Euro 2000 final - Rotterdam... or anywhere.

July 2 2020.  The day of the Euro 2000 final in Rotterdam.  A tournament that I was lucky enough to have tickets for.  Games in Bruges and Amsterdam for the group games whetted the appetite but tickets for the final was a once in a lifetime opportunity.  As the tournament progressed and Italy went further it crossed my mind that I could actually see the Azzuri in a major international tournament, and the final would be the icing on the cake.  

Just the small matter of beating the host nation Holland stood in the way, and the odds were heavily stacked against them.  It went to a penalty shootout and the Azzuri had done it... they were in a major final and I would be there.

A flight into Amsterdam then a train to Rotterdam gave enough time to spend the day soaking up the atmosphere in the city centre. The day had such a buzz about it and fans mingled all over the city, not many people asked about my Wigan Athletic shirt.  This was the pre Premier League era and  'Little Wigan' were still relatively unknown in Italian and French homes.

On the quest for food my mate and I walked past restaurant after restaurant until we literally reached the ‘Other Side of the Tracks’.  We had hit the roughest part of Rotterdam and hastily retreated before anyone spotted us, and made it back to the relative safety of the French fans.

We then took the tram to De Kuip ( and sat behind ex Arsenal striker Alan Smith), and went into the stadium to find our seats were in the Italian end. It was written in the stars...

France ,who had beaten Italy on penalties two years before in the World Cup quarter-finals on the way to winning the World Cup, once again stood in the way.

When the opposition is Italy, however, with their revolving door of gifted players and steely resolve, it was never going to be easy.

Managed by Dino Zoff, this Azzurri side was efficient and compact, staying true to the old-school Catenaccio tactics, having conceded only two goals so far in the tournament.  They weren’t about to roll over for anyone. 

Finals are often nervous affairs with neither side wanting to make an early mistake. The fear of losing can far outweigh the desire to win. Italy were underdogs, but they produced a far more expansive display than had been anticipated and dominated possession for large spells.  

The game started furiously. Italy had plenty of early pressure with Roma’s Marco Delvecchio proving a nuisance up-front. Henry provided the French threat, unleashing a couple of trademark snapshots before being on the receiving end of several friendly tackles from the Italian midfield, the chief culprit among them being Luigi Di Biagio. 

But in truth, the final didn’t come alive until the second half when, in the 53rd minute, a moment of genius blew the final wide open.   Delvecchio – who was selected by manager Dino Zoff at the expense of both Alessandro Del Piero and Filippo Inzaghi - broke the deadlock.

The goal was orchestrated by the man who had provided Italy’s offensive creativity throughout the tournament - Francesco Totti.  With his back to goal just outside of the penalty area, and with seemingly little in the way of passing possibilities, Totti paused and drew in two French defenders before executing an inch-perfect backheeled through-ball that set Gianluca Pessotto free on the wing with France’s offside trap completely fooled. Pessotto’s accurate cross was guided in on the volley by Delvecchio.

Now, Italy had to protect their lead for 35 minutes – and injury time – to win their first European Championship for 32 years.  Zoff sent on Del Piero to act as a focal point for counter-attacks, and his plan proved effective as the substitute was sent clear on goal twice in the closing minutes. 

The striker, however, was somehow unable to hit the net on either occasion, putting one shot wide and hitting the other straight at Fabian Barthez.  He was left to rue those misses when, 15 seconds from the final whistle, substitute Sylvain Wiltord slid a 94th-minute equaliser underneath a despairing Francesco Toldo.

With 13 minutes of extra time played, the Italy defence was caught uncharacteristically playing around with possession deep in their own half.   Robert Pires nipped in and danced past two tackles on the left wing before dinking in a cross from close to the byline.   Striker David Trezeguet, who had recently signed for Juventus to become Del Piero’s new team-mate, was to be the man who crashed home to win the match and break Italian hearts.

For many, this was unfairly heralded as a victory of good over evil due to Zoff’s reliance on conservative tactics – ones that had been so successful in getting the Azzurri to the final. 

20 years on, Del Piero himself still says “Losing in the final really hurts, but that’s how life goes, We then played against France [in the final who we’d played] on a number of other competitions, where we had the opportunity to get even. Losing that match certainly hurt."

Del Piero says that the defeat still rankles and remains at a loss to explain how Italy threw the match away.

