After reaching the Europa Conference League final two seasons in a row, and qualifying for a European place again in the 2023/24 Serie A campaign, ACF Fiorentina are enjoying a return to form after some difficult years.
One thing that has never wavered, however, is their support. Fiorentina Ultras are known as some of the most passionate in Italy.
A full guide to the Fiorentina Ultras
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Fiorentina nickname
However, before we get stuck into our guide on Fiorentina Ultras, we will delve into the history of the club, including its nickname and some brief insight into some key past events to provide a wider context.
Officially founded in 1926, Fiorentina are now a 98-year-old club and have grown to become quite the historic outfit in Italy. As much as their various successes on the pitch, such as their two Serie A title wins, this is also due to their iconic kits over the years.
Fiorentina's purple strips have become famous around the world and have even had an impact on the club's nickname – ‘La Viola', in reference to their purple shirts.
They are a club that have enjoyed incredibly high moments in their history, but have also had to overcome the lowest of lows – famously falling to the fourth division in the early 2000s due to troubles off the pitch, before making a remarkable return to European football in the summer of 2007.
Through it all, ‘La Viola's' ultras have remained incredibly loyal and passionate about their team.
Fiorentina Ultras Core identity
🟣 Fiorentina ultras show banners after Milan ultras were arrested earlier this week.
‘Our world does not allow interests.'
‘Live the ultras way, only for ourselves.'
‘Ultras no business.' pic.twitter.com/TeKntTWVOt
— Lorenzo Bettoni (@LoreBetto) October 6, 2024
Unlike some Ultras groups, Fiorentina Ultras are famously politically neutral. Rather than voicing any particular political identity, their motto is “Né di sinistra né di destra”, which translates as “Neither left nor right”.
Ahead of their clash with West Ham in the Europa Conference League final last year, Italian journalist Roberto De Ponti wrote in The Telegraph that “In reality, Fiorentina’s ultras are known more for their imagination than for their nastiness, and in Italy, they are recognised for being warm but ultimately fair fans. In the league this year, the fans in the more expensive stands have been the most problematic, with isolated insults to opposing coaches and, unfortunately, a few racist phrases.”
However, as is common among Italian Ultras, they have teamed up with other sets of Ultras, and their close relationship with fans of Hellas Verona, who are traditionally right-wing, does mean that some Fiorentina Ultras go against their neutral ideals.
Fiorentina Ultras are also defined by their hatred for Juventus supporters, who they call “hunchbacks” – a symbol of good luck in Italy. After Juventus beat Fiorentina to the 1981-82 title thanks to some questionable refereeing, Fiorentina fans have maintained that the Old Lady only ever win anything through being lucky. Fiorentina Ultras have even performed special rituals in which they “de-hunchback” players signed from Juventus.
This hatred was stoked further when Fiorentina icon Roberto Baggio was sold to Juventus in 1990, leading to riots across Florence.
Last year, the Fiorentina Ultras groups also boycotted a game at Juventus in response to the Turin club raising their ticket prices for away supporters.
Key groups
There are more than 100 Fiorentina Ultras groups across the Stadio Artemio Franchi’s Curva Fiesole, but three stand out more than the rest.
Ultras Viola
The Ultras Viola were one of the first Fiorentina Ultras groups. Formed in 1973 after a particularly violent clash with a set of Genoa Ultras, the group was led by Stefano “Pump” Biagini, who wanted to create a band of so-called “super supporters”. Unsurprisingly, the group would be characterised by their fighting ability.
The Ultras Viola describe the period after their formation as the “glorious 1970s”, in which they were involved in famous fights, and notoriously stole banners from other sets of supporters.
However, this would not last – the group teamed up with Roma’s Romanisti Ultras for a brief period, but a dispute over stolen flags led to their break-up. With that came a weakening of the Ultras Viola, and eventually their dissolution in 1983.
Colletivo Autonomo Viola
Formed in 1978, the Colletivo Autonomo Viola rose to power in the early 1980s and soon took over from the Ultras Viola.
The group controlled the Curva Fiesole right up until 2011, when it disbanded, leader Stefano Sartoni citing a changing climate in football.
Speaking to the crowd at the time, Sartoni said: “Too many things have changed here in Florence as well as in general and given the current times, I believe it will be difficult to return to the glories of the past, even if the hope is and will always be to see the Fiesole of the past again as soon as possible, that Curva admired, envied and feared by many.”
“An era ends, a great love ends and, as often happens, there remains that pain that cannot be described, an indelible mark on the heart, in addition to the album of memories that we will keep forever and no one will ever be able to scratch.”
Alcool Campi
There is one more Ultras group to mention, but this time not for the right reasons. The Alcool Campi were known in the 1980s as a fierce, violent section of the Curva.
They lasted up until 1989 when a group of Alcool Campi petrol-bombed a train full of Bologna fans. Tragically, a 14-year-old died of third-degree burns and the group quickly disbanded.
Famous Tifos by Fiorentina Ultras
The Curva Fiesole’s Tifos are defined by two things – the city’s rich cultural history, and the colour purple.
Last year in a match against Inter, a huge banner with stretched the length of the Curva referenced the Siege of Florence in 1529, reading “Upon reaching our shores the opponents throw their shield and swords to the ground and surrender”.
On a similar note in 2022, upon Dusan Vlahovic’s first return to Stadio Artemio Franchi following his move to Juventus, the Curva “welcomed” him back with a massive Tifo reading “Fiorenza, thy name spreads over hell”, a reference to Dante’s Inferno.
Ultras also handed out 10,000 whistles at the entrance to the stadium that day, in an attempt to put Vlahovic off whenever he touched the ball.
But not all of the Curva’s Tifos are meant to be threatening. In 2007, the Ultras paid their respects with a Tifo commemorating Manuela Caffi, the wife of then-manager Cesare Prandelli, who had recently died of breast cancer.
Similarly in 2018, following the sudden death of club captain Davide Astori at just 31 years old, thousands of fans held up flags to honour his legacy.
El Ăşltimo adiĂłs de los aficionados de la Fiorentina a Davide Astori en el Artemio Franchi. Tifo, estadio copado y aplausos retumbantes en el minuto 13. #CiaoDavide đź’ś pic.twitter.com/GLO2L35AEt
— Michael Rincón (@MykeRincon) March 11, 2018
‘Respect for our shirt' – Ultras react to consecutive Conference League final defeats
Fiorentina have lost the UEFA Conference League final two years in a row, after defeats to West Ham and Olympiacos most recently. Following the loss to Olympiacos at the OPAP Arena, the Fiorentina supporters who made the trip to Athens vented their frustration towards the players.
As the coaching and playing staff went over to clap the fans after the game, the travelling Ultras ripped out seats and threw them onto the pitch while chanting “Respect for our shirt”. Under former head coach Vincenzo Italiano, Fiorentina lost three finals in the space of a year, including a defeat to Inter Milan in the 2022/23 Coppa Italia final.
After the heartbreaking loss in Athens, Firenzeviola reporter Pietro Lazzerini said: “A face to face that ended with a short but significant chant from the fans in the center of the curve: “Respect our shirt”. A cry that is understandable after having seen your team fall one step away from glory three times in a few months. The sincere tears of many players are not enough to soothe the pain of those who live the purple shirt as a faith.”