While Francesco Totti sticks to his superstitious guns, the Lega Calcio tries to find a way in which the Roma fans can travel to Catania after all.
The lead has been cut to just one point, but Er Pupone has decided his system of assuming Inter have the Scudetto under wraps is working.
“We have a slightly better chance than before, but even when we were at –11 points the team still believed,” commented Totti.
“Now we are –1 and have one more game to go, but certainly at the end of the day Inter will win it.”
He said the same for the past three weeks, but the Nerazzurri have repeatedly stumbled when given the opportunity to seal up the Scudetto.
“Superstition is our only extra weapon now! I don’t know if Inter are the stronger team, as the statistics suggest we more or less evened out over the course of the campaign.
“They just had one more draw than we did and besides I think Roma played the best football in Italy and Europe. Unfortunately at this moment Inter are in front, so if they should take the title we’d stand and applaud.”
In order to conquer the Scudetto, Roma would need to win away to Catania and see Inter fail to pick up all three points in Parma.
However, fears over security in the Stadio Massimino have prompted the Sicilian police force to ban Giallorossi supporters from travelling.
“The Roma fans must be able to go to Catania, because this is the football we want to see without any disparity,” slammed Lega Calcio President Antonio Matarrese.
“It is a decision that would inevitably create a split and I don’t want the Lega to break off its collaboration with the security detail.”
The Osservatorio was set up to help stem football-related violence by analysing games with the highest risk of trouble and taking steps to prevent it, going so far as to ban travelling supporters altogether.
This has been done many times over the campaign, but allowing Inter’s fans to be there to cheer their side on at Parma and not grant Roma the same rights would be considered favouritism.
“Nobody doubts there are difficulties in policing the matches, but these have to be taken under control,” continued Matarrese.
“It wouldn’t be a walk in the park, but we cannot accept this situation. We have to end this season on the right note.
“Seeing as the Osservatorio will remain on the case until Sunday, we demand a concrete decision by Thursday.”
