The Europa League match on Thursday night saw Brighton supporters cheekily square off against Roma’s ultras in a banner battle that turned heads and drew chuckles across the football world. This came after Roma fans unfurled an unsavory sign targeting the late Queen Elizabeth II during their dominant first-leg win.
In a humorous comeback, Seagulls fans unfurled their own banner at the rematch, opting for a witticism over vitriol. Written in Italian to ensure the message hit home for the Roma contingent, the Brighton fans’ sign declared, ‘Totti loves pineapple on pizza’ – a playful jab at a food faux pas vehemently opposed by Italian pizza purists.
The banner spotlighted the legendary Francesco Totti, a football icon who is revered for his unwavering loyalty to Roma and his pivotal role in Italy’s 2006 World Cup triumph. The statement tapped into the ongoing global debate around pineapple as a pizza topping, a subject that many Italians, Totti included, might find more contentious than funny.
Brighton’s lighthearted sign struck a chord, making a statement about football fan culture and the way rivalries are handled – with a side order of humour rather than hostility. The Brighton supporters’ ability to take the moral high ground with a tongue-in-cheek sign showed that even the most serious of football feuds could still have a slice of levity.
