Serie A made in Italy: if you say "shit" about Juventus, you get a 50,000 euro fine; if you say "shit" about another club, it’s all fine, it’s just banter

For a "Roma merda" and an "Inter merda," there was no fine; but the "Juve merda" in Florence was sanctioned with a fine double that of the one given for banners celebrating Superga

(Translated into english by Grok)

I know my opening line isn’t one destined to go down in history, but no matter how much I racked my brain, I couldn’t find a better way to start this article than with the sentence you’re about to read: there’s shit and then there’s shit. It’s not pleasant to read, I realize that, and I apologize. And yet, since things must be called by their proper names, it’s shit we’re talking about, and it’s shit that newspapers are writing about and TV stations are discussing—regarding, for those who still don’t know, the gigantic "Juve merda" sign put together on Sunday in the Curva Fiesole by Fiorentina fans, a choreography that sparked great indignation in the establishment and beyond, leading sports judge Mastrandrea to fine the Viola club 50,000 euros yesterday, along with a warning.

Now, defending an undeniably vulgar act would be excessive. What’s not excessive, however, is asking whether the hefty fine (plus warning) imposed on Fiorentina was a fair measure: to me, it doesn’t seem so. Because once again, what always happens when Juventus is involved has happened—the club with the "extraordinary brand," as FIGC president Gravina puts it, which must be safeguarded at all costs. On the pitch, when Juventus is playing, there’s one set of rules for them and another for everyone else; even in the stands—through the fans’ choreographies—there’s shit and then there’s shit. That’s how it is, even if it doesn’t seem that way to you.

An invitation: take a look and compare the three photos you see above and below. In the first, there’s the choreography by Fiorentina fans who, at the start of Fiorentina-Juventus, formed the words "Juve merda" in the stands; in the second, there’s the choreography by Milan fans who, at the start of Milan-Inter, formed the words "Inter merda" in the stands (albeit with the variation of glowing letters since it was a night game with the stadium in darkness); in the third, there’s the choreography by Lazio fans who, at the start of Lazio-Roma, formed the words "Roma merda" in the stands. Identical slogans. Identical sizes. Identical context.

If this were a quiz, La Settimana Enigmistica would say: the three photos differ by one small detail. Guess what it is. And it would refer you to page 46 for the solution, where you’d read: "The photos seem the same because the slogans appear identical. In reality, one is less equal than the others: the slogan ‘Juve merda,’ which offends Juventus, is liable to a 50,000 euro fine (plus a warning), while ‘Inter merda’ and ‘Roma merda’ offend Inter and Roma and thus—like for any other club—are just playful jabs not deserving of any sanction."

Now, if you think I’m pulling your leg, let me reassure you: no joke, things are exactly as La Settimana Enigmistica explained. For the gigantic "Inter merda" that appeared in Milan’s stands on February 9, 2020, there was no fine or sanction; for the "Roma merda" that appeared in Lazio’s stands on April 29, 2001, the same; but for the "Juve merda" that appeared on Sunday in Fiorentina’s stands, a 50,000 euro fine plus a warning was issued. Reason: it insulted Juventus. As I said in the opening: there’s shit and then there’s shit.

The ridiculousness of it speaks for itself: adding a comment would be superfluous. And yet, there’s more, and there’s worse. Because the sports judge’s thunderbolts struck yesterday, March 19 of the year of grace 2025, targeting a slogan that’s vulgar, certainly, but nothing more than vulgar, when for half a century—indeed, forever—in our stadiums, chants and banners of pure racism have been a recurring theme, for example, during Napoli matches, with nothing happening and in the total indifference of everyone: referees, opposing teams, field inspectors, sports judges, newspapers, and TV. A bit like Borghetti Coffee, the pro-Vesuvius chant in all its thousand variations has become a staple for those who go to the stadium: some sing it (or make a banner out of it), and others listen (or read it) without batting an eye. Paraphrasing the Stock 84 slogan from Tutto il calcio minuto per minuto, we could say: "Did your favorite team win? Celebrate with an anti-Napoli chant. Did they lose? Console yourself with an anti-Napoli chant. Forza Vesuvio: the slogan that sets the mood."

And imagine if the player wearing a Napoli jersey and touring Italian stadiums is a Black player. Like Koulibaly. Who, on December 27, 2018, during Inter-Fiorentina, after being targeted with racist boos by Inter fans for the entire match, had the audacity—it was even said—to ironically applaud the idiots in the stands. Result: referee Mazzoleni showed him a red card and sent him off.

But that’s still nothing. Because in our stadiums, not only are racist chants and banners tolerated, but so are those celebrating immense tragedies: like the disappearance of Grande Torino at Superga. On February 23, 2014, during the Juventus-Torino derby, two banners were displayed in the Juventus fans’ section for the entire match (you can see them below): one said "When I fly, I think of Toro," and the other "Just a crash" above an image of a plane smashing into the side of a hill.

President Agnelli condemned the incident with a tweet ("No to rogue banners"): then, from the wiretaps of the "Alto Piemonte" investigation, it emerged that it was Juventus security manager Alessandro D’Angelo, Agnelli’s trusted man, who allowed the banners into the stadium with the president’s consent. So, do you know how much Juventus was fined for those vile and nauseating banners? 25,000 euros. Half of what Fiorentina was fined yesterday for a "Juve merda."

I’ve lost count of the articles I’ve written on this topic over the years. If you feel like reading one, I’ll point you to one I wrote on April 17, 2023, for Il Fatto Quotidiano after yet another case of racist chants directed at Lukaku during a Juventus-Inter match. If you’ve got another 3 minutes, I recommend it: just reading the title will tell you why.