Bologna FC: Always — Terrace Edition

Words: Gonzalo Alfaro

Images: Gonzalo Alfaro

Bologna FC 1909: Between colourful characters and a sense of familiarity.

Four blocks away from the Renato Dall'Ara, not even passing the first police check, the vibes had already started: An elderly woman popped out of a window to proudly show her Bologna FC flag waving to a modest audience of eight.

It was me, a father and son, two friends across the street and a group of three regulars that arrived precisely at that moment for the woman to receive the usual question -”come andrà oggi signora?” (how will it go today ma’am?)- asked the most colourful looking tifoso.

The woman paid no attention, she just continued waving the flag and chanting.

“Va sempre uguale” (It is always this way) whispered the supporter to himself, and so we continued.

Already warmed up by my first taste of Bologna’s football scene, I sped up just to be sure not to miss any more of these authentic encounters.

©Gonzalo Alfaro/ Terrace Edition. Bologna.

I turned a corner to unexpectedly find myself in front of the characteristic tower that can be found embedded into the stadium.

Trying to shake off my shyness I spoke to a group of +50 fans gathered around a table drinking wine.

Their symbols included a bear mask and a flag proudly showing the Torre Maratona fan club portraying a Bologna fan over the Champions League emblem.

At that moment I found myself conflicted between the excitement of getting to know something new but still confused by a strange sense of the kind of deja-vu that makes you feel safe, comforted or even at home.

From that point on it was just a blur of characters, tender images and joy from (most) Bologna’s tifosi.

Football showed me once again how it can resemble the very essence of a city, and Bologna is on point.

It is always this way.