Latest news with #ItalianFootball
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The downfall of Brescia & potential rebirth in Serie C
They were founder members of Serie A and once boasted some of Italian football's most famous names, but now Brescia have been wiped out of existence after a financial crisis. How did such a historic club fall so far, so quickly? And what happens next? Advertisement BBC Sport examines the Lombardy team's demise and possible immediate revival. The highs of Baggio, Guardiola & Pirlo Roberto Baggio and Pep Guardiola represented the club in Serie A [Getty Images] Brescia were founded in 1911, when professional football in Italy was in its early stages, and earned promotion to the top flight two years later. When Serie A was formed in 1929 to implement a stronger two-tier structure throughout the country, they were among the 18 clubs included. A solid 10th-placed finish in that debut campaign was an early sign of the relative anonymity to follow. The industrial town of Brescia, population 200,000, has always been in the shadows of regional powerhouse Milan, 50 miles to the west, and the same was true on the football field. Advertisement So, for the next nine decades Brescia were remarkably unremarkable: a mid-size provincial club plodding along between relegations and promotions, never winning anything but always on the scene, with no major trophies and their sole 'achievement' was holding Italian football's longest unbroken spell in Serie B (1947 to 1965). An exceptional burst into the spotlight came at the turn of the century, when divinely pony-tailed genius Roberto Baggio - one of Italy's greatest players - ended his injury-hit career with a successful four-season spell at Brescia. The flamboyant forward was briefly joined by another iconic veteran, Spain's Pep Guardiola, along with rising midfield star Andrea Pirlo, who was born locally and came through the club's youth system to launch his legendary career. Inspired by Baggio, Brescia flourished. Finishing eighth in 2001 was the club's best season and led to a spot in that summer's Uefa Intertoto Cup, a now-defunct tournament for Europe's mid-ranking teams. Advertisement Stepping onto the continental stage for the first time, Baggio's penalty was not enough to avoid defeat by Paris St-Germain on away goals in one of three finals - the other two 'champions' were Aston Villa and Troyes…yes, three champions…it was a strange tournament. Baggio retired in 2004, Brescia were relegated a year later, and that was that: the club's brief flirtation with the elite was finished and the previous routine of relegation-promotion-relegation was resumed. Until now. Points deduction, relegation & Sampdoria's gain Massimo Cellino purchased Brescia in 2017 [Getty Images] In the summer of 2017, the club was taken over by businessman Massimo Cellino. Advertisement His first football club ownership was Sardinian club Cagliari, where he earned the nickname 'Manager Eater' after hiring and firing 36 coaches in 22 years. Cellino then turned his attention to English football, taking over at Leeds United in 2014. But, a controversial and divisive figure, he sold up in 2017 after being banned by the Football Association for 12 months for breaching the rules on football agents. Instead he purchased Brescia, who had spent the past six years in Serie B. A promotion and immediate relegation quickly followed, as well as 24 coaching changes in eight years, with 13 of the incumbents lasting fewer than 100 days in charge. Advertisement Then, in May, it was revealed an investigation into financial irregularities at the club had been taking place, including missed payments to players, staff and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). It led to a four-point deduction, sending Brescia - who had finished 15th - into the relegation zone and handing a reprieve to Sampdoria, who survived via a relegation play-off that was abandoned in the second leg because of crowd trouble. On Thursday, the FIGC formally upheld its decision on Brescia, banning Cellino - as well as his son, and board member, Edoardo - for six months and revoking the club's licence to operate at professional level. Brescia had effectively been wiped out of business, apparently left with the only option of reforming the club in the amateur, regionalised Serie D. Advertisement But that is not where the story ends. Feralpi to the rescue? Even before Brescia's fate was formally announced last week, hopes had been building that resurrection was already around the corner. The town is home to Feralpi, a leading steel manufacturer, whose president Giuseppe Pasini has been working with town mayor Laura Castelletti and another local company, A2A, to ensure professional football continues. They are planning to form effectively a 'new' club, operating as a separate legal entity from the old Brescia that was banished last week by the FIGC, and similar to the process that revived another Italian club, Vicenza, in 2018. Advertisement The deadline to complete all the paperwork and register for next season's Serie C is 15 July, so time is tight. The old club's Rigamonti Stadium is owned by the town council, but they signed a lease until 2028 with Cellino, who insisted that contract remains in place and has reportedly failed to return the keys. But the council countered that by saying missed payments and the club's disqualification by the FIGC invalidates the terms of the lease, and on Saturday locksmiths were sent in to reclaim the site. At the moment, things look on track for Feralpi's takeover. It will be a new club, playing in Serie C, but for fans of Brescia that's far better than the alternative - nothing.
