ROME – AS Roma fans have offered to pay vice-captain Gianluca Mancini’s 5,000 euro fine for waving a “offensive” flag after Roma won the Derby della Capitale, a fan statement said.

 Mancini, 27, waved a blue and white flag (the colours of the Lazio team) with a photo of a rat replacing the Lazio badge, at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday after scoring the winning goal in the capital city’s derby which ended 1-0.

 The Serie A sporting tribunal’s official statement said Mancini was being fined “for having waved an offensive banner at the opposing team’s fans during the post-match celebrations.” He was fined 5,000 euros for his actions but was not suspended.

 Speaking on official AS Roma channels, the defender apologised for his actions saying, “I didn’t want to offend anyone, I took the first flag [the fans] gave me.” 

 Lazio captain, Ciro Immobile, criticised Mancini and the rest of the Roma squad for "celebrating with little class" in a post-match interview. 

 Fans created a fundraising campaign on Go Fund Me to pay the defender’s fine, with the hopes of raising over 5,000 euros, a goal which was achieved in less than 24 hours. Over 7,000 euros have been donated and over 800 people have made donations. Comments on the Go Fund Me page include "Roma is a family" and "forza Roma."

 The page reads that in the case that Mancini cannot or will not accept the fans’ money, it will be donated to charity.

 Elsewhere, Roma fans have expressed outrage that a Lazio fan was fined “only” 167 euros for throwing a glass bottle at Roma player Edo Bove’s head in the January derby, calling the fines "double standards."