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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/

 

 

April sees plenty of countries down on their knees, in front of the biggest hospital and social crisis since World War II, as declared by the United Nations. The new rule of lockdown though appears efficient, with Italy recording their first new contagions decrease for the first time in the 4th of April, and Germany declaring low numbers statistically, so low to arouse suspicion from some international journalists. At the start of the month some studies show a clear improvement about the general air quality, as consequence of the reduction of any kind of traffic, either via see, land or air: the whole society is basically always relegated at home, an a lot of activities are completely stopped and closed, a situation which also bring nature to take back some of its spaces. A big political ferment anticipates the half of the month, with the EuroGroup which manages to sign a general deal for the allocation of 500.000.000.000€ (500 mlds) for the economical reprise after the quarantine months and the general suspension of many industries. Those are numbers never seen before, in such a delicate moment, all to highlight the big effort by many leaders of the European countries in the same direction. At the half of April, Spain and Italy register a clear decrease of new contagions, while unfortunately USA and UK are pretty much at the top of thee epidemic curve. France in the meantime formalize another whole month of lockdown: the citizens, agreeing with the idea that quarantine still is the best solution, are a bit resentful, thinking that the government should have waited some more days to take such a singular and quick decision, and some social tension arises. Other two nations get our attention in this month, being two very influent countries ultraswise; the first one is Austria, which is the first European country to loosen the measures a bit, getting out of lockdown and starting over some industrial activities. The secondo ne is Brazil, living two awful weeks which see them going on top of the ranking of the most hit countries in the world, due to a very permissive government under the leader Bolsonaro, a list of decisions which will appear to be crazy after few days. Describing the gravity of the situation, Angela Merkel, German leader since 2005 spoke for the first time in TV. In the German measures, also the cancellation of Oktoberfest 2020, the famous event which attracts millions of tourists coming from all around the world each year. In the meantime in the USA, for the first time in history petrol cost goes below the limit of 0$ per barrel: storages are completely full, and in order to keep on extracting petrol from the land, people are payed to empty the various stores around the country. The month ends with declarations from China about their return to normality, with the city of Wuhan still with new contagions, but without an hospital crisis, and well organized to cure each patience. In Europe the situation is much worse, and it looks to keep on getting more serious both statistically and socially speaking.

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

Lokomotive Leipzig, online ticket selling sell out, 07-04-2020, World

Lokomotive Leipzig is the oldest and most influent, talking about ultras, club in the German city of Leipzig. Nowadays they find themselves in the German 4th division, after a downhill ended with a bankrupt some ages ago, and an interest which kept on turning towards the new Red Bull project, which is bringing the new city club towards the top of national and continental football, but with very harsh method and philosophy towards the loyal fans. However, some years ago the yellow-blue club (Lokomotive) used to always be in the 1st division, and also conquered 3 German Leagues and one DFB Pokal. Their big success brought the club to have a massive fanbase, in a hugely populated city and area as the Leipzig one. Recently the club reviewed all their most famous games played in Zentralstadion, a structure able to contain more than 100000 fans, in appropriate or unappropriated manner. Until late 80’s, the stadium was considered the second biggest in Europe, paired up with Camp Nou in Barcelona, and only behind Velky Strahovsky Stadium in Prague, a notion which maybe  makes more sense knowing that Leipzig was one of the most important city in the whole DDR Eastern Germany until the fall of the Berlin Wall. Coming back to our days however, and particularly to the start of April, the club which can still vaunt the bigger part of the ultrascene in the city despite the lower divisions, decided to sell at the price of 1€ some virtual tickets for their matches played behind closed doors. All the obtain has been used for the survival of the club, and fans from alla round the world followed the idea, managing to collect 1.100.000€ (1.1mln) in total, and in a singular match selling more than 110.000 tickets, establishing a new record, and surpassing the total capacity of the legendary Zentralstadion in the golden years of the club.

French ultras say no to a premature football restart, 13-04-2020, France

A big manifestation of cohesion from all the French ultrascene, in order to stop the farce of football without fans. Ligue 1 restarted regularly this year adopting the same measures as the rest of all the rest of European football, but suspended the previous season mainly due to the effort and contribution from all those ultras groups. Forty-five different groups, hundreds of rivarlies in this collective, but the same desire to avoid as much as they could to play football without them supporting their colors. France and its football federation listened to the call from the ultras, still proclaiming PSG as national champions, being the first club in the raking at the moment of the stop. A similar decision was also taken by the Dutch federation, so a big round of applause to all the fanbases in Holland, managing to stop both Eredivisie and Eerstedivisie, even avoiding the proclamation of Ajax as national champion.

