One Serie A Fan Walks Alone in the Away End

Arrigo Brovedani may now be the most famous football fan in the world. He is certainly the best known fan of Serie A club Udinese.

On Monday, he did nothing out of the ordinary for himself. He went to watch his team.

They were playing a Serie A match against Sampdoria at the Luigi Ferrarris stadium in Genoa.

Brovedani entered the enclosure for away fans to the traditional and tribal chorus of boos that awaits the first appearance of the away support in Europe.

By the end however the Sampdoria fans were cheering the away supporters.

To be more accurate, they were cheering the away support-ER, for Signor Brovedani stood alone in the away end for 90 minutes. There he was, 21399 Sampdoria fans and him, unaccompanied by any other Udinese fan.

“I went there thinking I’d find five or six other people,” Brovedani told local media.

“When I went in the local fans booed me. I felt a bit offended. But in the end they clapped and invited me for coffee and a meal, and the club managers gave me a shirt. They wished me a merry Christmas.”

The city of Udine is 314 miles away from Genoa, and Udinese are not the best supported side in Serie A even at the best of times, sharing their region in the north east with Venezia. Also due to their position abutting the Croatian and Slovenian borders, a large part of their natural geographic hinterland is in another country siphoning support to reams in their leagues.The giants of Milan and Turin also attract support throughout northern Italy.

To make it even less attractive, the game was on a Monday night.

Brovedani didn’t make the long trip. He was in Genoa close to the French border, on other matters but he is always prepared to give the ‘Zebrette’ (little zebras), his support.

“I always take my flag and scarf around – they’re always in the car with me,” he added.

It was worth it. Goals from Brazilian defender Danilo Larangera and veteran forward Antonio Di Natale, playing in his 273rd league game for Udinese secured three valuable points for the visitors, sending the majority of the crowd;  the vast vast majority, away home unhappy.

Udinese are at home to Sicilian side Palermo on Saturday. Brovedani has been invited by the team, who dedicated Monday’s victory to him, to attend.

As if he would miss it.

See a picture of Brovedani at the game on the BBC