Irriducibili Lazio were the club's biggest ultras group for over 20 years. Usually the only time they create traditional Italian ultras displays is for the Derby della Capitale, the match between Lazio and their main rivals, Roma. Known in English speaking countries as the Rome derby, it is amongst the most heated and emotional footballing rivalries in the world. Lazio fan Vincenzo Paparelli was killed at one of the derby games during the 1979–80 season after being hit in the eye by an emergency rocket thrown by a Roma fan. Lazio also have a strong rivalry with Napoli and Livorno. Conversely the ultras have friendly relationships with Inter, Triestina and Hellas Verona.
Read more about this topic: S.S. Lazio
Famous quotes containing the word supporters:
“The opposition is indispensable. A good statesman, like any other sensible human being, always learns more from his opponents than from his fervent supporters. For his supporters will push him to disaster unless his opponents show him where the dangers are. So if he is wise he will often pray to be delivered from his friends, because they will ruin him. But though it hurts, he ought also to pray never to be left without opponents; for they keep him on the path of reason and good sense.”
—Walter Lippmann (1889–1974)