For two recent weekends I have been fortunate enough to visit some of Italy’s major football (or calcio) grounds. Ryanair flights to Torino and Milan / Bergamo, Trenitalia trains and local buses and metro provided all the required transport links without need for a car (a good thing bearing in mind Italian drivers and inner city parking). A large number of city dwellers seem to have scooters or Smart cars!
To get a Serie A match on the first Saturday required a 160 mile train journey to Brescia, but Italian trains are comfortable, efficient and relatively inexpensive. Having been mis-directed a couple of times eventually find the correct bus to take us to the 27,000 capacity Stadio Mario Rigamonti on the northern outskirts of town. After a brief altercation with the less than friendly carabinieri, over a bottle of water, take our places with about 5 minutes to spare. For just 10 euros we are in with the hard-core Brescia supporters (ultras) on the sud curve, where there are more flares than I have seen since a 1974 edition of Top of the Pops. A large format magazine, pretty close to what we would call a programme, is freely available.
The ground, built in 1928, is oval shaped with two or three tiers of continuous seating all round. Only the upper section of the main stand is covered and most of the seating is either concrete benching or temporary type metal seating similar to that at Milton Keynes or Brighton. There are signs of neglect but there are also plans for a new ground in the near future.
Excellent atmosphere with the banners, hand-held fireworks and constant singing led by a man with a megaphone. He is substituted midway through the second half, presumably having to go and find some throat lozenges. As with many continental clubs a coreografie (fan display) is performed as the teams come out. This consists of fans using different coloured cards, fireworks, paper and anything else that they have managed to get into the ground to impressive co-ordinated effect. The match officials in their fluorescent lime green outfits add to the colourful scene.
Lowly Brescia produce some good approach play but miss the now-retired Baggio and lack finish. Visitors Sampdoria, who are chasing at least a UEFA Cup place counter attack threateningly and get the only goal with 15 minutes left. With about a minute remaining the floodlights go out. The players and match officials remain on the pitch but many of the crowd leave, but after about 20 minutes and with our train departure time getting uncomfortably close, the lights come back on and the final seconds are played out.
On the following day Juventus were playing Siena at the Stadio Delle Alpi, named unsurprisingly after the views of the mountains to the north end of the ground. It has been home to both Juventus and Torino since it’s construction for the 1990 World Cup. Continuous 3-tier covered seating all round and a capacity of over 67,000 but disliked by many for it’s perceived lack of atmosphere. Over the next two years a new smaller and more compact stadium is to be built on the same site. During re-building ‘Juve’ plan to remain at the Delle Alpi but Torino plan to return to their old Filadelfia ground which they have not used since 1968. Juventus’s former Communale stadium (also used by Torino from 1968-1990) is still in existence and currently being renovated for the 2006 Winter Olympics when it will host the opening and closing ceremonies.
Juventus literally means ‘youth’ so the fact that they are also known as ‘the old lady’ is a bit contradictory. The club was founded by a group of well-to-do grammar school pupils in 1897 and since 1923 have been funded by the Agnelli family, owners of Fiat. They are Italy’s biggest and most successful club and only trail league leaders Milan on goal difference but can only muster just over 20,000 supporters for this game. Some were perhaps saving up for the midweek Champions League meeting with Real Madrid.
Pay 25 euros for a central 3rd tier seat and get a free newspaper style programme. Plenty of recognisable players on view, even from the 3rd tier and the bald head of referee Pier Luigi Collina shines out like a beacon. Siena are facing relegation but have some experienced names such as Alex Manninger, Tor Andre Flo, Igor Tudor and Massimo Maccarone and play their part in a fine game of football. Juventus show some silky skills and at times are a class apart. Thuram, Emerson, Del Piero and Camoranesi are particularly impressive as they run out 3-0 winners.
After a few days at home to recharge the batteries our second trip took us to Bergamo for the Saturday night local derby between Atalanta and A.C. Milan. Atalanta Bergamasco Calcio, to give them their full name, play at the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia on the north-east side of town, but within easy walking distance of the centre. It’s a rectangular shaped ground with continuous single-tier seating all round. The only cover is on the upper part of the two sides and the ends are slightly curved despite the absence of a running track. The ground is capable of holding just over 26,000 spectators and is close to capacity this evening with an excellent atmosphere. A large format programme is available and even the best seats at 35 euros are comparatively reasonably priced compared to other clubs of similar status.
Unfortunately in Atalanta’s case that status is unlikely to last much longer as they are comfortably bottom of the table. One Italian cup win is all they have achieved in terms of major honours and in recent years they have had as many ups and downs as Crystal Palace. Milan are a somewhat more successful club and top of the league. Formed in 1899 by an Englishman as Milan Cricket and Football Club, it presumably was not too long before cricket was dropped from their repertoire. Mr.Pirelli was behind the club in the 1920’ s when not thinking about tyres or calendars and more recently Silvio Berlusconi has really driven the club forward as a commercial venture.
Everything pointed to a comfortable away win, but it’s a funny old game Saint. For most of an excellent match you would not have known which side was top and which was bottom. Milan score first but Atalanta quickly equalise through the excellent Makinwa. Further chances come and go at both ends but with a deserved draw looking likely, Milan snatch a 95th minute winner with the very last kick of the match. There are a lot of shouts of “Bastardo” from the home fans, but I’m afraid my Italian is not sufficient to translate.
The Sunday match is at what is surely one of the World’s great stadia, the Guiseppe Meazza, although many people still refer to it as the San Siro. A train journey of just under an hour leads us from Bergamo to Milan Central. Take a gamble and get the metro to Lotto, from where it’s a 20-minute walk to the ground.
Built in 1926 by Pirelli, it has had three renovations since. All-seated, all under cover, three tiers on all bar one side, which has two, and a capacity of 85,700. The third tier was added prior to the 1990 World Cup and is built on cylindrical towers in each corner. The seats are very steeply banked and a place in the third tier would probably require binoculars and oxygen masks. We opt for the second tier where a good seat costs 27 euros. Nothing available for any paper-chasers however.
Internazionale have only just lost their first game of the season but are languishing 4th in the league because of their relentless ability to snatch a draw from the brink of victory. Today with Juan Sebastian Veron constantly probing, they reverse that trend. Visitors Lecce are hanging on for a 1-1 draw when a highly dubious late penalty is awarded to Inter. Brazilian Adriano, sporting what looked like a giant condom on his head following an injury during the game, steps up to seal a 2-1 victory.
All in all two excellent weekends with some very high quality football. Oh well, back to the roped off fields next week.