The Derby di Sicilia or Sicilian Derby in English, is a local derby between Italianfootball clubs Catania FC and Palermo FC. Catania and Palermo are the two main cities on the island of Sicily, and the teams are fierce rivals. However, they have seldom played each other within the Italian football league system, because in many seasons they have played in separate divisions of the league. The first time the Sicilian derby took place in the context of league football was on November 1, 1936, at Palermo in Serie B level; it ended in a 1–1 draw. The Sicilian derby has been played 10 times in Serie A: Catania leading their rivals by 5 victories to Palermo's 4; the other occasion was drawn. The teams have also met in local Sicilian competitions, and friendly matches.
The most notorious derby was on 2 February 2007, when 40-year-old policeman Filippo Raciti died in Catania from severe liver injuries during riots following the derby.[1] The events led FIGC commissioner Luca Pancalli to indefinitely suspend all professional and amateur football games in the country.[2]
For the 2007 season, all Palermo fans were banned from Catania's Stadio Massimino for the Catania-Palermo match on December 2, 2007. Catania subsequently proceeded to defeat Palermo 3–1, a historic derby win for Catania, their first in Serie A.
(2) 2–0 Catania victory later awarded by the Federation. The match ended in a 1–0 win for Palermo.
Cup results
Season
Competition
Round
Date
Home team
Result
Away team
2000–01
Coppa Italia Serie C
Round of 16
29 November 2000
Palermo
1–1
Catania
10 January 2001
Catania
2–1
Palermo
1999–2000
Coppa Italia Serie C
Round of 32
13 October 1999
Palermo
2–2
Catania
27 October 1999
Catania
0–0
Palermo
1998–99
Coppa Italia Serie C
Group stage
30 August 1998
Catania
2–0
Palermo
1992–93
Coppa Italia Serie C
Final group
13 January 1993
Catania
1–2
Palermo
1990–91
Coppa Italia Serie C
Round of 16
20 December 1990
Palermo
2–0
Catania
24 January 1991
Catania
1–0
Palermo
1989–90
Coppa Italia Serie C
Quarter final
22 February 1990
Palermo
3–1
Catania
15 March 1990
Catania
1–1
Palermo
1981–82
Coppa Italia
Group stage
6 September 1981
Palermo
1–0
Catania
1980–81
Coppa Italia
Group stage
7 September 1980
Catania
2–3
Palermo
1969–70
Coppa Italia
Group stage
31 August 1969
Palermo
4–1
Catania
1968–69
Coppa Italia
Group stage
15 September 1968
Catania
1–1
Palermo
1964–65
Coppa Italia
Second round
6 January 1965
Palermo
1–0
Catania
1959–60
Coppa Italia
First round
6 September 1959
Palermo
2–0
Catania
1937–38
Coppa Italia
Third round
4 November 1937
Palermo
4–1
Catania
1935–36
Coppa Italia
Round of 32
25 December 1935
Catania
1–0
Palermo
Sicilian derbies with Atletico Catania
For five seasons, Palermo played an "alternate" Sicilian derby against Atletico Catania, a minor team which reached its peak during the late 1990s, when it was the major football club in Catania, following the disbandment of the old Calcio Catania. In 1999–2000 and 2000–2001, Palermo contested derbies with both Catania and Atletico Catania, as all three teams were playing Serie C1/B at the time.