Despite the protest against the club’s ownership, supporters will gather to back the team before kickoff
The first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal between SS Lazio and Atalanta BC will take place in an unusual atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
Instead of a packed stadium, the stands are expected to remain largely empty due to an ongoing protest by Lazio’s organized supporters. Only about 3,500 tickets have reportedly been sold, leaving the iconic venue without the usual energy of the Curva Nord.
A Deep Rift With the Club
The boycott is the latest chapter in a growing conflict between Lazio fans and club president Claudio Lotito.
In recent weeks, the dispute has intensified dramatically. Protest banners have appeared throughout Rome, reflecting a relationship between supporters and ownership that many fans now describe as completely broken.
According to statements from organized fan groups, the relationship with the club is “definitively compromised.” Supporters were particularly angered by the club’s attempt to distribute complimentary tickets to schools and youth groups to fill empty seats — a move ultras interpreted as disrespectful toward those who chose to boycott the match.
Support From Outside the Stadium
Even while refusing to enter the stadium, Lazio supporters say their loyalty to the team remains unchanged.
Instead of attending the game, fans plan to gather at Ponte Milvio — a traditional meeting point for supporters near the stadium — before kickoff. Their goal is to greet the team bus and escort the players symbolically toward the Olimpico.
Supporters have asked local authorities and the club to allow the team bus to pass through the crowd so they can show encouragement before the crucial match.
Following the Game From the Streets
After the team arrives at the stadium, the protest will continue outside.
Fans intend to gather beneath the Curva Nord area, chanting and listening to the match on the radio while remaining outside the gates. The idea is to recreate, as much as possible, the atmosphere that usually fills the stadium — without abandoning their protest.
For many supporters, staying outside during a Coppa Italia semifinal is a painful decision. But fan groups insist the choice was necessary to underline their position.
In their official message, they made the reasoning clear: for the Curva Nord, dignity comes before results.
