Superga - A National Tragedy.

Wednesday May 4 1949.  A date unfamiliar to many football fans outside of Italy.  A day that changed the course of Italian football forever and had a monumental effect on one team in particular.  A team who, over 60 years on, have never really recovered.

On that fateful day, the Superga Air Disaster occurred.   A plane, carrying the all-conquering Torino team of the 1940’s (famously known as Il Grande Torino) crashed into Superga Hill near Turin, killing 31 people on board, including all 18 players.  The squad were returning home following a friendly match in Lisbon.

Wreckage of the plane.  Image courtesy of attualissimo.it

The Fiat G-212CP plane was heading into a thunderstorm in Turin, and encountered low cloud and poor visibility.  In the area around Superga Hill, visibility was down to just 40m.  The pilot was then forced to descend to be able to fly ‘visually’.  It was during that descent that the aircraft crashed against the base of the rear wall of the Basilica, which stands at the top of Superga.  The causes of the crash were recorded as low clouds, poor radio aids and an error in navigation by a vastly experienced pilot, Pierluigi Meroni.

The task of identfiying the victims fell to ex-national team manager, Vittorio Pozzo.  Many of the bodies had been burnt beyond recognition.  Some could only be identified from documents found in their pockets or by rings on their fingers.  Pozzo was now a journalist for La Stampa, the Turin based daily newspaper.  That evening he wrote "The Torino team is no more.  It has disappeared, it is burnt, it has exploded..."  He ended by saying "...the team died in action, like a group of shock troops in the war, who left their trenches and never came back".

The emotional impact of the crash on Italian sports fans was profound.  The team was the vision of club President Ferruccio Novo.  The side he had created were the darlings of Italy.  With the majority of the team aged just 30 or under, this was a team set to dominate.  Il Grande Torino had won four consecutive league titles (1946-1949) and had virtually clinched a fifth title when the disaster occurred.  Torino played out their four remaining fixtures, shortly after the disaster, consisting mainly of youth team players.  As a mark of respect, their opponents did the same.  Torino were awarded the championship title.

The team holds the record of most consecutive league titles jointly with Juventus at five.  Torino scored 483 goals in five seasons between 1945 and 1949, conceding only 165.  Their captain was Valentino Mazzola, simply known as Captain Valentino.  He captained the team to all five championships and was an inspirational leader.  The oldest player to perish in the disaster was centre-forward Giuseppe Gabetto (33), the youngest was midfielder, Rubens Fadini, aged just 21.  There was some initial confusion after the crash as it was reported that Mazzola did not make the trip.  It was thought that he had remained at home, due to a fever.  Sadly, these reports turned out to be false.

Two days after the crash 500,000 people attended the funeral procession in Turin.  The streets were packed with mourners and the event was transmitted live on national radio.  Coffins were transported through the streets on huge lorries, each bearing the name of the deceased.  That same day over 30,000 people climbed Superga Hill to pay their respects and leave flowers.  On the front wall of the Basilica a plaque commemorates those who died.  Superga remains to this day a site of annual pilgrimage.

Funeral procession in Turin.  Image courtesy of cdn.worldcupblog.org

 This team was truly remarkable.  With the advent of the European Cup in 1955, Torino would have had the chance to become the most successful club side in the world.  They never got that chance and it was Real Madrid who took up their mantle and dominated Europe.

The disaster left the Italian national team (known as the Azzuri) in tatters.  Torino provided 10 players for the Azzuri, who at that time were the current World Cup holders after winning the 1938 World Cup (their second title in a row).  In the five World Cup tournaments that lay ahead, they could only manage the first round in four, they didn't even qualify in 1958!  It wasn't until the 1970 World Cup that they made it past the first round.  Superga's effect lasted longer than many would have imagined.

And what of Torino?  Well, they slowly rebuilt the team but have since been overshadowed by city rivals Juventus.   Since Superga, Juve (backed by the wealthy FIAT empire) have won the league 22 times to Torino's one (a lone Scudetto in 1976).  The balance of power in Turin shows no sign of shifting any time soon.

Wednesday May 4 1949.  A date I will never forget having recently read John Foot’s brilliant book Calcio, a history of Italian football.  Read it.

