Curva Sud publish strong statement: “We are witnessing a shameful media campaign” | OneFootball

The Curva Sud have finally broken their silence to address some of the stories that are doing the rounds regarding the investigation into the conduct of the ultras of AC Milan and Inter.

Two weeks ago, a raid was carried out by the authorities which led to the arrest of 19 leading ultras from the groups of the Rossoneri and the Nerazzurri, and now the investigation is continuing. We explained the situation in full in a recent Substack feature.

As per of the questioning, Davide Calabria has been asked about discussions he had with the head of the Curva Sud – Luca Lucci – while on Inter’s side both head coach Simone Inzaghi and midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu have been spoken to.

Following the events of the last few days, the Curva Sud Milano have given their version of events with a press release on their social media profiles, which has been translated below.

“We waited a few days before writing hasty words because we inevitably needed time to process what happened last week. We want to start immediately with a dutiful and sacrosanct premise: WE are the Curva Sud Milano. WE are the ULTRAS of Milan. WE are those who will fight to the death for our Milan. WE are those who are always there, however and everywhere. And we will still be there, AS ALWAYS at our expense, without gifts from anyone,” it began.

“WE are always side by side. WE are the ones who have suffered every type of repression and have always held firm. WE are the ones who have Milan in their hearts and only want the best for our colours.

More Stories about Curva Sud

GdS: ‘In the crosshairs once again’ – Curva Sud found with weapons in Florence

8 October 2024, 15:55

AC Milan’s Leonardo Di Caprio meme tifo against Inter explained

23 September 2024, 19:30

MN: Curva Sud will ‘behave accordingly’ if Inter win Milan derby – the details

20 September 2024, 16:30

“WE have been this for 16 years, starting from the darkest years after the dissolution of the historic groups we have climbed back up from the lowest point to return to shine like the brightest stars, years in which we have risen again thanks above all to those guys that everyone knows, those guys splashed on the front page of the newspapers, those guys who have always been in the front row on every occasion, those guys who have already paid a high price for many of the episodes that are contested today, those guys who have always put the Curva Sud and the love for Milan first in every step and in every decision, contrary to what they want you to believe.

“We sang with these guys, we suffered and rejoiced with them, we admired with emotion and pride the dozens of choreographies created over the years (all self-financed), we cheered with them, we fought alongside them, they defended you when they attacked you, we were alongside these guys when everything was more difficult and when Milan needed US the most.

“WE with them are the ones who dragged an entire stadium to sing for the Rossoneri, WE with them are the ones who throughout Italy and throughout Europe made Milan feel like they were playing at home and all this must be attributed to those who, 16 years ago, firmly believed in the dream of wanting the Curva Sud UNITED without any more divisions, in the project that would lead to a peaceful coexistence that would involve all the Rossoneri fans, ULTRAS, CLUBS and people who attended the stadium independently, leading the Rossoneri fans to be among the most admired, loved and respected in Europe.

“This is what matters to US, this is what we must recognise, especially to these kids, and it is everything that someone instead wants you to forget: now is the time to be even more united and compact, now is the time to grit our teeth and resist together as we have always done, to move forward together, because they want us divided, one against the other, but they know well that in all these years we have given life to a second family that has welcomed thousands of kids and led them by the hand to travel kilometres around Europe alongside the Diavolo.

“This curve has always put its face on the line and has always fought for the good of all, like at the start of the 2022 championship when we found the stadium bars selling beer with a 60% markup more than at the end of the previous season, trying to find an AGREEMENT that would satisfy everyone (a situation well known to ALL those in the business).

“Or like when we tried to put a stop to the embarrassing growth in ticket prices (think of the protest over the price list for Milan-Atletico Madrid for the 2021-2022 season, which was then quickly corrected), or the battle to put a cap on the price of away sectors as is now happening throughout Europe, including cups as per UEFA directives which this year further lowered the maximum price.

Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images

“The events involving the two Milan Curvas are profoundly different: they tried to pass off the idea that the non-belligerence pact between the Curves was used as a means to make money, too bad it is a historic agreement signed after the 1983 World Cup to avoid having a continuous ‘war’ in the city, everywhere, at any time of the week between Milan and Inter fans.

“And for over 40 years this ‘pact’ has been carried forward by whoever has managed the two curves over time, in an intelligent and responsible manner, unlike what they want to make people believe with only speculative ends, for profit or personal gain.

