A day with a particular atmosphere that can be felt in Bari this Saturday and not only due to the first clear signs of Spring. The city welcomes, according to official box office data, 1,290 Dorian supporters. Already walking in the morning along the historic center and in the main arteries, including the seafront, you can notice many Sampdoria scarves and flags around. The friendly climate encouraged the participation not only of the ultras but also of ordinary fans, who did not want to skip this football event and under the pretext enjoy a short holiday in the beautiful Apulian city and its surroundings. Even if beyond this, we must recognize the great proof of faith of the Dori fans who always followed the team everywhere and with important numbers, even when they were floundering in the less noble areas of the table.
Today’s festive air starts from further away, from the distant 1st April 2006 when the first seeds of this twinning which unites the ultras groups but which, over time, literally ended up extending to the two entire cities were sown, as witness the first leg match that I had the pleasure of following and in which the Sampdoria’s welcome was no less spectacular. As already at Marassia lot of involvement, a lot of aggregation, starting from the morning, when ultras from Bari and Doria met outside the Saint Nicholas to seal this bond with many mutual choirs and for the freedom of the ultras. Flags flying in the wind, countless torches lit, waiting for kick-off at 4.15pm, there’s not even a shortage of colour.
Unfortunately, the Serie B ranking does not move hand in hand with the passion of the fans, with the two teams having partly failed to meet initial expectations and even if Samp is clearly recovering compared to the hosts, for these two nobles of football Italian, for the cities and squares they represent, a very different scenario from the current cadence would be desirable. Despite the disillusionment, the almost 20,000 spectators present are the most unequivocal of claims of merit.
In the stands, the Dorian sector is truly a spectacle. Lots of banners, lit torches, constant cheering for the entire ninety minutes. It seems like we are revisiting the legendary nineties when, before the mortifying season of bans and membership cards, the local ultras movement traveled on the wings of widespread popular enthusiasm towards football.
Not in the second place the Curva Nord of Bari: full, compact, determined, consistently firm on their disappointment towards the club without however lacking constant support for the shirt that represents their city. There are many chants of friendship between the two factions while there is no shortage of playful chants against the rivals. Even if unfortunately for the two fans we are only in Serie B and the show on the pitch is far from that of the bigger stages, the one seen in the stands is unquestionably of a superior category and it is no coincidence that even normal people, who struggle to get excited when the pitch is short on emotions, you are left speechless admiring the passion, warmth and color that the ultras offer.
On the pitch, Samp prevailed at the end, relaunching their ambitions to reach the playoff zone, while the epilogue for Bari and the Bari team was even sadder, as in this bitter season they see the hot zone of the standings getting dangerously close.
Text Massimo D’Innocenzi
Photos by Pier Paolo Sacco and Erredi (exterior) and Alberto Cornalba (interior)
I like:
I like Loading…
2024-03-26 14:47:06
#BariSamp #April #story #strong #bond