“I don’t know, even now,” he says. “When you lose matches like that, and the opposition scores the equaliser in the last minute, and then scores the golden goal, it blows your mind. It is really awful, you don’t want to believe it.

"From then on we had to face reality: we came really close to realising a dream, which did not come true. You wake up the day after, and try to be the best because, despite the previous match, you have to think about the future."

The Euros haven't been kind to Italy since then.   They failed to get out of the group stages in 2004, losing out on goal difference to Denmark.  In 2008 they lost on penalties in the Quarter finals to eventual winners Spain and faced the Spanish again in the 2012 final, but lost 4-0 in Kiev.

Italy gained a smidgen of revenge on Spain by eliminating them from the 2016 tournament in the Round of 16, but a quarter final defeat on penalties to Germany sent the Azzuri home early again.

21 years on from the despair in Rotterdam, can Italy finally go one better and be called the Best Team in Europe?  It will be a very tough task but one which always brings the best out of the Azzuri.

Gironimo - Riding the Very Terrible 1914 Tour of Italy by Tim Moore

Tim Moore first came to my attention in 2003 as the author of the excellent French Revolutions, a book that frequently features in many lists of top 10 cycling-related books covering his attempt to cycle the full Tour route in 2000.

This book about the Giro is a highly entertaining account of an unnecessarily difficult journey on an unsuitable bike by an ill-equipped rider – but it is exactly those factors that provide the stories that make the book what it is. It has to be that way to provide the sense of adventure and the extreme fluctuations in fortune, so that we can join him in wondering at the “ludicrous enormity of the task”.

What inspires anyone to undertake such a project you wonder as you start reading his journey beyond the desire to gain enough material to write a book.

The journey involved riding the route of the 1914 edition of the Giro d’Italia, which was chosen because a Google search convinced Tim that it was the hardest ever cycling Grand Tour. The statistics would certainly support that, eighty-one riders started the 1,964-mile race.  A 36-hour rainstorm erupted soon after the start, washing out roads. Eight appalling stages later, the average length of each being roughly the distance from Lake District to London, eight riders crossed the finish line.

The race set records for the longest ever single stage distance and stage time amongst others, but there were plenty of other hardships: road conditions, team rivalries, weather conditions, injuries, and locals putting nails on the road. The cyclist-hating public threw tacks on the road, although cycling fans weren’t much better: They threw vegetables at racers they didn’t like. Riders, meanwhile, rode across Italy on a network of white gravel roads astride rudimentary machines ill-suited to swift mountain descents and without the benefit of today’s understanding of nutrition or technology.

Once the year had been determined, the task was to find an appropriate and authentic old school machine to complete the picture of “old fashioned grit and old-fashioned kit”. The story of Moore acquiring his initial choice of bike makes for great reading, but eventually he does take a slightly easier option and plumps for a more complete Hirondelle No.7 Course sur Route.  However, there are still plenty of opportunities for mechanical mishaps and running repairs.

Tim Moore in period dress

Not content to merely write about it, Moore assembled his period-correct bicycle and rode the route himself, chronicling his beleaguered progress as he chased the ghost of Alfonso Calzolari, the workhorse cyclist who won the 1914 Giro. (And then lived to the age of 95.)  This is not merely about suffering, but about reclaiming the lost pure heart of road racing, the one before energy gels, titanium and coldly efficient pacing of the modern-day peloton.

Those of us made of less stern stuff would have baulked at the prospect of recreating Calzolari’s 1914 victory, but Moore opted to coerce his period Hirondelle into some semblance of life, encouraged by the authenticity of the time.  Resplendent in a wool jersey, wool shorts, ancient leather shoes, white cap and a pair of goggles he set about his task, ready for all the trials and tribulations that would follow.

One such example comes from the cork brake pads that are required for the wooden rims: they don’t really work, and they don’t last long on mountain descents. One solution was to create new brake blocks along the way from the corks of Prosecco bottles. The book is full of little anecdotes like this, repairs ‘on the go’ as Moore had to find innovative ways to keep his bike going and roadworthy.

The bike...before it was built by the author

From the Alps to the Adriatic the pair relive the bike race in all its misery and glory, on an adventure that is by turns bold, beautiful and recklessly incompetent.

Ultras by Tobias Jones

I have just finished reading this comprehensive book which focuses on the Italian Ultra scene and sheds light on the whole Ultra phenomenon.  