The plaque at Superga.  Image courtesy of fiveinmidfield.com

I Campioni d'Italia: 'The Champions of Italy'

Valerio Bacigalupo (25)  Goalkeeper

Aldo Ballarin (27)  Full-back

Dino Ballarin (23)  Goalkeeper

Emile Bongiorni (27)  Wing-back

Eusebio Castigliano (27) Midfield

Rubens Fadini (21)  Midfield

Gugliemo Gabetto (33)  Centre-forward

Ruggero Grava (27)  Centre-forward

Giuseppe Grezar (30)  Midfield

Ezio Loik (29)  Wing-back

Virgilio Maroso (23)  Full-back

Danilo Martelli (25)  Midfield

Valentino Mazzola (30) Wing-back

Romeo Menti (30)  Winger

Pierino Operto (22)  Full-back

Franco Ossola (27)  Winger

Mario Rigamonti (26)  Defender

Julius Schubert (26)  Wing-half

R.I.P.

Torino Football Club

In Memory

of its comrades

- the glory of Italian sport -

and those who died with them

in a tragic air disaster

4 May 1949

Milan leave it late….

With the Scudetto and the relegation places already taken care of, the final weekend of the Serie A season saw the race for the much coveted final Champions League spot

It was a straight fight between AC Milan and Fiorentina.  Milan were away at relegated Siena, whilst Fiorentina also faced relegated opposition in Pescara. 

Milan came out victorious in dramatic fashion to pip Il Viola to third place.  With five minutes left, Milan were trailing Siena 1-0 until Mario Balotelli and Phillipe Mexes scored to send I Rossoneri into dreamland.

Balotelli against Siena.  Image courtesy of www.dailymail.co.uk

The Milan result was very harsh on Fiorentina who did everything they could by beating Pescara 5-1 with a hat-trick from Adem Ljajic and goals from Matias Fernandez and Arsenal target, Stevan Jovetic competing the rout.

In Serie B the final weekend was just as exciting and frantic as three teams all had a chance of promotion, and also the league title.  Sassuolo, Hellas Verona and Livorno went into the final games with Serie A the carrot dangling in front of their noses.

It all went down to literally the last kick of the season as Sassuolo scored a 95^th minute winner against Livorno to earn promotion, and also clinch the league.  They ended game with nine men in a nailbiting end to the season.  Verona will join them in Serie A after drawing 0-0 at home to Empoli, in front of 40,000 fans at Stadio Bentigodi.

Sassuolo promoted.  Image courtesy of www.sbnation.com

So that brings the 2012/13 Serie A season to a close.  In the end the usual suspects finished where many predicted they would.  Next season will see new faces in charge of some of the top clubs.  Napoli are after a new manager as Walter Mazzari has stepped down.  His likely destination is Inter, who are looking to sack Andrea Stramaccioni and Milan are, according to Silvio Berlusconi at least, looking to replace Massimiliano Allegri.  A busy summer awaits, and I will keep you upto date with all the comings and goings right here.

ROLL OF HONOUR – SERIE A

CHAMPIONS

Juventus

RUNNERS UP

Napoli

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Juventus, Napoli, Milan

EUROPA LEAGUE

Fiorentina, Udinese, Roma/Lazio (Winners of Coppa Italia)

RELEGATED

Palermo, Siena, Pescara

SERIE B 

PROMOTED

Sassuolo, Hellas Verona

PLAY OFF FOR PROMOTION

Livorno, Empoli, Novara, Brescia (Play off winners promoted to Serie A)

RELEGATED

Vicenza, Ascoli, Pro Vercelli, Grosseto

Down to the wire...

Juve have one hand on a 29th Scudetto after a late victory in the Derby della Mole against Torino.  Goals from Arturo Vidal and Claudio Marchisio sealed the points but Napoli’s victory over doomed Pescara meant Juve will have to wait until this week’s game at home to Palermo to be crowned champions.

Action from Derby della Mole.  Picture courtesy of www.football-italia.net

In prolonging Juve’s wait for the title, Napoli also virtually secured second place in Serie A.  Seven points clear of Milan should be enough to secure the runners up place.

The race for the final Champions League place is hotting up as Milan and Fiorentina battle it out.  Just one point separates these two but Il Viola may well sneak into third as, on paper at least, they have an easier run-in with games against the teams at the bottom, including the Tuscan derby with Siena.

One of the Europa League places will be taken by one of the teams mentioned above, but the final spot is a battle between four teams.  Separated by only three points Roma, Udinese, Inter and Lazio are all in contention.  Inter v Udinese on the final day will not be for the faint hearted.

At the bottom Pescara are adrift and will be relegated if they lose away at fellow strugglers Genoa.  The other two places will go down to the wire as Siena, Genoa and Palermo are all within two points of each other.  Palermo and Genoa both earned vital wins last week with victories over Inter and Chievo respectively.  Siena were thumped 4-0 by Roma.  This will be too close to call.

