The Calcio Blog

Tag: gaming

  • The Best Italian Challenges to Try in Football Manager 26

    The Best Italian Challenges to Try in Football Manager 26

    Football Manager 26 is almost here — and if you’re planning your first save in Italy, you’re spoiled for choice. From fallen giants to modern rebuilds, Calcio is full of stories waiting to be written.

    Whether you want a romantic lower-league project or a tactical Serie A test, here are 10 of the best Italian FM26 challenges to kick off your career.

    1. Pro Vercelli – Return of the Originals

    When football in Italy was still amateur, regional teams mixed with the big boys. Before Juventus or Milan, there was Pro Vercelli — seven-time Italian champions before the First World War.

    Now buried in Serie C, they’re the ultimate “fallen giant” challenge. Can you restore the bianchi to their rightful place at the top of Italian football? They were the first to recognise the importance of a good youth academy, you’ll need yours to rebuild this empire!

    A romantic, pure Calcio rebuild.

    2. Parma – Back to the Glory Days

    The club that gave us Buffon, Crespo, Thuram, and Cannavaro… and then collapsed under accusations of massive fraud!

    Your goal? Easy… Rebuild the 90s magic at the Stadio Ennio Tardini and bring European nights and domestic trophies back to Parma.

    FM nostalgia meets redemption arc.

    @thecalcioblog

    I’ve done it again! Italian football travel man strikes! Inter Milan v Como 1907 at the San Siro, no time off work required, £175 all in. Just waiting for @Ryanair to steal this and post about it 🙄 #fyp #travel #sansiro #inter #calcio @Inter @Como Football Club @Lega Serie A @AngloItalianPod @theitaliansoccerreport @Rino Zaurrini @Luke talks Calcio 🇮🇹⚽️ @Destination Calcio @globalgroundhopper

    ♬ original sound – The Calcio Blog

    3. Palermo – The Southern Revival

    Few clubs mix passion and personality like Palermo. Now back in Serie B with strong backing, the foundations are there — can you turn the rosanero into southern Italy’s biggest powerhouse?

    The club previously uncovered South American gems such as Paulo Dybala, Edinson Cavani and Javier Pastore so get your scouts across to that continent to help your rebuild.

    A Sicilian story worth telling.

    4. Venezia – The Floating Project

    One of world football’s most beautiful clubs — and one of its strangest.
    The city of canals, fashion, and chaos gives us the best looking kits every time.

    Can you build a sustainable Serie A side in Venice while keeping the flair that makes them special?

    Beauty and pragmatism collide.

    5. Catania – Rise from the Ashes

    Financial ruin couldn’t kill Catania’s spirit. They’ve climbed back to Serie C — and the Sicilian derby with Palermo is waiting for your return. Challenge Palermo’s island dominance before challenging Napoli to be kings of the South.

    Rebuild, reignite, and reclaim the island.

    6. Atalanta – From Underdogs to Empire

    Gasperini’s former side have become the model of modern football: smart scouting, tactical flexibility, and flair.

    You’ve seen them win the Europa League, can you bag them the big prize?

    A masterclass challenge for tactical purists.

    7. Bari – The Southern Sleeping Giant

    A massive club stuck outside the top flight for too long.
    With a loyal fanbase and a modern stadium, Bari have everything except success.

    Can you bring Serie A football back to Puglia — and maybe a Scudetto with it?

    A long-term project with real potential.

    8. Fiorentina – Purple Renaissance

    A club with history, identity, and heartbreak.

    Your mission: deliver their first Serie A title since 1969 and restore the pride of Florence.

    Can you make La Viola beautiful and ruthless?

    Romantic football meets real pressure.

    9. Sampdoria – The Marassi Miracle

    From Vialli and Mancini to Serie B despair — it’s been a long fall, much to the amusement of city rivals Genoa.

    Bring back the swagger of the 1991 champions and rebuild one of Italy’s most charming clubs.

    Genova’s blue half needs a saviour.

    10. Como – Money, Lake Views, and Ambition

    Scenic lakeside views, celebrity owners, and serious ambition.

    With Cesc Fàbregas behind the scenes and investment flowing in, can you turn Como’s glamour into silverware?

    Luxury meets legacy.

    ⚽ Bonus Challenges

    • Modena – rebuild Emilia’s pride.
    • Cesena – return a beloved name to the top.
    • Napoli – defend your crown
    • Inter – finally secure the Champions League title

    Final Word

    Football Manager 26 will introduce a new engine, a fresh matchday look, and the long-awaited arrival of women’s football. But some things never change — Italy remains one of the most rewarding and romantic places to manage.

