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.
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
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 you’ve made it this far, you’ve decided you’re going to Milan to watch football. That’s great, you’ve made a fantastic choice. Not only are there two Serie A teams based there, the stadium they share is the most iconic in World football. There’s plenty of other options too, if you want to squeeze as much out of the trip as you can. Flights are cheap from London to Milan and there’s plenty of them available. So here’s the ultimate football fans guide to hanging out in Milan.
Getting Around
Couldn’t be easier in Milan. Depending on your airport there’s a few ways into town. From Malpensa just get on the train that goes from each terminal. They terminate at Centrale, but go through Porta Garibaldi too which is another of the main stations. Tickets are available at the kiosks in the terminal and the station, the machines change languages to make it easier. The train takes around 45 minutes and costs roughly €15.
If you’ve come in to Bergamo then you’re best bet is to take one of the coaches to Milan Centrale. For €10 you get 45-60 minutes sat on an air conditioned coach straight into the centre of Milan. You can also take a bus to Bergamo station, then an hour long train to Milan if you prefer but the coaches are easy enough. You can either pre-purchase tickets in the terminal or buy from the guys at each bus stop.
Taxis are available at both airports but cost around €150 each way to Milan, so I wouldn’t waste my time with them. There is a third airport, Linate, which is a bit like London City. Congratulations if you’ve landed here, you’re rich and flew BA. It’s on the main Metro network in Milan so very easy to the city centre from there.
Trams are clean, tidy and on time… mostly.
Speaking of the Metro, Milan has a really easy to use Metro system. It has 5 lines that all cross over with each other and connect to the vast Tram network too. You can buy an adult three day ticket for around €15 so getting around is so easy and so cheap. Just be a bit careful if visiting before the end of October, there’s major work being done to the tram lines so they’re running slightly odd routes at the moment.
The Metro is clean, well lit and efficient, used by everybody in Milan, it’s a safe and cheap way to get around the city.
Eating and Drinking
So the first thing to highlight is that Milan is really not a “party city” like places such as Prague, Budapest etc. but you can still have a pretty decent night out here. I would head to Isola where there’s a much younger vibe and the bars will be lively and loud. In the summer you can drink just about anywhere that has outside seating and have a nice chilled evening.
Speaking of chilled, in the evening before your meal, get to Navigli. The canal area is served by the M2 at Porta Genova station, and the canals are lined with bars and locals enjoying an aperativo before their dinner. Later at night this becomes a busy and very “cool” area.
Navigli is very chilled in the daytime, and comes alive at night.
Nightlife-wise, head down to Piazza Duomo after dinner. There’s some good clubs and bars in the vicinity of the Duomo, but be expected to pay a little more. More to the point, in the Piazza there will be crowds of people hanging out after a few beers, enjoying the night time views of the Duomo listening to street musicians, very nice vibes.
For food, you can’t really go wrong, this is Italy after all. However, one place we ALWAYS stop by in Milan is Piz! on Via Torino. The pizza place is a short walk from the Duomo and you should get a free glass of Prosecco while you wait as well as a limoncello to finish. The pizza menu consists of two pizzas and one “surprise” pizza. They won’t tell you what it is before it’s served, but you can tell them what you don’t want it to contain!
It’s ridiculously cheap for its quality and location, a plain margherita pizza will set you back around €9 – and it’s massive. Bring your football stickers, downstairs the walls are covered with them.
Piz!
The best advice on eating in Milan is to look a bit further than the end of your nose. If you like Italian food you can’t go wrong in Italy! Avoid eating in any of the major squares and Piazzas, if they have pictures of the food outside the restaurant it’s a red flag. If they have someone stood outside trying to get you in, it’s a red flag. Turn down the side streets, find the little family run place, it’ll be incredible.
It might seem an odd recommendation but if you like Indian there’s a great place near the San Siro which is smashing after a few beers at the football. Take the number 16 tram from the stadium to Via Dolci Via Ricciarelli and you’ll see it in front of you, Namaste Indian Restaurant. It says on Google it’s open until 10:30pm but I think that’s last entry because I’ve been in there after a 9pm kick off before! I know, you should be eating Italian food in Italy but it’s really convenient post match, open late and to be honest, is fantastic food.
Breakfasts are easy enough, again, look for any small family run cafe (there’s millions) and set yourself up with a Cappuccino and a pastry of some sort to experience an Italian breakfast like a true local. I don’t think I’ve ever paid more than €10 for this breakfast in Milan.
Football
So if you’re going to Milan to watch football, you’re probably going to the San Siro to see either Inter or AC. But there’s a million other options that are so convenient. Before we go into that, here’s some advice on doing a San Siro tour. Firstly, definitely do it, it’s well worth it. But secondly, be aware that you can’t do it the day of or the day before a match. The day after I think it’s open, but you won’t be able to get in there on match day or the day before.