White Angels Vitoria SC ghost choreo, 17-04-2020, Guimaraes

A very hot topic in the last months for the whole tifo world is the one of ghost choreos, that is the idea of organized tifo scenarios even without the physical presence of fans inside the stadium. In order to not unbalance ourselves too much on the argument, we chose White Angels from Vitoria Guimaraes in our shortlist for two main reasons. The first one lies in the fact that the Portuguese were the first one to propose this new concept, up to date: a real choreo, adapted to the stadium  structure and functional even without anyone animating it live. The second reason is that during the choreo, precisely in those few minutes, a very ironical fact, there wasn’t even any live match going on! With the suspension of every sporting events in Portugal, the fans didn’t even have to chose a weekend with a home match to celebrate their birthday, 25 years ago, they just respected the actual date of their fundation. A very original way of showing their passion and support to the club, with or without actual football!

Ultrasbible stickers fundraise, 18-04-2020, Ultrasbible

Not an autocelebration, but a proof of how unity of intent and organization could always bring us to big targets and making us all achieving big projects. Those are the rules which stand at the base of the ultras world, and us from Ultrasbible tried to apply them towards the half of the month of April, in order to help with our little contribution the big societies fighting the virus on the front row. Without never selling merch before, we organized a set of stickers with different ultras graphics and pics, which you could see here. Thanks to your help we managed to sell everything we’ve produced, so we decided to devolve 100% of money spent by you for the purchase of the stickers to World Health Organization. You can find the details about our money transfers here, but for us this is yet another chance to remember the beauty of the gesture we managed to make during such hard times, due to your effort trying to fight Covid-19. So, a big and warm THANK YOU!

Ruch Chorzow 100th birthday, 20-04-2020, Chorzow

Poland is not a country which suffered the hospital crisis like the most hit countries by Covid-19 in Europe, at least reading the gouvernement declared stats during last spring. Rather, Polish people are living hard times during this month of December, and the typical cold Eastern Europe winter surely influenced and got the new stats to be worse. The country, during the spring, yet decided to move in advance due to avoid big crisis during the following months, applying strict measures and following most of the rest of Europe. Those measures worked in the first place, and will be used again in those weeks in order to save as many people as possible to be hospitalized. Ignoring the prohibition of gathering, and basing their decision much more on the low contagions number rather than the government rules, Ruch Chorzow ultras and fans organized a big party in the street of their city for the 100th birthday of their club, a very historical and big one in Polish football. In a country which loves pyroshow so much, it was easy and quick to see the whole center of Chorzow completely on fire in only few minutes!

 

 

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March will result to be the month where a new era for the whole Europe was started, with many countries fighting against an invisible enemy, inside a society where physical relationships and crowd activities are fundamental. Italy is the most hit country of the European ones, with a quick impact by the virus, bringing the government to introduce a general lockdown in the Lombardy region, involving more than 15 milions people, exactly on the 8th of March. Nobody could exit their houses, unless for working reasons or groceries. Only two days later, the whole nation will use the same restrictions, bringing to 65 millions the number of people relegated at home. In the meantime, in the Middle East, Iran is the country choosing the hardest way: a choice which shows how the whole moment was really serious surely is the release from prison of 70.000 prisoners, sent back home in order to avoid the spread of Covid-19 in the overcrowded jails. During the second weekend of the month also Spain starts taking measures trying to limit their famous movida, but only two days later the restrictions become much harder, with the total lockdown also in the Iberic country. United Kingdom, with a very high number of contagions, adopts a lighter politic with their leader Boris Johnson contemplating the idea of the herd immunity, a concept which will be soon defined as crazy and senseless, bringing the stats to read more than 40 millions of serious contagions only in England. Following decisions will contain the number to be in line to many other European countries, but the time lost will be heavy in the final report. France starts its lockdown alongside the metropolitan area of San Francisco, around the half of the month. USA starts facing an hospital crisis only a couple of weeks later, while China reports a drop of new contagions. 24th of March will become an emblematic moment, sportwise: 4 months before the start of the competitions, Tokyo 2020 Olimpic Games are delayed by a whole year. A loud decision, considering the level of organization required for such an event, and shows how long the crisis will be. Before the end of March, USA become statistically the most hit country in the world, by new contagions and death by Covid-19, while many newspaper are attacking the USA secret service, unable to justify the origin of the virus with proofs. A simultaneous hospital crisis with the governative one, put down on knees the whole USA society.

