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| Foto: Ultras Avanti |
There was little about Ascoli - Lazio that felt like an ordinary August friendly. Long before the players appeared on the pitch, the streets around the Stadio Cino e Lillo Del Duca had already been taken over by black-and-white and sky-blue colours. More than 11,000 people attended the match on 2 August 2026, including almost 3,000 Lazio supporters. The away section was filled, while many more Laziali found places in the Tribuna Mazzone. Their presence was particularly significant at a time when Lazio supporters are boycotting season tickets and home matches as part of their protest against president Claudio Lotito.
The visitors did not arrive in Ascoli as an isolated away following. Earlier in the day, supporters of both clubs had gathered at the Paniko Village, where they spent several hours together before heading towards the stadium. Different generations mixed freely, reflecting a relationship that has survived despite the two clubs spending most of the last two decades in different divisions. From there, Ascoli and Lazio ultras formed a joint corteo towards the Del Duca. Flags from both clubs were carried together, while representatives of the two fanbases later appeared beside the pitch before kick-off. The evening continued with shared chants and the exchange of flags in front of the stands.
One of the most memorable moments came when the stadium joined in with two songs by Lucio Battisti. “I giardini di marzo”, long connected with Lazio’s support, was followed by “Un’avventura”, with voices from both sides of the ground singing together before the match began.
A Friendship Maintained Away from the Spotlight
Relations between the two fanbases have not always been this close. Supporter accounts describe Ascoli as a difficult destination for Laziali during the 1980s. The atmosphere changed in later years as personal contacts developed between members of the two organised scenes. An important part of that process involved members of Banda Noantri and sections of Ascoli’s support. Visits, exchanged flags and friendships between individuals helped create a bond that continued even after Banda Noantri was no longer active under its original name.
Because Ascoli and Lazio rarely met on the pitch, the relationship was maintained mainly through personal contact rather than regular matchday encounters. The friendly in 2026 provided a rare opportunity for those connections to be displayed publicly and on a much larger scale. Several reports described the occasion as the confirmation of a gemellaggio. There was no formal joint statement announcing a new official brotherhood, but the scenes at the Del Duca left little doubt about the level of respect between the two sides. In Italian terrace culture, such relationships are often defined by actions rather than announcements.
Ascoli Stand Beside the Lazio Protest
The strongest message of the evening appeared in the Ascoli end:
“The shirt belongs to its people… Forward, Laziali, until freedom!”
The final words, translated from fino alla libertà , expressed support for a protest intended to continue until its objective is achieved. It was not simply a general slogan about freedom, but a direct message of solidarity with Lazio supporters in their conflict with the club’s ownership. The banner was followed by chants against Claudio Lotito, with Ascoli supporters joining the Laziali in calling on the president to sell the club. The protest that had already emptied large parts of the Stadio Olimpico was no longer confined to Rome.
After the first phase of Lazio’s 2026/27 season-ticket campaign, ocnly around 2,000 supporters had renewed their places. The previous summer had produced 29,918 subscriptions. Almost 3,000 Laziali travelling to Ascoli therefore created a striking contrast: they were still prepared to follow the shirt away from home, but unwilling to financially support the current ownership at the Olimpico. On the pitch, Lazio recovered from Chakir’s opening goal to win 2–1 through Mattia Zaccagni and Petar Ratkov. The players were applauded beneath the away section at full time, but the result was never the main story.
What remained from the evening were the joint corteo, the flags beside the pitch, the songs of Lucio Battisti and a banner linking the two curves. Ascoli and Lazio may not meet regularly, but at the Del Duca their supporters showed that the relationship between them had continued to grow away from public view.