So to the other teams, you want a full on Calcio weekender? Can’t go wrong in Milan. Starting in the city of Milan itself, as well as Inter and AC, you have several Serie C teams. Alcione Milan, Inter U23 and Giana Erminio all call Milan home. Well, Giana actually play in Gorgonzola (yes the cheese place), but it’s on the Milan metro at the very end of M2 line.
AS Giani Erminio
Slightly further afield in Serie C you have Lecco (1 hour train) with spectacular views over Lake Como and the mountains from the stadium. In Serie B you have Monza (20 minutes train) and Mantova (1 hour train) all local to Milan and then, of course, in Serie A you also have Como (45 minutes train) up the road. You also have Atalanta playing in Bergamo which is accessed by around 45 minutes from Milan. Interested in Jamie Vardy? Cremonese play in Cremona around an hour’s train from Milan.
You can also end up in Switzerland watching football, I’ve done it before, the train to Chiasso takes around 1 hour from Milan and from there you can either watch Chiasso or SC Balerna if you want to squeeze two countries into your trip.
If you want my recommendation, the trip to Switzerland is good, but be aware of train times, an evening kick off rather than night game is as late as you want to be there. I’ve been to Como and Lecco to watch matches. Both are on different shores of Lake Como and both spectacular. However, you’ll probably struggle for Como tickets and the price of food and drink there isn’t smashing. Lecco offers the same beautiful backdrop while being a more affordable alternative. The town is still really nice and you can have a sunset beer by the lake before walking up to the ground. They also have lively ultras so the atmosphere will be more what you’re looking for.
Lecco
Other than that, Bergamo is beautiful too, but I’d recommend giving that and Atalanta their own trip rather than squeezing it into a Milan trip. I went to Gorgonzola to see Giani Erminia, the stadium is small and quaint, the town quiet but it’s worth a little trip out if you’re a fan of cheese.
Day Trips
We’ve sort of already covered it above with the football but if you’ve had your fill of Milan (and in truth you can see what you need to in two days) then head out of town for a day. Como and Lecco are again going to be two of the more popular choices, given the lake and the beauty of it. However, if you can find your way to Bellagio in between the two you’ll have uncovered a hidden gem. It’s not the easiest accessed place, which is how it remains so uniquely Italian, but it’s accessible the easiest by boat from Como or Varenna.
If walking up hills is more your thing, you need to hit Bergamo. The city is split into the upper city and lower city. And you’ll see why when you’re there. There is a funicular train that goes up to the upper city and that’s where the best food and drink and sights are. It’s a much more chilled and cheaper version of Milan and is a great place to spend the day with less people surrounding you. The train here is around 45 minutes from Milan and costs €6.
What to do in Milan
When you’re actually in Milan if you’re looking for a bit of culture or something to do other than football and drinking, then your next best bet is shopping. Milan is the fashion capital of the World and you’ll find every single designers flagship store here. Head to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Piazza Duomo to marvel at clothes you can’t afford. The Ferrari store is cool if you like large F1 cars hanging from a ceiling.
Ferrari store Milano
Around here as well you’ll find more reasonably priced designers behind the Duomo and down Via Torino is your normal high street brands. My daughter tells me that something called Kiko Milano is around half the price in Milan that it is in the UK so if you have girls, stop off and get a gift!
Other than shopping, history is everywhere in Italy and Milan is no different. Firstly, in the Duomo, a spectacular old cathedral the interior is absolutely magnificent. But as well as going inside, you can go on top of it. The Duomo rooftop gives great views of the Piazza below and most of Milan, take the lift though, it’s worth the extra few euros!
Duomo rooftop
Brera is the neighbourhood to go to if you like things a little trendier than historic. Great food options here as well as nice buildings for a walk around. You can get here on the M2 to Moscova station. Isola as mentioned above is a cooler neighbourhood nearby, think East London. the Bosco Verticale buildings that split the neighbourhoods are worth a quick photo.
If religious artwork is your thing, The Last Supper fresco by Leonardo Da Vinci is at the Santa Maria Della Grazie church near Sant Agostino station. You want to see this, you need to book early. Tickets are released on a monthly basis and go immediately. So much so that after 8 trips to Milan, I’ve still never seen it. Tickets then get gradually re-released so just keep an eye on the website. There’s a number of other Da Vinci themed things to do here too, like his private vineyards.
If you take Via Dante from the Piazza Duomo and walk around ten minutes (plenty of watering holes to break this up) then you’ll end up by the largest Inter Store, but more importantly there’s a big castle and large open air park at the top there. Perfect for a romantic stroll and some Instagrammable pics if you’re combining the football with a trip for the other half!
See if you can spot the flamingos kept in a private garden in the “posh end” of Milan too. Head to Palastro on the Metro and walk to Via Cappuccini, they’re just sat there grazing in a garden there. Quite bizarre.
That’s really it, like I’ve mentioned before, Milan isn’t a party city, nor is it a particularly busy city for tourist attractions. Milan is there to self indulge. The food and drink is great, the shopping is wonderful and the football is the heartbeat. It’s a city I’ve been to many times and each time I come back much more refreshed than when I went, which isn’t true of a lot of city breaks.
