Stories from the Other Side – Rok Vodišek: How I experienced (and survived) the Genoa City Derby as a Genoa footballer in Italy
Writes: Rok Vodišek. Graphics: WPM
Football is anything but just live broadcasts, dry match reports, transfer rumors, timeless clichés from the mouths of main actors. What the public sees is just one side of football; it’s interesting and often exciting. But there is also the side that is hidden from the eyes of ordinary mortals. On the other side, things happen that you couldn’t imagine. There are intrigues, adventures, anecdotes, incredible stories, bitter disappointments, failed plans, and much more. These are stories from the other side. Their stories. Stories of the main actors.
As the next one to join the team of the Planet Football website was Rok Vodišek, once one of the most promising goalkeepers in Slovenia, who debuted for the senior team of Olimpija as a teenager. After the adventure in Ljubljana, he went to Italy, where he experienced many interesting and noteworthy things. And many things that remain hidden from the public eye, from the eyes of fans. Rok Vodišek came to Planet Football precisely to tell as many never-before-heard stories as possible. Stories from the other side.
Genoa, or Zena as the locals call it, is the capital city of the Italian region of Liguria. It lies approximately 150 kilometers south of Milan and boasts a huge, the second-largest in the Mediterranean Sea. But even bigger than the port is their passion for football. The city has two football clubs that regularly compete in the highest tier of Italian football: Sampdoria, which is currently fighting in the playoffs for Serie A, and Genoa. The latter was my home for 5 years, consequently, I had the honor and privilege to get to know closely the workings of the oldest club in Italy and experience numerous unforgettable moments, which were partly helped to create by the incredibly loyal fans of both clubs.
Derby della Lanterna, as it is called in Italy, is the derby between the Genoese clubs, named after the famous lighthouse, called Lanterna, which is a symbol of Genoa. The first match between the clubs was played back in 1902, making the derby the oldest in Italy. The iconic Luigi Ferraris stadium, also known as Marassi, can accommodate more than 33 thousand people and has been the home ground of both clubs for many years. On it, time stops twice every season, for 90 minutes each time. The always sold-out derby consistently delivers an unforgettable atmosphere created by the fans of both teams. Regardless of who is the host, passionate and hot-blooded fans of both teams are always present, filling every corner of their side of the stadium.
The Genoa Derby? Mutual Respect!
Despite the fact that there are usually no major incidents at derbies, the rivalry between the two clubs and fans is still very high. This was nicely demonstrated when we with Genoa in the 2021/22 season were relegated to Serie B. Immediately the next day, numerous graffiti with messages appeared throughout Genoa and its surroundings, clearly expressing the joy of some Sampdoria fans at the fact that their biggest rival would not be among the Italian elite in the following season. The most loyal Genoa fans didn’t take long to get their satisfaction. Just a year later, they could return the favor twofold, as they were simultaneously celebrating Genoa’s return to Serie A and on the other side Sampdoria’s relegation to Serie B. In the final match, our fans displayed a huge banner in a humorous way, indicating that Sampdoria’s ship was sailing to a lower league.
In Genoa, there are only two options. Either you are a Genoa fan or you root for Sampdoria. Affiliation to one of the clubs usually passes from generation to generation. If parents are fans of one club, there is a high probability that their children will continue the family tradition. Even small children are often taken to matches and dressed in the jerseys of their team. This way, they are already imbued with a lifelong allegiance to club colors in their early childhood. The rivalry between the two clubs and fans is significant, but personally, I have never experienced any unpleasant encounters with Sampdoria supporters. Also among the players of both teams, there is mainly a lot of mutual respect. Since we both lived mostly in the same parts of the city, we often met and always greeted each other, exchanged a few words, and went our separate ways.
I can tell an anecdote when we had a club dinner in one of the famous Genoese restaurants. With the whole team and coaching staff, we were sitting at a large table near the entrance to the restaurant when one of the main Sampdoria players of that time walked through the door. You can imagine that he wasn’t exactly happy that on the evening when he wanted to relax and have dinner peacefully with his loved ones, the entire team of their biggest rival was also in the same restaurant. However, he didn’t turn around and go elsewhere, but we just greeted each other briefly, and everyone continued to enjoy the relaxed evening; we with the team, and he a few tables away with his family.
Toilet Bowl in the Parking Lot
Despite not playing much, I was often surprised by the fact that people on the street or in one of the shops recognized and approached me. If Genoa fans recognized me, they usually asked for a photo together or for an autograph, on the other hand, I was never witness to inappropriate behavior by Sampdoria fans. If they ever teased me, it was when we lost a game, but I always got the feeling that it was more about small provocations than any malicious intent. Of course, it very much depends on how you react to such things. I usually just smiled politely and maybe joked about myself. It always surprised me and at the same time fascinated me how resourceful the fans of both clubs were in provoking the opposing team. The most memorable to me was the < strong>toilet bowl that ended up in one of the parking lots before our home game. With this, our fans clearly showed what they thought of their rivals…
Considering that I have now swapped the Genoa football planet for a slightly different one, namely Planet Football, I would like to sincerely thank everyone who took a few minutes of their time and stayed with me until the end. I hope that my first journalistic contribution was at least a little interesting and that I offered you every bit of a slightly different insight into one of the greatest football rivalries in the world. And of course: I will continue to strive to offer you as many interesting anecdotes, adventures, and stories that I experienced on my football journey. See you next time! Until then!
This text was automatically translated using AI.
Author: editorial Football Planet