Andrea and Alessandro: a story beyond colours | OneFootball

A gentle but powerful story brings together Bologna and Rome, one that goes beyond football. Andrea, 17, a Bologna fan, and Alessandro, 15, a Roma supporter, are connected not just by their love of the game, but by a rare condition: the GNAO1 gene mutation, which affects just a few families in Italy. Their friendship began through an association for families facing this condition, and was strengthened by their fathers, Gianluca and Paolo, who turned an ordinary meeting into a genuine friendship built on support and shared experiences. 

After Bologna and Roma were drawn to play each other, the two families decided to attend the match together. What started as a day at the stadium in Bologna has now become a shared experience; they’ll meet again in Rome, each wearing their team’s colours, but sitting side by side.

Andrea and his father, Gianluca, will head to Rome on Thursday morning from Bologna on a Trenitalia train. Waiting for them at Termini Station will be Alessandro and his father, Paolo. From there, they will travel to the Stadio Olimpico together, ready to spend another day in the stands by each other’s sides, just like they did a week ago in Bologna. Gianluca explained, “The beauty of it is that we are two families united by this destiny, and we’ll watch the match together, each with the scarf that represents our passion.” In Bologna, it was Alessandro, wearing the red and yellow colours, who sat among the home fans. “He was surrounded by Bologna supporters,” he recalls, “and everyone was very kind. It was a moment of great respect.” In Rome, the roles will be reversed: Andrea and his father will bring their rossoblù scarf into the Olimpico. “We’ll probably be in the minority, but I’m sure it will be a beautiful moment of sportsmanship.”

And then there’s also everything that happens off the pitch. Because this trip is also a real opportunity to spend time together. After taking place in Bologna, with a traditional dinner of tagliatelle with ragù, this time Andrea and Gianluca will be guests at Alessandro and Paolo’s home. A different evening awaits them, with Asian flavours prepared by Alessandro’s mother, who is from Korea.

For Andrea, all of this is extra special as until recently, he only watched matches on TV. The stadium was something new and, at first, almost overwhelming. Gianluca commented, “On Thursday, he seemed a little confused, but during the trip to the Dall’Ara, on the shuttle with the volunteers from the ‘BFC for Community’ project, Bologna’s service that takes people with disabilities to the stadium, he had an amazing time, joking and laughing. Then it was time for the match, and it was an evening packed with emotions, even if they weren’t expressed in words. “They’re boys who struggle to express themselves, but they still manage to express joy and enthusiasm in their own way.”

And so this time, it’s not all about the result. “As a fan, when Bologna doesn’t win, I usually feel disappointed. But in this case, it’s different; it’s already a celebration. Andrea can’t wait either. Until yesterday, the flu had cast doubt on the trip, but today he woke up without a fever and with a huge smile,” his father explained. “And that’s when we knew we were really going.”

Inside that smile is anticipation, joy, and excitement for a day that will once again go far beyond football.