Juventus Ultras clarify Superga banners: “We never intended to insult the dead”

Juventus Ultras have released a statement explaining their actions in front of the Superga Basilica while denying any malice against the fallen Torino legends.

Ahead of Saturday’s Della Mole, the Drughi (the most famous Juventus Ultras group) displayed banners in front of the Superga Basilica, causing great irritation among Torino supporters.

This site is synonymous with the Superga air disaster which took the lives of the entire Granada squad on the 4th of May, 1949. That team was renowned as “Grande Torino”, having dominated Italian football in the post-WWII era.

Therefore, Juventus as a club were quick to distance themselves from the controversial actions of their ultras.

Nevertheless, the Drughi insist they never intended to insult the dead in their organized march, stressing that the Superga Basilica is a symbol of Turin as a city and not just for the club of Torino.

“Regarding the controversy related to what happened on Friday night, we would like to underline that the Basilica of Superga has been a symbol of the city of Turin since its construction on a par with the Mole and the Caval’d Brons, and not Torino as a club,” reads the statement published by the Drughi via IlBianconero.

“We have always respected the dead, as we would like other fanbases to do towards our dead.

“No one allowed themselves to even think about insulting the tombstone of the fallen.

“It was just a demonstration that Superga, which protects our city from above (the hill), has been part of the history of Turin’s first team since 1897.”