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May opens up with the United Kingdom reaching 30k deaths, resulting one of the most hit countries in Europe. It seems clear that the number of contagions and victims is strictly connected with the hospital organisation in each countries; the nations which manage to assure prope cures to their patiences without previous pathologies can indeed keep their numbers under control. With the pharyngeal laryngeal swab getting much more accurate day after day, numbers raised in most of the countries, but Italy, already in lockdown since more than 50 days, starts creating a plan in order to open back the general activities in the whole nation: the general quarantine will finally end for Italians on the 18th of May. In the meantime, the USA starts accusing a big economical crisis, with more than 30mln citizens requesting for the national unemployment benefit, an astonishing number which in theory includes around 20% of the whole workforce in America. After a little time, a big social crisis will add to the already exsisting economical and hospital crisis, after many fierce demonstations in order to defend and ask for respect of black people lives. A very curious moment to enter such a heavy crisis, considering the WHO declarations about a study showing how black people are FOUR times more vulnerable to contract the virus, comparing to the Caucasian race. Alongside Italy, also France moves its first steps towards the new opening, while the government signs a deal with Germany to allocate 500mln for the rebirth of both countries. Also private industries such Google and Apple started accelerating the creation of apps in order to register a number of people positive to Coronavirus, while Pfizer finally finds a good track to prepare their vaccine. In the various ideas to limit the virus and challenge it, Colombia comes out with an idea as handy as macabre, which still gets you the idea of the gravity of the situation: hospital beds, convertible in coffins, after the death of the patience.

Below, our chosen five May actions, in chronological order.

AIK, tribute to former deceased GK, 02-05-2020, Stockholm

Ivan Turina is a former Croatian goalkeeper, deceased in May 2013 due to a congenital cardiovascular problem. Arrived in Sweden in 2009 after many experiences around Europe which brought him to also defend his national team goal once, he collected 65 total apps with AIK, always maintaining an wonderful relationship with both the club and the fanbase. His attitude brought him to be considered as one of the favourites of the fans and ultras, and his sudden death left a big scar on the hearts of all the fans of Stockholm’s suburb of Solna. During May 2020, in the occasion of the 7th anniversary since his death, and with the Allsveskans suspended due to Covid-19 outbreak, AIK ultras decided to gift to their favourite goalkeeper a big tribute, organizing a pyroshow oh huge dimensions. Since his death, the Swedish fans brought on a tradition of being completely silent during the 27th minute of each game, 27 as his former shirt number, followed by a long chant shouting his name. With no chances of respecting his memory during an actual game, we want to reward the Swedish ultras putting them into our shortlist for the big organization system and the spectacularity of their show!

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_u-WuGA-Fe/

Torino FC, Grande Torino plane crash anniversary, 04-05-2020, Superga

Five Scudetti in a row during the ‘40s, as the first club to complete a winning cicle of such dimension in both the Italian and European scene. Alongside the Busby Babes and the more recent Chapecoense squad, also Grande Torino is unfortunately to be remembered as a club suffering from a plane creash. In italy, a veil of mysticism covers the men who lost their lifes on the mountain in which is located Superga santuary, in Piedmont region, on the 4th of May 1949; no one before them and as them was able to dominate the whole sport scene of a whole nation. Coming back from an away friendly match in Lisbona against Benfica, the faith put to an end the life of many players, giving birth to their legend. Since the birth of the ultras movement, Torino fans never missed a chance to remind their heroes, “only stopped by the sky”, as they like to say. In 2020, with Italy inside the biggest pandemic ever saw in recent history, the fans still managed to give homage to Grande Torino, without remarkable choreos or shows, but with gentleness and elegance.

 

de Graafschaap, graffiti art, 08-05-2020, Doetinchem

With the Dutch football federation passing through the hottest days of the season, deciding what to do with both Eredivisie and Eerstedivisie destiny, de Graafschaap fans had the nice thought of occuping their free time with useful activities for themselves and the whole club. Their stadium, de Vijverberg, was funded in 1954, but following a recent renovation at the start of the century, the installation still fits with Dutch standards, and doesn’t particularly need other innovations; however, why don’t give it a little bit of colour? And it was so that de Graafschaap ultras groups, strictly bonded with the Italian and South European ultras school, managed to show their consistency and raising money to buy materials for some graffiti art, ending up with covering many different areas outside the stadiums, creating a true white and blue stronghold. Remember, always live the life of an ultras, not only at some big games!

Banik Ostrava + GKS Katowice (CZ/PL), friendship renovation, 18-05-2020, CZ/PL border

Only less than 100kms divide the cities of Ostrava and Katowice, but they respectively belong to Czech Republic and Poland, both with two clubs which are often involved in the high tier of their national football. Their proximity, and few friendly matches during the past years, gave birth to a nice friendly relationship among the Czech and Polish fanbases, surely two breed to underlight and respect in the ultras world. Both clubs have big national rivarlies, even if they didn’t have a lot of success in the last decades and so during the start of this friendship; the decent palmares they have collected in the previous decades would make up for it. The brillant idea from the two ultrasbases to renew their friendship during Covid-19 outbreak, and with the border of the two countries strictly closed by law, was to meet each other precisely halfway, exactly on the border between the two European countries. Respecting the rules, but always following the brotherhood!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CAVLhLpgz1F/

Turris, promotion in Serie C, 30-05-2020, Torre del Greco

The Italian Football Federation decision to suspend all the lower leagues brought a lot of fibrillation in many Italian places and towns: what would it be with promotions and relegations? Turris fans, supporting their club from the town of Torre del Greco may answer this question, being promoted for the first time from Serie D to Serie C, right after the decision of activating the movements of clubs between divisions, with the tables frozen as they were at the official stop of the leagus. A suggestive seafront, in a famous locality known in the whole country for the sweet summer life, litterally put it to flames by a massive pyroshow from the fans of the small club from Campania region. Sense of belonging and the willing of always be close to the team, those are the simple rules for such a big show, also in low divisions! Ah, and also just a bit of illegality for the various gatherings and abusive parties, but for how long have they waited this beautiful moment? Might aswell risk a bit!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CAz6OFGA35E/