A piece of news has disrupted the build-up to Sunday evening’s derby, and unfortunately, it is negative. Yesterday, an email informed the Curva Sud leadership that the banner "Sodalizio Rossonero," following new checks, no longer has authorization to enter San Siro.
This blow comes from the Milan Prosecutor’s Office, and it is not hard to think the decision stems from those handling the "Doppia Curva" investigation, led by the hardline prosecutor Paolo Storari and his colleague Sara Ombra, who sent the leaders of Milan’s two main curves to trial despite a clear factual and evidential difference between the actions of the former Nord leadership and those of the Sud, which were much less serious.
What are the facts:
In recent months, following the first-instance ruling, organized Milan support has been subjected to a series of bans that led to the sidelining of banners from the main groups of the second blue ring, such as Curva Sud Milano, Vecchia Maniera, and Estremi Rimedi, as well as banners from the first blue ring. For weeks, discussions took place, and a compromise was reached before Milan-Napoli regarding the banners later displayed at Milan-Fiorentina, featuring "Sodalizio Rossonero" as the main name, flanked by "Appartenenza" and "Milanismo". These banners were approved by all, including the police headquarters and AC Milan, as they appeared regularly both at San Siro and away.
Now comes the new setback, with an email denying entry of the Sodalizio banner at San Siro. The message does not explain the reasons for the new ban, only referring to “new checks” of which none of the parties involved has knowledge. What is certain is that the word SODALIZIO (also used by Lazio fans, for example) cannot represent a call to violence or a direct or indirect reference to the past, and, even more absurdly, it is a banner approved throughout the rest of Italy except in Milan. The reality is that the "Doppia Curva" investigation has triggered a level of repression against Milan and Inter curves unseen even in the darkest periods of the ultras movement. Moreover, the Milan police headquarters also appear poorly, pending further explanations.
What will happen at the derby?
The main question now is what will happen Sunday evening during the derby. At present, there is no definitive answer, as the leadership was suddenly hit by the new restrictive measure and many issues must be considered. The team is not responsible for what is happening in the Prosecutor’s Office, and the derby is a special match, but it could also be the stage to publicly express dissent over the current situation. The final decision will likely come just before the match, as every detail is to be reviewed given the match’s uniqueness.
Source: Milan News
