Roma fans express their displeasure with 50kg of carrots

Roma fans are an expressive group

The fans of AS Roma expressed their displeasure with their team’s poor run of form recently in the most unique way possible. They showed up at the Trigoria training centre with 50kg of carrots in tow, and left it outside alongwith a banner that read ‘Buon appetito conigli’ (Enjoy your meal, rabbits!)

I tifosi della #Roma contestano con le carote a Trigoria: "Buon appetito conigli". Foto di @ele_marini pic.twitter.com/vWRpWiQZJz

— SportMediaset.it (@Sport_Mediaset) December 1, 2015

‘Conigli’, the Italian word for rabbits is synonymous with the Italian word ‘codardi’, which translates to cowards. President James Pallotta and General Director Mauro Baldissoni bore the brunt of the ire from the fans, with displeasure over the direction of the club, notably the decrease of local Romans like Francesco Totti & Alessandro Florenzi in the starting lineup. After an hour long standoff outside the training ground, the heavy police presence left, leaving the carrots and the banners undisturbed.

Roma fans protest against the team: 50 kg of carrots outside Trigoria + a banner: "Buon appetito, rabbits" pic.twitter.com/JgX8W9pLIY

— hash (@hashim0307) December 1, 2015

In addition, the fans are particularly displeased with the manner of Roma’s last two defeats – a 6-1 hammering at the hands of Barcelona and a dispiriting 2-0 loss to lowly Atalanta. Despite Roma’s good run of form at the start of the season, there is immense pressure on manager Rudi Garcia. The last two defeats have only served to exacerbate the growing disconnect between the fans and the club, with over a quarter of Roma’s 23,000 season ticket holders having boycotted the previous home games.

Roma’s American ownership has stabilized the club financially, but has managed to alieniate Roma’s famed ultras gradually. It culminated in the lack of any ultra presence in the Curva Sud during last month’s strangely muted Derby della Capitale against SS Lazio.