The Derby di Sicilia or Sicilian Derby in English, is a local derby between Italian football 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 1 November 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. The events led FIGC commissioner Luca Pancalli to indefinitely suspend all professional and amateur football games in the country.
For the 2007 season, all Palermo fans were banned from Catania's Stadio Massimino for the Catania-Palermo match on 2 December 2007. Catania subsequently proceeded to defeat Palermo 3–1, a historic derby win for Catania, their first in Serie A.
Statistics As of 3 March 2021 CompetitionPlayedPalermoDrawsCataniaSerie A18576Serie B348197Serie C/C116493Coppa Italia8611Coppa Italia Serie C10343Total85263920
Results League results
Catania vs Palermo Palermo vs Catania 2020–21Serie C3 March 20219 November 20202012–13Serie A21 April 201324 November 20122011–12Serie A18 December 201128 April 20122010–11Serie A3 April 201114 November 20102009–10Serie A3 April 201022 November 20092008–09Serie A19 October 20081 March 20092007–08Serie A2 December 200712 April 20082006–07Serie A2 February 200720 September 20062003–04Serie B9 November 20034 April 20042002–03Serie B18 November 200219 April 20032000–01Serie C1/B4 March 200123 October 20001999–2000Serie C1/B16 April 20005 December 19991992–93Serie C1/B27 September 199221 February 19931990–91Serie C1/B9 December 19905 May 19911989–90Serie C1/B11 March 199022 October 19891988–89Serie C1/B28 May 198931 December 19881985–86Serie B1 December 19854 May 19861982–83Serie B20 March 198324 October 19821981–82Serie B3 January 198223 May 19821980–81Serie B21 December 198024 May 19811976–77Serie B20 March 197731 October 19761975–76Serie B14 December 19752 May 19761973–74Serie B6 January 197419 May 19741971–72Serie B5 March 197217 October 19711967–68Serie B26 November 196721 April 19681966–67Serie B11 December 19667 May 19671962–63Serie A17 February 196314 October 19621961–62Serie A17 September 196121 January 19621958–59Serie B9 November 195822 March 19591957–58Serie B16 March 19583 November 19571955–56Serie B22 January 19563 June 19561941–42Serie C1 January 19428 March 19421939–40Serie B29 October 193924 March 19401936–37Serie B28 February 19371 November 1936 (1) See 2007 Catania football violence for more details about the riots during and following the match. (2) 2–0 Catania victory later awarded by the Federation. The match ended in a 1–0 win for Palermo.
Cup results 2000–01Coppa Italia Serie CRound of 1629 November 2000PalermoCatania10 January 2001CataniaPalermo1999–2000Coppa Italia Serie CRound of 3213 October 1999PalermoCatania27 October 1999CataniaPalermo1998–99Coppa Italia Serie CGroup stage30 August 1998CataniaPalermo1992–93Coppa Italia Serie CFinal group13 January 1993CataniaPalermo1990–91Coppa Italia Serie CRound of 1620 December 1990PalermoCatania24 January 1991CataniaPalermo1989–90Coppa Italia Serie CQuarter final22 February 1990PalermoCatania15 March 1990CataniaPalermo1981–82Coppa ItaliaGroup stage6 September 1981PalermoCatania1980–81Coppa ItaliaGroup stage7 September 1980CataniaPalermo1969–70Coppa ItaliaGroup stage31 August 1969PalermoCatania1968–69Coppa ItaliaGroup stage15 September 1968CataniaPalermo1964–65Coppa ItaliaSecond round6 January 1965PalermoCatania1959–60Coppa ItaliaFirst round6 September 1959PalermoCatania1937–38Coppa ItaliaThird round4 November 1937PalermoCatania1935–36Coppa ItaliaRound of 3225 December 1935CataniaPalermo
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.
Atletico Catania vs Palermo Palermo vs Atletico Catania 2000–01Serie C1/B26 November 20000–18 April 20010–01999–00Serie C1/B10 October 19990–113 February 20001–01998–99Serie C1/B24 January 19990–120 September 19982–11997–98Serie C1/B19 October 19972–08 March 19981–01987–88Serie C2/D2–21–0
References