Brescia's decline did not come from the pitch, but from the office. |
Brescia has never been a giant in Italian football, but has always been an indispensable part of the overall picture of Calcio. A team with a history of more than a century, participating in the first season of Serie A, and having been the stopover for famous names such as Baggio, Guardiola and Pirlo.
Yet today, they were erased from the professional football system - ending a chapter in history in a bitterly bitter way.
The team of quiet people
Brescia was born to live in the shadow of Milan or Inter. A quiet, industrial city, with a football team rich in tradition but no titles.
They represent the "common" clubs in Italian football: no flash, no scandals, no blockbuster transfers. For nearly 100 years, Brescia has lived by patience: promoted, relegated, promoted again. No one expected them to create miracles, but everyone got used to their presence.
Yet there was a real moment of glory: the time of Roberto Baggio. When the “divine ponytail” arrived at Brescia late in his career, it was thought he just wanted to take a walk before hanging up his boots.
But no - he brought magic. Brescia in the 2000/01 season, with Baggio, Pep Guardiola and the young Andrea Pirlo, played incredibly romantic and effective football. They finished the season in 8th place, entered Europe for the first time (Intertoto Cup), and although they quickly returned to earth, those memories will always be precious assets for the fans.
Once the destination of Baggio, Pirlo and Guardiola, Brescia has just been removed from professional football after a financial crisis. |
Brescia’s decline has not come on the pitch, but in the office. Massimo Cellino – the owner who was banned from football in England – has dragged the club downhill since taking over in 2017. With 24 managerial changes in eight years, no club can maintain stability in such a chaotic management model.
The climax was the financial scandals that were exposed: delayed player salaries, non-payment to the Federation, loss of control over income and expenditure. As a result, Brescia was deducted points, relegated to Serie C, and finally removed from professional football by the FIGC.
Cellino was banned, as was his son. But the biggest consequence was that a team of more than 110 years old suddenly disappeared - without fanfare, without drums, leaving only the anger and helplessness of the fans.
When one door closes…
The only consolation: Brescia wasn't quite dead. As soon as the disaster struck, a local coalition sprang into action.
The Feralpi steel group, the city government, and the A2A energy company immediately joined hands to form a new team - a "Brescia version 2.0" with an independent legal status. The goal: to qualify for Serie C next season, before the deadline of July 15.
The biggest sticking point is the Rigamonti stadium - Brescia's home ground. Although owned by the city, it is currently being used by Cellino. He refuses to return the keys, but the city declares the lease null and void for breach of financial obligations, and has sent locksmiths to repossess the stadium. A legal battle, but also a symbol of the re-establishment of trust by the people of Brescia.
Brescia are doing everything to save the situation. |
Rebuilding a team is not uncommon in Italy. Napoli, Parma, Fiorentina, Palermo and Vicenza have all done it – and some have come back stronger. But for Brescia, the story is more tragedy than epic.
Not only because they lost the club, but because they lost a part of their memory - the memory associated with Pirlo's childhood, Baggio's wandering, Guardiola's learning, and the years of struggling between Serie A and B but still making people love them.
A return to Serie C – if successful – would be a new chapter, but it cannot completely replace the old one. A team is more than just a shirt, a name, or a stadium – it is a history, an emotion, and a person.
Brescia fans know that. Because at the end of the day, when everything is taken away, all that remains is an unconditional love for one name: Brescia Calcio.
Source: https://znews.vn/brescia-di-san-sup-do-hy-vong-hoi-sinh-post1566633.html
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