“There is nothing more false, it is an insult to history and to those who agreed to this pact and to those who, after 40 years, still respect it and consider it unique in the world panorama of fan bases, making the Milan derby one of the most peaceful matches of the year.

“We have NEVER managed parking lots, we have NEVER managed stalls, we have NEVER managed bars, we have NEVER received and above all demanded tickets from the company, we have NEVER managed things outside the ULTRAS world , we have NEVER committed acts of intimidation or violence to grab profits deriving from activities tangential to the stadium environment.

“We have NEVER been ticket scalpers but we have simply allowed ourselves in some circumstances, to differentiate prices between those who have always been there and those who have attended less assiduously, always in the interest of the former and never for personal gain.

“All proceeds have been used to self-finance the creation of choreographies (just count them from the photos on our website: 12 in the 2021-2022 season, 11 in the 2022-2023 season and 7 in the one just passed, just to name a few), in the numerous charity activities always documented over the years, in legal protection for episodes related to the stadium, in the allocation of significant contributions for away trips to financially help all those people who dedicate themselves body and soul to the Curva and to the passion for Milan (who thank God are many) and who cannot afford to always go to the stadium given the crazy prices and given that every three days a home or away match is played (two years ago.

“For example the away trip to Napoli was given as a gift to all members) but more generally in every match where dozens of people from ALL GROUPS of the Curva receive a contribution to be able to lighten their expenses.

“And the issue of the cash fund has always been valid, since the 70s with the birth of the historic groups, without forgetting that when Curva Sud Milano was born we experienced the most disastrous years at football level of the last forty years, from the downward spiral of the Berlusconi era, to the arrival of the Chinese up to the American management, years in which certainly, with the exception of the Scudetto season and the following one, despite not having large incomes, WE always contributed to subsidising the boys of all the groups of the Curva, sometimes even from our own pockets.

“And if nowadays every year all our members renew their season tickets with US in Curva Sud, if many from the other sectors want to move to the Secondo BLU, if there are queues to come and cheer with US, if despite a team and a club that are not writing memorable pages in the history of our club, the only sold-out sector is always ours, if people respect us and love us there must be a reason (or maybe more than one!).

“We are witnessing a shameful media campaign by newspapers and TV that tend to make ‘minestrone’, smearing young people with the sole purpose of gaining an audience, whose only crime is to have established working relationships and friendships with more or less famous people.

“This mass attack will not allow you in any way to scratch the good done by these people, such as the many charity initiatives organised primarily by them in the name of the curve, whenever there was a need to do good (flooding in Emilia-Romagna and charity collections for Palestine and homeless people in Milan, the latest in a long series).

“We see these people punctually (and shamelessly) smeared in every article or in every broadcast, as if organising events with famous singers or opening commercial activities in a completely REGULAR manner were a crime.

“The answer to whether or not it is the right time to continue under the name of CURVA SUD MILANO is more than ever a YES, a strong and convinced response from all the groups that today make up this Curva and who have contributed with the thousands of kids who frequent it, to making it the show within the show, the real attraction for all those people who are unfortunate enough not to frequent it but very lucky enough to see it from the other sectors of the stadium.

“We do not deny anything that has been done in these years, indeed we claim it with pride. To the stands frequented by mythomaniacs without dignity and to all those evil tongues who have already set themselves up as champions of the ultras world, writing sentences and various filth on banners relating to this affair, we want to remind that a person is innocent until the third degree of judgment, and that there is no worse infamous person than someone who enjoys the misfortunes of others, without knowing the reality of the facts and without waiting for justice to take its course.

“We have always paid for our personal vicissitudes ALL of us and at a high price, and even though we are aware that in the future some of US could be hit by new measures, this does not mean that a person cannot get back in the game and rebuild their life once they have paid everything that needs to be paid.

“Targeting the most exposed people in our group in the media for their private affairs with the sole purpose of trying to destroy them will not allow you to throw further mud on a reality that over the years has been a point of reference for thousands of people, especially thanks to them.

“Finally, we would like to thank the numerous Rossoneri fans, the boys of the Milan clubs and all the people who have shown us affection and solidarity, because the management of the Curva has always been there for all to see; we have never been saints, but we have certainly recreated one of the most beautiful aggregative realities of our city, and perhaps this may represent a slap in the face for some…

“AVANTI CURVA SUD, AVANTI ROSSONERI! ALWAYS TOGETHER and ALWAYS WITH MILAN IN OUR HEART!”

🔗 Instagram