Derby della Mole

Derby della Mole
Derby della Mole
Turin Derby
City or region Italy Turin (Italy)
First contested 13 January 1907
Teams involved Juventus F.C.
& Torino F.C.
Most wins Juventus (91)

Derby della Mole, known in English as the Turin Derby is the local derby, played out between the city's two most successful teams, Juventus F.C. and Torino F.C.. The first match took place in 1906 and most derbies take place in the Serie A or Coppa Italia. The derby has not been contested ever since Torino was relegated from Serie A after the 2008-09 season.

In the stadium, Juventus fans usually shout out "Inferior!" and "Minors!" however Torino fans have been known to shout "Cheats!" and "Scum!" due to Juventus' alleged involvement in the Calciopoli scandals. Violence has been known to break out on occasion. Although not as high-profile as the Rome derby, the rivalry is still keenly felt as Juventus and Torino are two of Piedmont's biggest clubs and have become something of a regional symbol in Northern Italy.[1]

The Turin Derby has been compared to the Manchester derby in England. While United draw support from all Britain and the world, City's support is almost entirely restricted to the city of Manchester and its surrounding area. Similarly, Juventus has a large fan base all over Italy and Europe while Torino enjoys mostly regional support.

Contents

Background

Torino was founded by a former Juventus president and fellow dissidents in December 1906. The split was less than amicable and fueled a rivalry between the two sides. The name "Derby della Mole" is derived from "Mole Antonelliana", a famous landmark in the city of Turin.[2]

The derby also symbolises the class divide in the region. Juventus have often been associated with the wealthy Agnelli family who own FIAT. Turinese novelist and film director Mario Soldati once commented that Juventus were the team of the "the team of gentlemen, industrial pioneers, Jesuits, conservatives and the wealthy bourgeois" while Torino were the team of the "the team of the working class, migrant workers from the provinces or neighbouring countries, the lower middle-class and the poor".[1]

Notable Incidents

In 1967 after a match that Torino won 4-0, incensed Juventus fans vandalized the grave of Gigi Meroni. This act only served to fuel the rivalry and hatred.

Prior to a derby match during the 2007-08 season, riots took place and chaos broke out as police tried to control the hooligans involved. There were 40 arrests made and 2 injured policemen. Rubbish bins were set on fire and many cars and shops vandalized as a result.

Statistics

Championship Played Juventus Draws Torino
Serie A 168 67 50 51
Coppa Italia 16 7 5 4
Friendly Matches 43 17 7 19
Total 227 91 62 74

References