Below, our chosen five March actions, in chronological order

Crvena Zvezda vs Partizan Belgrade, Prva Liga Srbija, 01-03-2020, Belgrade

First day of the month, and March always presents us with a true classic of the whole ultras scene globally. The biggest derby in Eastern Europe, between Crvena Zvezda and Partizan Belgrade, doesn’t fail to impress even in this case, and this time we were able to witness the spectacle by ourselves. (Check our story archive on Instagram for some images and videos). A wholesome choreo just before the starting whistle, all framed by a pyroshow both in and outside the stadiums, with stands put on fire by ultras close to the pitch, and real fireworks just outside the Marakana, to colour the dark sky. The rivalry between fanbases causes clashes outside the stadium, with police forced to use violence in order to calm the hot moment: no surprise in this particular case though, being the Belgrade derby always between the most fierce and violent ones. Also notable, the continue division between Grobari, the main group for Partizan: Covid-19 right now appears like a far thought, and the priority are well different at the moment for all the Serbian ultras, obviously not thinking about a sanitary crisis in the close future.

delije grobari 1

delije partizan 12

delije partizan 12

delije partizan 12

delije grobari 151

Hajduk Split vs Dinamo Zagreb, 1. HNL, 04-03-2020, Split

We climb North by some kilometers, and we find another great classic of Balkan football. As usual Hajduk Split and Dinamo Zagreb gives life to the most interesting match on both the pitch and the stands in the whole Croatian system. Also in this case, we could assist to a choreo AND a pyroshow by the homefans: up to today, this match between the two most famous Croatian clubs, is the last one taking part with fans and ultras inside the stadium.

hajduk dinamo 1

hajduk dinamo 1

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AS Saint-Etienne vs Rennes, Coupe de France, 05-03-2020, Saint Etienne

As said previously, France is the first country to be hit by the first contagions of Covid-19 in Europe, and stats are already looking bad at the very start of March. However, like many other governments in the same situation, the country is displaced, and the first restrictions are slightly slower than required. Those few week of waiting before the actions will result to be crucial for the future spread of the virus. The Coupe de France fixture between ASSE and Rennes is then one of the last big tifo event for the country, and conquers a spot in our shortlist due to its extraordinariness. Both clubs are in the history of French football, and their clash is a true classic. Added to that, the Saint Etienne tifo scene was living a great moment, with positive relationships and actions in the previous months and years. In its best dress for the big occasion of the semifinal, the curva managed to propose multiple choreos during the match in a fantastic scenario, in a completely full stadium. Saint-Etienne victory sent back the club in a final after more than 35 years, bringing big celebrations with it. Indeed, right after the final whistle, thousands of fans ran into the pitch for an invasion which looks utopian in the actual moment, after Covid-19. This may be the last highlight in the French ultras scene, but for sure it was very noteworthy.

asse rennes 1

asse rennes 1

asse rennes 1

asse rennes 1

ES de Tunis vs Zamalek, CAF Champions League, 06-03-2020, Tunis

This CAF Champions League semifinal surely is one of the most significant matches of the month. We must consider that ES de Tunis and Zamalek come from different countries, and this is an important international match. True, in Northern Africa we don’t find a lot of tradition between fans for away games, but such a big occasion brought Zamalek fans to travel all the way from Egypt to Tunisia. In the stadium, more than 50000 fans for the last step before the final of the biggest African cup. Also in this case, with Tunisia not being a particularly hit country even nowadays, this will be one of the last remarkable ultras actions in the whole Arab area of Africa, like the rest of the world. We’re now very close to the end of the normal life, and the start of an unavoidable crisis of the whole ultras scene!

ec tunis zamalek 1

ec tunis zamalek 1

ec tunis zamalek 1

Universitario vs Alianza Lima, Liga 1, 08-03-2020, Lima

Different match, different geographical area, a clear example of how at the start of March the virus was still only in some countries, and it wasn’t affecting the whole world. A massive classic for South American football, the derby of Lima, which shows the best of the whole Peruvian fan scene. Hosting the show, the biggest stadium in the whole continent, El Monumental  de Lima, a factor with makes the images we receive even more epic. Classic latin hinchada support during the whole match, colorful and very loud, by both the fanbases. We chose this fixture in our monthly top 5, and we noticed how we’re already at the end of our list, only at the 8th day of the month. Going through March we could find some other noteworthy actions, but the progressive drop brings the very best of the month in the first eight days: from then on, a clear downfall. Covid-19 hit the ultras world like a tsunami, like all the rest of society, and without even noticing we were already watching the last blazes of the whole global ultrascene.

Universitario Lima 1

Universitario Lima 1

Universitario Lima 1

Thanks for reading again and make sure to check out the overview of January and February