The festive season is usually a time of rest for Serie A’s footballers, in the middle of their winter break.
That isn’t always the case – there was a round of fixtures on 26th December in 2018, for example – but for the most part, footballers in Italy get to relax somewhat during the festivities.
If playing on Boxing Day is one thing, though, then it may come as a surprise to learn that some games have taken place on Christmas Day before.
Roma have played three times on December 25th in their history – the last coming 60 years ago.
Here’s a brief account of what happened in those games.
1938: Vis Pesaro 0-4 Roma
The first time Roma ever played on Christmas Day was when they took on Vis Pesaro in a Coppa Italia Round of 32 game in 1938.
Serie A paused for the Christmas week, but Roma still had a game to fulfil. Fortunately, they made it a good one.
Their opponents were Vis Pesaro, who were in Serie C at the time and still are today – albeit after having to re-form.
Things got off to a good start when Ermes Borsetti – who would win the Scudetto with the club a few years later – gave Roma the lead six minutes in. It took until the second half to extend that lead, but the Giallorossi were relentless when it came.
Aristide Coscia and Luciano Alghisi both scored in the first two minutes after half-time, before Borsetti added another moments later. In the blink of an eye, Roma’s lead had risen by three.
It remains the only meeting between the two clubs.
1955: Torino 2-1 Roma
A more familiar opponent were in store for Roma’s next game. In 1955, they faced off with Torino in Serie A.
This time, the outcome was not as positive – although it looked as if it might have been when Dino Da Costa, who passed away earlier this year, fired Roma in front inside the first minute.
Roma were unable to build on their lead, though, and things took a turn for the worse in the second half. Torino scored twice after the break to condemn their visitors to defeat.
It was a major blow for Roma at that stage of the season, as they had been level on points with second-placed Torino going into the game. They would eventually end the season sixth.
1960: Lecco 0-0 Roma
The last time Roma played on Christmas Day, it was a day to forget.
Travelling to Lecco, they could only come away with a goalless draw in a match that lacked quality. League leaders before kick-off, Roma struggled to show why.
They were without a couple of their key players, such as Juan Alberto Schiaffino and Francisco Lojacono, and it showed.
The latter was sat in the stands nursing an injury, anxiously feigning to kick the ball throughout as if he could influence things from afar. He was not the only one wishing he was watching something else.
The final whistle was the best gift anyone could have asked for that year. Playing on Christmas was a thing never to be done again.
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