Roma paid tribute to Antonio De Falchi with a heartwarming tifo against AC Milan, 35 years after he was killed as a result of an attack from Milan hooligans in 1989.
He was just 17 years old, and this artwork is a reminder that his legacy will live on forever at the club.
Roma pay tribute to Antonio De Falchi against AC Milan
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What happened to Antonio De Falchi?
The death of De Falchi in 1989 was a shocking demonstration of what the ugly side of football can lead to. Ultras are often celebrated for injecting passion into the sport, but on this occasion, they went too far and it resulted in a 17-year-old losing his life.
Reports on the incident vary, with an array of different stories available online. The general consensus is that he died of heart failure after a group of Milan fans surrounded and threatened to attack him close to the San Siro.
Other reports suggested that De Falchi was physically attacked with weapons such as belt buckles, but official police statements coincide more accurately with the former account of events rather than the latter.
The exact reason for the attack is still unknown, although it is believed that De Falchi and his friends may have been wearing scarves in the colours of Roma and Inter Milan, which perhaps aggravated the AC Milan fans in question.
Roma remember De Falchi with heartwarming tifo
In tribute to the young Roma fan, supporters made sure to brandish a tifo in his honour during a Europa League clash with AC Milan on April 18, ensuring that his legacy lives on at the club.
The enormous banner read: “Orgoglio di una curva intera, il tuo nome la nostra bandiera”, which translates to “Pride of an entire curva, your name is our flag”.