A Roman Derby that degenerated into a massive brawl | General Vaccaro`s “tifo galeotto”!
Italian Championship of the Serie “A” 1930-1931 season.
The return derby of Rome: May 24, 1931.
On a beautiful day and clear skies, even though it was hot, on a pitch in perfect condition, the fourth official derby of the championship was played.
The atmosphere is heavy and full of suspicion. We are at the 27th matchday with Juventus in the lead with 46 points, Roma at 43. Lazio is at 26. A dramatic match in some ways and resulting in incidents that will lead to many disqualifications.
Roma is only two points behind Juventus (they beat them 5-0 two months ago).
It will be played at Lazio’s stadium, at the P.N.F. The “prince of the whistle” referee Gamba has been appointed to referee the match.
But it is precisely refereeing Gamba who “ignites” Roma by canceling a goal by Costantino for a questionable offside position and then further by not signaling a penalty for the team in the yellow and red shirts, for a clear handball by Fantoni II, in the Lazio penalty area.
The teams get on the field with these line-ups:
LAZIO: Sclavi, Tognotti, Mattei (II), Pardini, Furlani, Ziroli, Pastore, Spivach, Lamon (I), Fantoni (II), Fantoni (I). Coach: Improve it.
ROME: Masetti, De Micheli, Bodini (II), Ferraris (IV), Bernardini, D’Aquino, Costantino, Fasanelli, Volk, Lombardo, Chini Ludueña. Coach: Burgess.
After a few minutes Roma scores with Costantino but referee Gama disallows for offside. The tension rises when Pastore (in the 15th minute) puts the Biancocelesti ahead with a beautiful diagonal that closes an extraordinary personal action.
Inadequate but vehement reaction from Roma at the start of the second half, with the equaliser achieved by the usual Rudi Volk (at 47`) in a melee. Lazio doesn’t accept this and throws itself forward, taking the new lead again in a melee with Fantoni I (at 49`).
Giallorossi protests for an alleged handball in the Lazio area and equaliser in the final minutes thanks to a free kick by full-back Bodini (87′).
With a 2-2 draw achieved in the “recovery” Roma now pushes forward to win the match.
De Micheli, the “terzino” of Roma, is chasing the ball for a lateral handball, taken out for the umpteenth time by the players in the “biancoceleste” jerseys, when suddenly General Vaccaro, even the future president of the Football Federation, who is assisting on the perimeter track of the field, removes the ball by giving it a kick!!!
Recognizing the support as a fan of the “Lazio faith” and also suspecting it of a deliberate waste of time, the Roma footballer De Michelis insulted him by shouting at him and even kicked Vaccaro, who immediately returned the kick to De Michelis.
A gigantic brawl breaks out with pushes, kicks and punches that will be calmed down only after ten minutes.
The referee runs in, with the help of the carabinieri on horseback, separating the fighting parties, and then a few seconds later the match ends 2-2!
Immediately after hearing the final whistle of the referee, De Micheli again turns against General Vaccaro and thus an even bigger brawl is born, even before with the same leaders who instead of being peacemakers become protagonists… then the fight involves the football players and the public as well; there is no shortage of punches, kicks, sticks, stones….
Many spectators already on the track intervene to increase the melee and the crowd climbs over the safety net causing a general brawl. It takes a charge by the carabinieri on horseback to clear the ground. Many injured including the biancoceleste Fantoni II.
Nothing like this had ever happened in Rome.
The Federal Directory will disqualify: one match for both stadiums and Roma without De Micheli (4 matches), Bernardini (3 matches), Ziroli (Lazio, 2 matches) ….
For Roma team “addio scudetto”. “I giallorossi”, so close to winning….
At the end of this event someone will whisper: “Incidents with premeditation” with the sole purpose of damaging Roma.
By: Pjerin Bj
New York February 28, 2025
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