Napoli ultras staged a silent protest during the 4-0 defeat to Milan, with some fans brawling between themselves, but the roots of their problems with President Aurelio De Laurentiis go far beyond increased ticket prices.
This was meant to be the passing on of the baton between reigning and future champions, so it stunned neutrals to realise many of the home fans were sitting in silence at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona or even with their backs to the pitch.
It was part of a wider protest announced days before the match, officially about rising ticket prices for the upcoming Champions League quarter-final against Milan.
However, the roots go much further back and speak to a fundamental dislike between the organised ultras groups and President De Laurentiis, which have only been partially swept under the carpet by this season’s imminent Scudetto success.
La Repubblica point out that the same ultras were already protesting against De Laurentiis and his decisions to revamp the squad in pre-season, even though it proved to be wise.
The chants from the march outside the stadium said it all, as they shouted that De Laurentiis is the “proprietor, not the master” of their beloved club and “We are Napoli.”
The situation deteriorated after a group of Napoli fans brawled with their Roma counterparts on a motorway, as they crossed paths on their way to different matches.
This prompted De Laurentiis to collaborate more with local authorities to clamp down on those who break the rules, including bringing unauthorised flags, fireworks and megaphones into the stadium.
What irritated the locals was that away fans were allowed to bring in the same items without the same strong reaction from the security chiefs.
Considering more banning orders are set for the fans who brawled in the Curva B on Sunday evening and later lit fireworks, the situation is unlikely to improve.
Those fights broke out between different sets of ultras groups who disagree on how they ought to be protesting.