Umberto Gandini: “It’s not just the Curva Sud, the rest of the fans at Roma feel a different atmosphere, so the visiting team feels a different atmosphere. Having said that, the game we played with AC Milan was fantastic because most of the people came to the game to support the club because they understand that it is a historical opportunity.

"The Curva Sud atmosphere was not there but there were still some people. It was fantastic for the players and the team to enjoy such an experience again. The only thing I can ask for the New Year is to have this problem solved once and for all, within the regulations and laws, but respecting tradition and personal pride. It’s not going to be easy, but it is a must for this organisation.”

Mauro Baldissoni: “We are working hard to find a solution. It’s not easy because you have to deal with situations that involve the security and the safety of the people. The ultimate scope of their work is the security of the people, so you must respect that even if you disagree sometimes about their decisions. You have to work to try and show them that security and safety can be guaranteed anyway - it’s not a matter of putting a barrier in the stadium. The more you put up barriers and obstacles, the less people feel safe. They feel like they are put in a cage or constricted in some way. Generally, that is for all of the barriers in the stadium, not only for the ones in the Curva.

“It’s also a cultural battle - we insist on saying all the time that people have to be offered the best environment to enjoy what they pay for. If someone does something against the law, that specific person has to pay for their actions that are beyond the rules. Individuals must be responsible for what they do. Individuals must be responsible for their own behaviour. This also relates to the certainty of the punishment for individuals responsible for behaviours that are against the rules. Crowds can’t be responsible for the actions of single individuals. That’s something we don’t think is in line with our laws or the culture we want to introduce.”

Umberto Gandini: “There are different levels of problems. The one we are talking about with the Curva Sud is probably the most visible one, and it affects the rest of the stadium as well. We are just waiting for the authorities to finalise their plans for next year. The dialogue has always been open. There have been messages sent back and forth to sit down at a table and just try to find a common agreeable solution.

"We really hope that is going to happen early in 2017. But on the other hand, lots of other problems are affecting the general public - the parking issues, the transportation issues. The fact that Roma, being the capital city, has to be an example for the rest of the system from a security standpoint - this is difficult for the people of Roma to accept. It is definitely in our determinations to find a solution for all of these things, especially going towards the end of the season and the new season.

“It’s very important for Jim [Pallotta] and the board that the club lives with its fans. The players, the staff and all of the messages we are sending out are obviously inspired by the vision of Mr Pallotta that we are a family. We are one single entity and the club cannot be successful to the maximum level possible without the support of its fans. People say that the new stadium in Turin, for example, with the fact that it’s always at 95% capacity, is worth 10 points to Juventus per season. I don’t know how you measure that, but it’s definitely a fact that when you come into a ground where the fans are close to the action, supportive of the players, very vocal and so on, it undermines your certainties and your confidence.

"It would be fantastic to go back to the days where coming to the Olimpico was really an experience - although I have to say that on the pitch at the Olimpico the team are doing their part because we are undefeated so far.”