BBC News
06-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
The downfall of Brescia & potential rebirth in Serie C
They were founder members of Serie A and once boasted some of Italian football's most famous names, but now Brescia have been wiped out of existence after a financial did such a historic club fall so far, so quickly? And what happens next?BBC Sport examines the Lombardy team's demise and possible immediate revival. The highs of Baggio, Guardiola & Pirlo Brescia were founded in 1911, when professional football in Italy was in its early stages, and earned promotion to the top flight two years Serie A was formed in 1929 to implement a stronger two-tier structure throughout the country, they were among the 18 clubs included.A solid 10th-placed finish in that debut campaign was an early sign of the relative anonymity to follow. The industrial town of Brescia, population 200,000, has always been in the shadows of regional powerhouse Milan, 50 miles to the west, and the same was true on the football for the next nine decades Brescia were remarkably unremarkable: a mid-size provincial club plodding along between relegations and promotions, never winning anything but always on the scene, with no major trophies and their sole 'achievement' was holding Italian football's longest unbroken spell in Serie B (1947 to 1965).An exceptional burst into the spotlight came at the turn of the century, when divinely pony-tailed genius Roberto Baggio - one of Italy's greatest players - ended his injury-hit career with a successful four-season spell at flamboyant forward was briefly joined by another iconic veteran, Spain's Pep Guardiola, along with rising midfield star Andrea Pirlo, who was born locally and came through the club's youth system to launch his legendary by Baggio, Brescia flourished. Finishing eighth in 2001 was the club's best season and led to a spot in that summer's Uefa Intertoto Cup, a now-defunct tournament for Europe's mid-ranking onto the continental stage for the first time, Baggio's penalty was not enough to avoid defeat by Paris St-Germain on away goals in one of three finals - the other two 'champions' were Aston Villa and Troyes…yes, three champions…it was a strange retired in 2004, Brescia were relegated a year later, and that was that: the club's brief flirtation with the elite was finished and the previous routine of relegation-promotion-relegation was now. Points deduction, relegation & Sampdoria's gain In the summer of 2017, the club was taken over by businessman Massimo first football club ownership was Sardinian club Cagliari, where he earned the nickname 'Manager Eater' after hiring and firing 36 coaches in 22 then turned his attention to English football, taking over at Leeds United in 2014. But, a controversial and divisive figure, he sold up in 2017 after being banned by the Football Association for 12 months for breaching the rules on football he purchased Brescia, who had spent the past six years in Serie B.A promotion and immediate relegation quickly followed, as well as 24 coaching changes in eight years, with 13 of the incumbents lasting fewer than 100 days in in May, it was revealed an investigation into financial irregularities at the club had been taking place, including missed payments to players, staff and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).It led to a four-point deduction, sending Brescia - who had finished 15th - into the relegation zone and handing a reprieve to Sampdoria, who survived via a relegation play-off that was abandoned in the second leg because of crowd Thursday, the FIGC formally upheld its decision on Brescia, banning Cellino - as well as his son, and board member, Edoardo - for six months and revoking the club's licence to operate at professional had effectively been wiped out of business, apparently left with the only option of reforming the club in the amateur, regionalised Serie that is not where the story ends. Feralpi to the rescue? Even before Brescia's fate was formally announced last week, hopes had been building that resurrection was already around the town is home to Feralpi, a leading steel manufacturer, whose president Giuseppe Pasini has been working with town mayor Laura Castelletti and another local company, A2A, to ensure professional football are planning to form effectively a 'new' club, operating as a separate legal entity from the old Brescia that was banished last week by the FIGC, and similar to the process that revived another Italian club, Vicenza, in deadline to complete all the paperwork and register for next season's Serie C is 15 July, so time is old club's Rigamonti Stadium is owned by the town council, but they signed a lease until 2028 with Cellino, who insisted that contract remains in place and has reportedly failed to return, external the the council countered that by saying missed payments and the club's disqualification by the FIGC invalidates the terms of the lease, and on Saturday locksmiths were sent in to reclaim the the moment, things look on track for Feralpi's will be a new club, playing in Serie C, but for fans of Brescia that's far better than the alternative - nothing.
Forbes
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Roberto Baggio: Why The 1994 World Cup Star Returned To The U.S.
