Lazio Fans Plan Silent Solidarity For Europa League Clash Against Nice

Marco Baroni's Lazio are gearing up for their second match in the newly formatted UEFA Europa League. On Thursday, October 3, at 18:45, they will host French side Nice at the Olimpico. Nice recently drew 1-1 with Real Sociedad in their previous match.

Currently, 25,000 fans are expected at the Olimpico, including holders of global season tickets, mini-season tickets, and regular tickets. However, this number is likely to increase in the hours leading up to the match. Despite the growing attendance, Lazio’s organized fan groups have issued a statement requesting silence, the absence of flags and banners, and leaving the first ten rows of each section empty for the first 10 minutes of the game. This action is in solidarity with the 58 Lazio supporters detained by German police during their away match in Hamburg.

The fans' official statement reads:

"Last Thursday in Hamburg, 58 of our brothers, fellow Lazio fans, were stopped, searched, and detained. They were released the following morning without any charges, yet they were targeted by a misinformed Italian press and had their cash confiscated by the German police."

The statement continues, "This is not a protest, but a gesture of solidarity. During the first 10 minutes of the match against Nice, we ask for silence, no banners or flags, and for the first 10 rows of the Curva Nord and other sections of the stadium to remain empty."