Marco Borriello, Genoa  Picture courtesy of www.tempi.it

The race to replace these teams is just as close.  Sassuolo are three games away from the promised land, with Livorno looking likely to join them.  Verona have a lot to do to snatch automatic promotion and may have to try their luck through the play offs.

Who said Italian football was dull?

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Italia '90

Everyone loves Italian football right?  Everyone loves the stadia and the ‘ultras’?  Everyone has an ‘Italian’ team?

For me, my love of Italy and Italian football started with Italia 1990. I was 13 in 1990 and didn’t know much about football outside of what I saw on Grandstand every week. The English leagues were all I knew.

I remember settling down at home to watch Argentina v Cameroon in the opening game.  Almost 80,000 people, supporters of local and national football teams worldwide, had come together to witness this 'David and Goliath' battle.  Naturally, the colour and vibrancy stood out straight away.  I had never seen anything like the San Siro before. The stadium resembled something from a science fiction movie. Other grounds stood out as the tournament progressed, like Stadio Olimpico and Luigi Ferraris with its ‘towers’ in each corner.  

My love for football had arrived.  I was hooked.  I set up camp in my room for every England game, cheering them on in the early stages.  Gazza mania hadn’t taken off and Gazza was just a talented footballer with the world stage at his feet.  Republic of Ireland were still classed as the nation's 'second team' at that point too, no doubt due to the fact that their team consisted mainly of English born players.

The tournament progressed and little side stories unfolded it seemed with each game.  At the wrong side of 35, Roger Milla was scoring for fun for Cameroon.  Salvatore Schillaci was the star of the Azzuri, his six goals earning him the Golden Boot. Schillaci was plucked from pre tournament obscurity and became a national hero.  Even England, finishing top in their group, had qualified for the knock out stages!

Belgium were next.  A dour game was won by a wonderstrike in extra time from David Platt.  The nation expected.  Cameroon stood between England and a semi final spot.  Easy...or so everyone thought!  That 'little fella’ Milla nearly spoiled the party but Lineker held his nerve from the spot.

Amazingly, and against the odds, England had booked One night in Turin against West Germany. This was turning into a memorable World Cup for me.  What a tournament.

We all know how the semi final turned out but I had discovered something else which is still with me to this day….Calcio.  Italian football was all the rage.  They had the best players in the world at that time.  Gullit, Van Basten,  Maradona.  In 1992 Gazza signed for Lazio and Serie A was on my TV every week.

Fiorentina are my Italian team, thanks to a weekly subscription to a 'fantasy football league' in the early 90s.  Before the days of Baddiel and Skinner and The Daily Telegraph, the only way to play fantasy football was the old fashioned way.  These leagues were advertised in the back of football magazines and subscription involved posting a cheque every week in return for a print out of your results.  My team was Il Viola.

I spent two amazing weeks in Tuscany on my honeymoon and I managed to visit the grounds of Siena and Fiorentina whilst we were there (don't worry, I had permission!). For years I had seen these fantastic grounds on television, mostly via Channel 4 in the early days and more recently on ESPN.  I am still waiting for the day that I experience calcio first hand.  The Rome Derby maybe, or the Derby d'Italia (Inter v Juventus).  The ultimate would be to watch a Wigan Athletic team play in Italy in European competition. Having reached the group stages of the Europa League in the 2013/2014 season, the draw wasn't as romantic as I had hoped and the dream remains on hold for another year.

 #Credere  (#Believe)

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Welcome to my Italy. It is all about Calcio...

Hello all.  Welcome to the first post of 'In Search of Luca'.  A blog on all things related to Italy, whether it is Italian football (calcio), culture or food.

Italy has always been a favourite place of mine.  From the first game of Italia 90 to my honeymoon in Tuscany in 2004. It is a country I have an incredible passion for.  So much so, Italy inspired my choice for the name of our 3rd son (seems I was the only one!) . If I'd had my way, he would called Luca.

I have been looking to write for a while now but it's difficult focusing on just one aspect of Italy.  It's hard not to lose focus, there's so much that is amazing about this country.  So, after a long debate (mostly with myself!), I have decided that I should focus on my first experience of Italy, football...Calcio to be specific.  But then, I couldn't write about Italy without also mentioning the food and culture could I? 

I will be writing about the goings on in Serie A. The games, the incidents and the 'Ultras'.  Serie B will get a look in as well. I aim to capture the essence of Italian football right here and share it with a wider audience.  If you share my love of Italian football, then there should be plenty here to keep you occupied.  If you're new to calcio, then I hope this will whet your appetite!

So, thanks for reading this and I hope you will check in regularly to find out more.

Ciao for now...

Ian