When it came to sports in the nineties, Michael Jordan ruled basketball, Pete Sampras was the master of the tennis court, and billions worshipped soccer playmaker Roberto Baggio. This week, Baggio, a multiple Serie A champion and Ballon d'Or winner, finally stepped foot back onto American soil nearly three decades after he led Italy to the 1994 World Cup final in California, this time as an official ambassador for Lega Serie A. Luigi Riva and Roberto Baggio #10 of Italy during the FIFA World Cup 1994, United States. (Photo by ... More) The former Juventus, Fiorentina, and AC Milan playmaker began his visit to New York at Serie A's Manhattan office, where calcio aficionados and commercial partners celebrated him for his outstanding 21-year career, which included World Cup appearances at Italia '90, USA '94, and France '98. 'It was truly special to feel the passion for calcio here in New York,' Baggio told guests. 'To return to the U.S. after so many years and see how much love there is for Italian football is quite moving. I want to thank Lega Serie A for bringing me here and for the important work they're doing to grow the game and reconnect fans abroad with our footballing culture.' The following day, Baggio, a devout Buddhist known for his humility and gratitude, took the time to visit the Bronx for a community event with Street Soccer USA, a nonprofit organisation that makes social change. The 58-year-old spent the day with underprivileged children, sharing anecdotes and promoting equity through sport. 'Watching these kids play with joy and freedom reminded me of why I fell in love with the game in the first place,' Baggio said. 'Street Soccer USA is clearly doing incredible work, and I'm honored to be part of this experience. Initiatives like this, supported by Lega Serie A, show how soccer can truly make a difference in people's lives.' Renowned for his dribbling, finishing ability, and free-kick taking, Baggio is widely regarded as Italy's best-ever player, having scored 27 times for the national team, with 205 Serie A goals to his name all attained during the golden era of European soccer. For his efforts, the Caldogno-born attacker later became the first-ever inductee into the Italian Football Hall of Fame in 2011, beating the likes of Paolo Maldini (2013) and Franco Baresi (2013). Lawrence Cann, Founder and CEO of Street Soccer USA, was thrilled to welcome the Divine Ponytail back to New York. 'Having Roberto Baggio join us in the Bronx was a once-in-a-lifetime moment for the kids in our community," said Cann. 'To see a global legend not just show up, but truly engage—that's what Street Soccer USA is all about: connection, opportunity, and the belief that every young person deserves a shot, on and off the field.' If soccer were categorized into decades, Johan Cruyff would have ruled the 1970s, Diego Maradona the 1980s, and Baggio the 1990s. During the 1994 World Cup, Baggio netted five times during the knockout stages to propel Italy into the Final against Brazil in Pasadena. Despite missing his spot kick in the penalty shootout (and dubbed The Man Who Died Standing for doing so), the overwhelming majority of fans accepted he was the best player of the tournament ahead of Romario. Indeed, Baggio is still widely regarded as your favourite soccer player's favourite soccer player. Accordingly, Inter Miami's Lionel Messi was thrilled to be pictured next to one of his childhood heroes recently at the FIFA World Club reigning World Cup champion remarked on Instagram following the meeting with Baggio, 'What a wonderful visit! Thank you, Roberto, for this special and meaningful gift and for the wonderful conversation we shared. You're a star and a historic football legend. It will always be a pleasure to welcome you whenever you want to come and see us!' In 1990, Baggio's transfer from Fiorentina to Juventus set a world record transfer fee of $11M (£8M). Who's to say what Baggio's market value would have peaked at had he played nowadays? Undoubtedly, somewhere close to Messi's 2017-18 of $211M valuation. Big money was never the driving force behind Baggio signing for perennial strugglers Bologna in 1997 - a move which yielded 22 goals and Italian national team selection for France '98 - and his decision to join Brescia in 2000, the club he single-handedly kept in Serie A for four consecutive seasons. Baggio The Magnificent Philanthropy was always one of the Baggio tenets. In 2010, the United Nations acknowledged him for his fundraising efforts for the Haiti earthquake, the same year he was awarded the Man of Peace title by the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates for his contributions to social peace and justice. Fifteen years on, Baggio is again prepared to exploit his legendary status for good, uniting fans in the land that was as cruel as it was kind to him 29 years ago. 'We're proud to work with Serie A USA to create moments like this.' Lega Serie A's North American community outreach program, 'Serie A Calcio in the Community', partners with nonprofit organizations like Street Soccer USA, which operates in more than 20 cities across the U.S., using soccer-based programming to tackle issues of homelessness, social isolation, and lack of access to opportunity.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Marchisio slams ‘truly alarming' Italian youth development
Former Juventus and Italy midfielder Claudio Marchisio has criticised the 'truly alarming' lack of development of young Italian players by Serie A clubs – stating the need to implement rules to help prevent an over-reliance on foreign youngsters. Speaking in an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, via TMW, Marchisio said 'I now run an agency as a football agent and the data we have on the use of Italian players is truly alarming. Two or three years ago the Primavera was won by a team that didn't have a single Italian player on the pitch. And only 2% of those non-european youngsters went on to play professionally. Juventus former football player Claudio Marchisio takes part in the 'Together, a Black & White Show' event, the first Juventus party dedicated to all its fans, at the Pala Alpitour in Turin, on October 10, 2023. (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP) (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images) 'The rules state that foreign players can arrive after the under-16 level. From that point onwards, you see very few Italian or even European players in the youth teams.' Advertisement Marchisio wants new rules to allow young Italians to flourish Marchisio also provided a recommendation as to how he would protect the interests of Italian youth players, as well as preventing the exploitation of youngsters from poorer countries: 'There's also a significant economic exploitation of teenagers from the poorer parts of the world. 'What could be done? There should be a rule that youth teams can only field a maximum of three non-European players – rising to possibly six or eight in Senior teams.' BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 14: Gennaro Gattuso, Head Coach of Marseille, looks on prior to the UEFA Europa League match between Brighton & Hove Albion v Olympique de Marseille at American Express Community Stadium on December 14, 2023 in Brighton, England. (Photo by) He also criticised the globalisation of the sport and how the desire to buy and sell has damaged the beauty of it: 'Rino Gattuso said in his presentation that the percentage of Italian players [in Serie A] is just over 35%. There are Serie A teams that play without a single player trained in our country. Buying and selling has become the norm, like everything else in a globalised society – but the beauty of sport lies in developing talent.' Advertisement Marchisio was a part of one of Italian football's golden generations, playing alongside the likes of Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Pirlo in the team that finished as runners-up in Euro 2012. He was also a key player for Juventus as the Bianconeri lifted seven consecutive Scudetti between 2011-12 and 2017-18.