Ultras are often compared to punks, Hell’s Angels, hooligans or the South American Barras Bravas but they are a truly Italian entity.

In the late 60s and early 70s, teenage football fans rebelled against Italy’s sedate supporters’ clubs and went to stand, and sing, behind the goal. 

The word “ultra” implies “extreme”, “beyond” or “other”.  At its foundation, the movement was largely far-left, with names inspired by global partisan struggles. Petty criminals and political extremists were drawn to the terraces’ carnival atmosphere and the huge customer base. Most ultra groups are now fascist in inspiration and many have overlapped with organised crime. 

Ultras are comparable to, but different from, British football hooligans. They relish drinking and fighting, but are much more hierarchical and disciplined, with a sober strategic analysis of the group’s sporting, and economic, interests. Despite their reputation, there are ultra groups that are inspiring, charitable and inclusive.

Italy’s ultras are the most organised and violent fans in European football. 

Many groups have evolved into criminal gangs, involved in ticket touting, drug dealing and murder. The book identifies two of the biggest clubs in Italy as being the main players. The Irriducibili (The Die – Hards) of Lazio and The Drughi (taken from the Droogs of A Clockwork Orange) of Juventus.

In August 2019, the death of Fabrizio Piscitelli, the notorious former boss of Lazio’s Irriducibili, ended a 30-year career of thuggery, crime and extremism . He was nicknamed “Diabolik”, after a cartoon thief and assassin.

A man dressed as a jogger – wearing a cap and neck-scarf – ran past the bench and fired a 7.65 calibre pistol into Piscitelli’s left ear. He died almost instantly, sliding off the bench as the murderer ran off. It had all the hallmarks of a professional hit.

The murder brought to a close one of the most incredible careers in the history of Lazio’s ultras. The club’s fanbase has always been very politicised: during Italy’s “years of lead” (its extremist terrorism) in the 1970s, it was very common to see, among the white-and-sky-blue colours of Lazio supporters, many of Benito Mussolini’s symbols. It was an era in which Lazio Ultras became both victims and perpetrators of political assassinations.

The purist ultras, however, say they are insurgents fighting against a police state and modern football.  Only amongst ultras, they say, can you find belonging, community and a sacred concept of sport.  They champion not only their teams, but their forgotten suburbs.

Telling the story through the ultras, Tobias Jones crafts a compelling investigation into Italian society and its favourite sport. He writes about not just the ultras of some of Italy’s biggest clubs – Juventus, Torino, Lazio, Roma and Genoa -  but also about its lesser known ones from Cosenza and Catania.

The main thread throughout the book is the author going in search of a rounded picture, and Jones immersed himself in the world of the Cosenza ultras of Calabria, chiefly because they were a group that had always rejected fascism. The Cosenza ultras, cheerfully named I Nuclei Sconvolti (The Deranged Nuclei) are a riveting read. With nicknames like Drainpipe, Boozy Suzy, Chill and Skinny Monica they are colourfully portrayed.

But all are eclipsed by Padre Fadele, the monk who takes them all under his wing and encourages them to help immigrants and the homeless in soup kitchens.  He even leads the chanting at most home games. 

While the Cosenza ultras continue to dish out soup, the ‘Ndrangheta (Calabrian mafia) controlled Juve ultras, I Gobbi (the hunchbacks) are busy touting tickets received from the club in a blackmailed fuelled deal, threatening ground closing riots and supporters’ strikes if their demands are not met.

In a sinister nod to neo-fascist politics, the Gobbi banner is inscribed with its Bs back to front, so as to resemble 88, fascist code for HH (Heil Hitler).  

Quite a journey of fandom but a riveting read nonetheless.  

An Italian Christmas

Christmas is a major holiday in Italy which means Italians celebrate lots of great, unique Christmas traditions!  Across Italy, Natale tends to be a family-centred holiday, a time to stay at home (and eat!) with loved ones. But customs also vary from city to city, from exactly which dishes are served, to when to open presents, making every region an interesting place to enjoy the holidays.

In other countries, Thanksgiving (or even Halloween!) signals the start of the Christmas season. In Italy, though, Christmas officially kicks off with the Day of the Immaculate Conception of Mary on December 8. This is when decorations go up (both on the streets and inside Italian homes) and when some Christmas markets start.

Decorations and huge Christmas trees can be found in main piazzas, like in front of the Colosseum or in Milan’s Piazza Duomo, and Babbo Natale (Father Christmas, the Italian version of Santa Claus) spreads holiday cheer.