    From Pro Vercelli’s dusty trophy cabinet to Como’s modern ambitions, there’s a story for every kind of player.

    So — which challenge are you taking on first?

  • Serie A and Gaming: Adriano’s left foot and Piemonte Calcio

    Serie A is rightly embedded in football folklore and the Italian passion for the game doesn’t stop at the real life game. It extends to the virtual World too. Some of the great stories from old football video games stems back to Italian teams.

    And where else to start than with Adriano’s left foot in the incredible old versions of Pro Evolution Soccer (PES). On the PES5 and PES6 games this was one absolute beast. You could literally shoot from anywhere and it was a guaranteed goal, the Inter Milan and Brazil front man was repping 99 Shot Power for two editions.

    Some of those goals seem impossibly realistic but Adriano really did have this skill and power for a brief moment in his career. Unfortunately for the man Inter fans called “The Emperor” it never really worked out long term for him, but that’s not a story for today. The great man was such a cheat code that people would just refuse to play against Inter.

    I remember specifically in my evenings playing PES with friends that Inter wasn’t allowed. Just because of Adriano. However, as our Serie A gaming connection goes on, you’ll see that an overpowered Adriano wasn’t the only reason Serie A had a lasting impression on gaming.

    In 2020, Juventus signed a big massive deal with Konami to be exclusively represented on PES and not on FIFA (now EA FC). After the 2019 game, Juventus was no more on FIFA. Instead, there was a bizarre Serie A team called Piemonte Calcio. The kits looked strangely like the Juve kit, and they had the same players, and the badge was similar, but it wasn’t Juventus.

    Piemonte Calcio in FIFA 20 pretending to be Juventus

    Unfortunately, to get really deep, this just showed how the business and commercial aspect of football was now creeping into the gaming world. Something that was supposed to be fun was now a victim of the men in suits wearing man bags. By 2023 they were back, but we’d lost the Milan based teams!

    Yes, that’s right, in their place was Milano Calcio and Milano FC. The badges made it clear that Calcio was Inter and FC were in fact, AC. Clear? Wait until you see the kit.

    The fake Milan and Inter kits on EA FC 25

    See the difference? I know it’s hard because they’re such good fakes… But if you look closely, you can see that they’ve completely and utterly bodged it. What on Earth is this supposed to be??? I mean, I’m not an idiot, I understand the concept of commercial licenses – it’s just a bit sad it’s crept into the supposed fun hobby of gaming.

    One way that fake and copied stuff was kept fun in gaming was in PES and the inventive names. Milan being called Rossoneri was less a kick in the teeth than Piemonte Calcio somehow. Although PES did refer to Juve as PM Black and White in one edition. What?

    My favourite will always be the Brazilian marauding full back that represented Milan and Roma. Remember him? Facu? There was also great fun with Tachicardi (Tacchinardi), Naldarinho (Ronaldinho) and heroic defending with Cannarobo (really need help with that one?).

    PES3 with Italy

    However, the likes of Lucatone started to disappear to be replaced with the real names from PES2010 onwards and the days of editing all the team names before playing were over. Palermo will always be SI Black Pink to me though…

    Adriano wasn’t the only overpowered Serie A gem in history though. Old FIFA gamers might remember the sheer ridiculousness of Gervinho’s pace while playing at Roma during FIFAs 13-15, or after 15 when Pogba had an obscene long shot, strength and 5* skills. Try tackling him on FIFA 16, bet you can’t.

    Even as recently as 2023, Victor Osimhen was the player Napoli would love him to be now. Insane skill and pace combo that meant he was damned near impossible to get the ball from. And don’t even get me started on Totti or Dida on old versions of PES.

    Gaming funnies like these often step over into real life, such is the bond with fans and their clubs that their virtual namesakes also take over our lives. Case in point was when Juventus fans were spotted at matches waving Piemonte Calcio flags. And if I ever have the pleasure of meeting Adriano one day, I’ll be sure to open with a PES related anecdote, not one of his actual career. Perhaps it’s best I never meet him.

    Juventus fans wave Piemonte Calcio flags at their matches

    I guess the beauty in this article is the acknowledgment that the gaming world has for the general chaos that is everyday Calcio. It’s been embraced by our favourite football games, whether you’re launching 40 yard screamers with Adriano or spending hours editing the clubs names and player names before actually playing a game.

    What are your favourite Serie A anecdotes from the world of gaming? Let me know in the comments below, or on X @EnglishCalcio.