The Reality of Italian Football Rivalries: It’s Not What You Think
After the swap deal between Milan and Juventus, discussions began about player transfers between Italy’s northern giants: Milan, Inter, and Juventus, and the supposed hostility between these clubs.
In reality, those who follow Italian football closely know well that the real rivalry in Italy lies between North and South. That is, between Juventus and Napoli on one hand, and between Juventus and Fiorentina on the other, or between Roma and Lazio, and Roma and Napoli. We always see the presidents of these clubs prefer to sell their stars outside of Italy so that the northern trio, specifically Juventus, doesn’t benefit from them. These rivalries have long transcended football to reach all aspects of social life.
Northern Pragmatism vs Southern Passion
This doesn’t mean there are no rivalries between northern clubs, specifically between Juventus and Inter. But northern clubs have always been practical and pragmatic in their actions. They continued to dominate the league, outperforming southern teams. What matters to them is the club’s sporting and commercial interests more than their fans’ feelings. We may have noticed this in the difference between Del Piero’s departure from Juventus and Totti’s departure from Roma.
The best example of this pragmatism is the recent deal between Milan and Juventus: “Take Bonucci and give me Higuaín! You benefit and I benefit! We’re agreed then, and never mind some fan displeasure. All of this will fade with the team’s success.”
Historical Context
The situation historically resembles Italy as a group of competing states, represented by the northern clubs trying to control and divide the weak region – the South. There’s nothing wrong with some cooperation between enemies as long as it serves everyone’s interests.
Comparisons Across Europe
This situation somewhat resembles its counterpart in England, where we’ve seen many, many stars move between England’s big clubs – with the exception of Manchester United and Liverpool between themselves.
In Spain, the situation is slightly different. There are only two giants with a deep-rooted historical cultural conflict among fans, some of whom consider that the others don’t belong to Spain in the first place. This has made the relationship between these two clubs, politically and culturally linked to their causes, particularly in Catalonia, almost severed.