This holiday, which is both religious and state-sanctioned (meaning lots of offices and businesses will be closed on December 8), doesn’t have anything to do with the day of Mary’s conception. Instead, it celebrates the day when the Church decided that Mary was born without having the stain of original sin.

The eight days before Christmas, also known as the Novena, are filled with singing traditional songs around the neighbourhoods.  If you’re in Rome, southern Italy or Sicily, keep an eye out for the zampognari, or bagpipe players—they travel from the nearby mountains to play their merry folklore carols.

Along with the fancy lights, wreaths and trees, presepi (nativity scenes) are displayed in many churches and piazzas. Crafting these ornate works of art by hand remains an artisanal tradition in many parts of the country. In Naples they are world-famous for their hand-made presepi.  

To prepare and purify their bodies for Christmas Day, Italians avoid meat on la Vigilia (Christmas Eve). Although the idea is to eat lean, most indulge on multiple courses of fish.

After the family dinner, many Italians head to midnight Mass at their local church to celebrate. (Some Romans even head to the Vatican for Mass with the Pope!).

But traditions vary from city to city: Up north, in Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Dolomite Mountains, thrill-seekers ski down the slopes with torches at midnight to welcome Christmas.

After the “light” Christmas Eve dinner, on Christmas Day, Italians invite their family and friends for a large lunch that usually goes on all day. Many save up to have the most lavish celebration possible, serving up traditional dishes like pasta in brodo (pasta in broth), roasts and traditional desserts like panettone. 

Celebrations often extend into December 26 with the national holiday of Santo Stefano; families get together and eat leftover Christmas dishes and sweets.

The official end of the Christmas season, though, isn’t until January 6—the Day of the Epiphany, and the twelfth day of Christmas. On the eve of the Epiphany, families usually prepare a large dinner to mark the end of the holiday season; children are given candy or coal (usually made of black sugar), depending on if they were naughty or nice. After January 6, you’ll see Christmas markets close and decorations start to come down.

Gifts are commonly exchanged on Christmas Day after lunch—sometimes with the belief that Jesus has delivered them.  But some smaller, northern Italian cities believe that the blind Saint Lucia brings gifts for children on December 13, so they open them that morning.

 
Other families may wait until January 6. The Epiphany is when la befana—a kind of “good witch” who is believed to have followed the wise men, but got lost—drops off presents. La befana is a particular tradition in Rome and Bologna, where the main piazzas often host fun activities for children; in Venice, locals believe that la befana arrives every year by boat! 

Regardless of when they open their presents, many Italians keep their wrapped gifts on display on the pyramid-shaped ceppo, along with candles and other decorations.

Among the traditions, customs and other rituals typical of Christmas season are:

• The ceppo known as The Tree of Light is a wooden frame with a pyramid shape; it is several feet high and supports many shelves in its several tiers. The cepo has a manger scene and on the shelves above are placed small gifts of fruit, candy and presents. It is also beautifully decorated with pinecones, coloured paper, little candles and pennants. At the top is placed a star or a small doll.

• Urn of Fate:This is a wrapped present for each family member. If you get a present with your name on it, you keep it; otherwise, you try again with other.

• In the Vatican City, the people go to the square at noon on Christmas day to receive the Pope's blessing, he appears at his balcony.

• Another tradition is the burning of the Yule log, which must stay alight until New Year's Day.

The most significant meal of the Christmas Day is the lunch or il pranzo. In the northern Italy dishes such as: 

• lo zampone - the skin of the lower pig leg, including the toe little bones, filled with minced meat and sausages
• il cotechino - pig's foot stuffed with spiced minced meat
• Sausages made of pig's intestines
• Smothered in lentils
• Turkey stuffed with chestnuts
• Lamb is also enjoyed with mashed potato and lentils.

In Rome and the southern Italy the traditional dish of Christmas Eve is "Capitone" a big female eel, roasted, baked or fried. On the table we also can find delicacies such as:

• Tortellini in chicken stock
• Crostini with liver pâté
• l’agnello - lamb accompanied with vegetables, mashed potato and lentils.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   

Desserts such as: 

• torrone - Nougat
• il panettone - the Milanese fruitcake filled with candied fruit
• Gold bread - the traditional cake
• il pandoro - similar to il panettone, only without fruits or raisins
• il panforte - Gingerbread with hazelnuts, honey and almonds

The traditional drinks are:

• Vin brule - mulled wine
• Bombardino - Italian version of eggnog
• Punch of rum, mandarin and orange flavours
  
  Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo

Italy and the Rugby League World Cup 2017

2017 will mark the second time that the Azzurri have qualified for the Rugby League World Cup.

