Each month, we'll be speaking with supporters' clubs throughout the world to shine a light on our fans who cheer us on from all corners. This month, we chat with Giacomo Perani, secretary of the Italian Supporters' Club.
If you could pick any match to be your first-ever live Arsenal game, our 5-1 victory against Inter Milan back in 2003 would be a high on the list - fortunately enough for Giacomo Perani, secretary of the Italian Supporters' Club, that dream is a reality.
"I was with two friends of mine at the match, it was incredible. I had to keep my Arsenal shirt hidden of course," recalls Giacomo. "But I couldn't contain myself when we kept scoring. I remember Henry was a god in those nights. I can't say otherwise because he destroyed all the Inter defence.
"My father is an Inter fan, and after the game, I drew around my hand on a piece of paper to show five goals and put the goalscorers on each finger to give to my father. It's an incredible first Arsenal match to go to live, one I will never forget."
Besotted with our famous club after reading Nick Hornby's book, Fever Pitch, Giacomo went in search of joining a supporters' club in Italy and came across Italian Gooners. The group started out in July 2007, before requesting official affiliation with us in November 2008 - since then, has gone from strength to strength.
While the group was initially named Arsenal South Italy, don't be fooled, it has spread far and wide all across the famous nation, including Bergamo, 54 miles north of Milan, where Giacomo resides.
He said: "We are spread all over the country, it was great to connect with so many Gunners all over. Another member, Matteo, lived near me. We went to our first match together at Emirates in 2012 and we saw Arsenal beat Tottenham 5-2 - by the end, I was crying!
"We have such a strong connection here in Italy, our members are over 300 now and there are bigger groups of fans in other cities that meet up regularly to watch the matches."
For the Italian Gooners, there's more to following Arsenal than just the game. Supporters have travelled over land and sea to watch us play in multiple competitions, as well as hosting football tournaments with rival supporter clubs and giving to a multitude of charities down the years.
He said: "We have taken part in seven-a-side tournaments versus other supporter groups like Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham. This has all been a lot of fun and kept us connected.
"We are proud of our charity work we have done down the years too. We try to give back to different charities and our supporters have been very generous.
"We did our meeting in 2018 to mark 10 years of the group and it was probably the best meeting ever because we had a lot of people from Italy, but also a lot of people from London, some people from Germany, some people from Hungary. We had a big dinner together and a raffle for charity.
"Each year I also invite members of the supporter group to my house as I love to cook. One of my favourite parts of being an Arsenal supporter is the fact that the people meet together to socialise before and after the games."
Upon visiting their website, you are greeted with the phrase 'Join the Family' - something the group takes very seriously, especially when Arsenal play in Italy.
In the 2024/25 season, we visited Italy twice, facing Inter and Atalanta, based in the city of Bergamo and for Giacomo, it was a dream come true.
"It was a dream for me. I follow Atalanta and so it was very, very strange when the draw happened and Arsenal were coming to Bergamo.
"It was very beautiful because a lot of people that I know came to my city. Three or four people stayed at my home because I'm not so far from the stadium. Supporters from Napoli, from Rome, came to Bergamo and they slept at my home. It meant they could save some money and use it to watch the match."
The Italian Gooners also helped plan travel, booked coaches and Giacomo even turned tour guide for two Welsh Gunners who had travelled to watch our match in Milan.
Fast forward to 2026 and the group has organised more coach travel for supporters from Bergamo to Milan for our game against Inter, courtesy of fellow member, Matteo Scarpellini, and his connections with Gunners in the UK.
While he is sticking strictly to his Dry January promise, Giacomo cannot wait to meet up with supporters from around the world once more and is expecting a tough game against last season's Champions League finalists.
"We have done lots of trips over the years. Coaches to Munich, Basel, and Gelsenkirchen. We brought a lot of Italian food, wine, cheese, and salami. We arrived in different cities and we offered food to other Gunners who had made the trip, it's all part of being in the Arsenal community.
"For the match in Milan, we will take a coach down with supporters from Bergamo with supporters and meet at a pub before going into the stadium. I think there will be a lot of Gunners around.
"I don't think this match will be like my first game watching Arsenal! But we have such a strong team and strong squad now, I cannot wait."
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Despair to joy: Our 2003 meetings with Inter Milan](https://www.arsenal.com/news/despair-joy-our-2003-meetings-inter-milan?utm_source=arsenaldotcom&utm_medium=embedded-article&utm_campaign=news)
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