Globe and Mail
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Globe and Mail
Canadian striker Jonathan David inks five-year deal with Juventus
Canada forward Jonathan David signed a five-year contract with Juventus on Friday. After his five-year contract at Lille expired, David joined the record 36-time Italian champion on a free transfer, with the lack of an acquisition cost serving to up his salary. The deal is worth six million euros (C$9.61 million) per season, with up to two million euros (C$3.8 million) in bonuses, the Gazzetta dello Sport reported. It's the first big market move by new Juventus general manager Damien Comolli, who confirmed last month that Igor Tudor will stay on as coach. Juventus needs firepower up front, with Dusan Vlahovic having fallen out of favour and likely to leave the club. The 25-year-old David scored 25 goals and provided 12 assists in 49 matches across all competitions for Lille last season. David is also Canada's all-time leading men's scorer with 36 goals in 67 appearances. The move to Juventus is just the latest step up for the star forward, who has drawn rave reviews from past and present Canada coaches. 'He's a special talent,' John Herdman said in 2019. 'I think he's got big things coming.' 'He's the smartest player I've ever coached,' current Canada coach Jesse Marsch said last year. 'And so his understanding of what's happening in the game and how to move around to find the game in the right way, to help the team, I think is at a really high level. 'And the team knows that getting him in the match is really important for us.' Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., David was three months old when his family moved to their native Haiti and six when the family came north to Ottawa. He played for Gloucester Dragons Soccer, Ottawa Gloucester SC and Ottawa Internationals Soccer Club, representing Canada at the under-17 level. A trial with KAA Gent in Belgium came in 2017 after a scout saw him on video. He went to Belgium twice that year, spending time with the second team before earning a full-time invitation. After finishing high school in Ottawa, he returned to Europe to focus full-time on his soccer. David had to wait until he turned 18 in January 2018, before he could sign a pro contract. Asked whether he splurged on anything after signing his new deal, David smiles and shakes his head. 'No, no. I wouldn't say I'm a big spender,' he said at the time. 'I was just pretty happy.' He scored in his league debut for KAA Gent that August with a late equalizer against Zulte-Waregem as a substitute. And he kept scoring off the bench. In August 2020, he made the move to France's Lille for a reported transfer fee of 30 million euros ($46.8 million), which eclipsed Alphonso Davies' 2018 move to Bayern Munich from the Vancouver Whitecaps. David went on to score 109 goals in 231 games for Lille, including 25 in 48 appearances last season, reaching the 100-goal milestone for Lille in December when he scored twice in a 3-1 win over Brest in Ligue 1 play. David made his senior debut for Canada in September 2018 in an 8-0 Nations League qualifying win over the U.S. Virgin Islands. He scored in the 32nd minute to become the youngest player to score for Canada on his debut, then added another five minutes later to become just the fifth to score twice in his first match. A two-time Canada Soccer Player of the Year (2019 and 2024), David lives up to his nickname of The Iceman. Nothing seems to faze him. Soft-spoken and unassuming off the pitch, he is in his element on it. David is able to drop back and initiate attacks or finish them. Able to find a crease in opposition defences, he has an uncanny knack of being in the right place at the right time. And when he gets the ball, he knows what to do with it, able to score with both feet or his head. David's commitment to Canada was shown at the Gold Cup, where he played substantial minutes despite being out of contract, knowing an injury could derail his big-money move.