Great strides were made in their first appearance in the World Cup in 2013, and hopes are high that they can at least reach the Quarter finals this time around.

In 2013, Italy were drawn in Pool C alongside Scotland, Tonga and co-hosts Wales.  Their tournament began with an upset victory over Wales at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.  In their second match, they took on Scotland. The match turned out to be a thriller and it was tight with the game ending in a high scoring draw.

All Italy had to do then was win their last group match against Tonga after Scotland won their match and finished with the same points. Tonga had nothing but pride to play for after their hopes of qualification had vanished but they shocked the Azzurri by keeping them scoreless and eliminating Italy from the World Cup.

Wounds were licked and Italy dusted themselves down to begin qualification for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.  The first stage of qualifying involved having to finish in the top 3 in their 2014–15 European Shield competition.  Italy only managed to secure qualification for the 'final qualification tournament' after winning their second to last game against bottom placed Ukraine.  Italy finished the Shield in third place with 3 wins and 3 defeats in six matches.

The final qualification tournament consisted of 6 teams - the top three teams from the European B tournament, the winners of the European C tournament and seeded nations Wales and Ireland. The winners of each group qualified for the World Cup, while the runners-up faced each other in a play-off match to determine the final spot.   So it all came down to a Play Off v Russia for a place on the plane to Oz.  Italy demolished Russia 76-0 to seal qualification

Now ranked 14^th in the world and heading into the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, a strong squad has been selected, below are a few names who will be an integral part of the Italian squad.

Terry Campese: Former Canberra Raiders and Hull KR half, Terry Campese, played a pivotal role in the Azzurri qualifying for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup after impressive performances against Serbia and Russia. Returning to Australia in 2017, Campese is almost certain to feature and will provide some much needed direction around the halves.

James Tedesco: Tedesco was only 20 when he made his international debut in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, and whilst in that tournament he was pushed into the centres by captain Anthony Minichiello, Tedesco is almost guaranteed to be starting fullback for the Italians in the 2017 event.

Paul Vaughan: The former Canberra Raiders forward will bring some much welcomed grunt to the Italian forward pack, with the prop forward certain to build on his impressive performances for the Italians in 2013.

Joel Riethmuller: Seven Test veteran, Joel Riethmuller will not only bring a wealth of experience to the Italians at World Cup 2017, but the former North Queensland Cowboy and current Northern Pride player will bring some much welcomed knowledge and experience to the squad.

Mark Minichiello: The younger brother of Anthony, and Italy captain. Mark has had a hugely successful career and, for the past couple of seasons, has plied his trade in the English Super League with Hull FC.

Former player, and member of the 2013 squad, Cameron Ciraldo is the coach of Italy and is assisted by ex Australia and Azzurri full back Anthony Minichiello.  Minichiello was also involved in the last World Cup as a player and his experience in the game is invaluable.

Ciraldo (l) & Minichiello

Ciraldo said of Minichiello, who played 302 matches for Sydney Roosters and captained the club to Premiership success in 2013. “To be honest I don’t think we would be in this position if it wasn’t for Anthony,” 

“It was through him pledging his allegiance for the last World Cup qualifiers five or six years ago that we started to build a team and some sponsors, so I am incredibly grateful that he has decided to join the coaching staff.”

Minichiello said the opportunity to represent the country from where his father had emigrated to Australia at the age of 13 in a Rugby League World Cup was among the highlights of his illustrious career.

“It was a really proud moment. The joy of my family to represent their heritage and play with my brother again was something I will never forget,” he said.

“All the players had photos in the dressing room of their grandparents or parents and it created a really good feeling amongst the boys. There wasn’t any pressure on us to win the World Cup but we had a really good group of players and it was fun.”

Ciraldo’s grandmother was born in Calabria and his grandfather came from Sicily.

“They came out here for an opportunity and worked their arses off to create a better life for their family, so when I think about the sacrifices they made I get pretty emotional and I am just really proud to represent them,” he said.

Despite a long history in international Rugby League, Italy will face three relatively unknown opponents when they make their way to Australia for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.

Fiji, Ireland and USA are in their group this year and only the USA Hawks have played Italy before.  The last encounter between the two nations being at the 2000 Emerging Nations World Cup in England. On that day, Italy ran out 40 – 16 victors over the USA team at The Shay in Halifax.

With each of their opponents set to boast plenty of NRL and Super League experience, the Italians will have a difficult task ahead of them if they are to progress from the World Cup group stages for the first time.

Forza Azzurri!!

S.P.A.L. on the march

 

I wrote an article last year about the possibility of Crotone getting promoted to Serie A, which they did, and the trend of ‘unfashionable’ clubs earning the right to play against the big boys. Well, it looks like it may happen again this season as one team are currently in the automatic promotion places in Serie B as we approach the business end once again.

S.P.A.L. 2013, better known as Società Polisportiva Ars et Labor (or simply SPAL) are based in Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna. They have played there home matches since 1928 at Stadio Paolo Mazza, named after Paolo Mazza (chairman of the club from 1946 to 1977).

The club was founded in 1907 as Circolo Ars et Labor by the Salesian priest Pietro Acerbis, then was renamed in 1913 as Società Polisportiva Ars et Labor.

They are the club that gave legendary Italian coach Fabio Capello his first taste of professional football at the tender age of 18 during a halcyon period when the club had a regular place in the top flight of Italian football. Under the stewardship of President Paolo Mazza, the Biancazzurri finished fifth in Serie A in the 1959-60 season and contested the Italian cup final in 1962 narrowly losing 2-1 to Napoli, having crushed Juventus 4-1 in the semi-final.

Former players reads like a who’s who of Italian football - Edy Reja, Carlo Mazzone, Osvaldo Bagnoli, Armando Picchi, Ottavio Bianchi and Luigi Del Neri have all plyed their trade with the Biancazzurri.

Reja and Capello were an intrinsic part of the team’s midfield during the mid sixties and both were later honoured for their achievements at the club’s centenary celebrations in 2007.  Bianchi was the man who brought Maradona to Napoli and centre-half Carlo Mazzone coached Ascoli, Roma and Brescia.  Osvaldo Bagnoli on the other hand, will forever be remembered as the tactician who masterminded the glorious 1985 scudetto winning team from Verona , the last time a provincial side got their hands on Italian football’s biggest prize.
 

Stadio Paolo Mazza

 

 

But as the 1970’s began, SPAL’s fortunes took a turn for the worse and the club suffered successive relegations to find itself cut adrift in the barren wastelands of Serie C.  Towards the end of the decade and Mazza’s reign at the helm, SPAL managed to claw back up to Serie B but by the start of the eighties it had returned to the lower reaches where it has stayed ever since, apart from an all too brief return to Serie B in 1992. By now financial mismanagement was starting to catch up with the club from Ferrara and in 2005 it was declared bankrupt.

The saviour came in the shape of businessman Gianfranco Tomasi and the club was renamed SPAL1907. By the time of their centenary in 2007, the club’s very existence was again in jeopardy and as former players returned to Ferrara to mark the special occasion, it served as a harsh reminder to their loyal followers of just how much the club had given to the game in Italy and just how bad things had become.

In the summer of 2012, after suffering a second bankruptcy, the club was refounded for the third time as Società Sportiva Dilettantistica Real S.P.A.L. and would begin life in Serie D.

In July 2013, SPAL merged with the other local club in Ferrara, Giacomense, owned by the Colombarini family.

The new team, born from the merger, was named S.P.A.L 2013, with the Colombarini’s transferring the structure of Giacomense to SPAL with Walter Mattioli stepping in as the new club president.

Under the new management, the Biancazurri quickly found their feet and, with two promotions in three seasons, they restored the football pride in the city of Ferrara as new ambitions arise with fans already dreaming big.

Coach Leonardo Semplici enjoys an attacking brand of football and, along with President Mattioli, has stated that the club’s strategy doesn’t involve big spending, but rather developing certain ideas and programs to make a competitive team with a humble identity that relies on, above all, teamwork.

Promotion from Lego Pro was secured last season and the club’s first campaign in Serie B for over 25 years was meant to be one of consolidation.  Little did they know that, with goals from ex Leeds man Mirco Antenucci, Milan loanee Gianmarco Zigoni and veteran ex Lazio man Sergio Floccari then the dream may well become a reality.