Take some time for yourself, do a bit of shopping, a bit of sight seeing, then eat some great food and sip on a cold beer and watch the world go by. All before taking in a match at the San Siro.
In October 2024 I walked out of the San Siro after Inter had surrendered a 4-2 lead against Juventus to draw the Derby D’Italia. What had I just witnessed? The match was insane, two of the top teams in a top 5 league going hammer and tongs to win a game of football. And so early in the season. A stark contrast from the recent Premier League “big matches” we’ve seen, cagey 0-0 draws or scrappy 1-0 wins. The best league in the World doesn’t always deliver where its headline matches are concerned.
As I settled down after that match, I settled my mind on the opinion that this was just a great game. A one-off spectacular. We wouldn’t see it again would we?
Going into this first international break of the season as an Inter fan I was dreading the derby. Inter were too unpredictable, too fragile, they were playing a Juve team who seemed to start with a steely determination. The only thought in my head was meek defeat. A 2-0 or 3-0 had already been accepted in my head and the mood at Inter Club London – where I took in the game – was not much different.
And so it was in the 14th minute of the game when Lloyd Kelly – much maligned in his short Juve career – expertly steered home a half volley into the bottom of Sommer’s goal. Here we go again, Inter just aren’t up to it this season, is Chivu the wrong choice? But the fickleness of football fans – myself included – was exposed when Inter fought back into the game. Inter were looking for redemption and they found it through a man looking for his own redemption story in an Inter shirt. Hakan Calhanoglu had left the club in the summer. “Injured” throughout the Club World Cup in the summer while his agent touted him around Turkey looking for a return, he was the subject of Lautaro’s ire after defeat to Fluminense. He responded with his own angry statement, Milan fans said “I told you so” and he was to leave.
But after Galatasaray couldn’t agree a fee since signing Osimhen, Calha was going to have to stay put. Cue a statement professing his desire to work hard for Inter, some staged photos with Lautaro and he was integrated back into the squad. To his credit, there was no Isak or Wissa behaviour, he showed a willingness to play at Inter – now he was stuck here.
And so to the 30th minute on Saturday evening, he swept home decisively on his left foot, Di Gregorio probably could’ve done better but Hakan was back. Inter fans were in delirium and the summer antics were forgotten. This was suddenly a contest.
For a few minutes anyway. Kenan Yildiz is in my FantaCalcio team and he justified his selection with yet another outrageous goal. Smashing home into the bottom corner from around 25-30 yards out. Again, there’s a question mark over the goalkeeping, but wouldn’t that just be a bit of bitterness? Let’s take nothing away from a World Class strike from the young Turk, surely now on the radar of Europe’s top clubs.
When the half time whistle went, the fans at Inter Club London were breathless, but optimistic. “We’re playing well, it just needs to be better in both boxes” was the prevailing opinion. With the beers restocked for the second half, Inter drew first blood, the man on a mission Hakan Calhanoglu went and bettered his first strike with a stunning chest and volley into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. Absolute pandemonium in the Inter Club. Not one mention of summer transfer sagas. I guess it goes to show, if you show up and do your job, most transgressions can be forgiven. Maybe when the dust settles there’ll be a conversation to be had, but at that moment, he was a god amongst men.
With Juve reeling, Inter stepped on the accelerator. A dominant spell had resulted in a goal, and they weren’t done. They could smell blood. Like the biscione that adorned their badge during the late 80s they bit back at Juve again.
Marcus Thuram rose highest from a corner and nodded into the net. Let me tell you, if Thuram’s own celebration was muted, the supporters at Inter Club London were not. This was the closest I’ve ever seen to a match atmosphere in a pub. Legs and arms were flying everywhere. Inter led their most bitter rival 3-2, there was only 15 minutes to play. Surely the most improbable of victories was beckoning. Surely?
Expectation is the enemy of joy isn’t it. It took 6 minutes for Marcus Thuram’s younger brother to equalise for Juve. A silly foul given away by Bastoni, an unmarked player in the box and Inter had handed the momentum back to their arch rivals. “Merda” cries all over the pub. What was an expectation of victory became the hope of a draw. Fingernails were being chewed to the bone. Hair being pulled out. Eyes covered.
As we entered stoppage time you can’t help but think, “well a draw isn’t so bad actually”. Sure it’s annoying to blow a 3-2 lead but a point away to Juventus, it’s alright. That is until teenager Adzic announced himself to Italy and the world with a remarkable strike from some 30-35 yards out. What on Earth he was doing shooting remains a mystery, the easy ball was out to the right to build a move. But for some reason the young lad, with next to no backlift, decided to send a powerful effort towards Yann Sommer’s goal. There’s a few questions for Inter stopper to answer given he gets a big hand to the ball, but again, you should just be applauding the spectacular strike. I’ve never been in a room as full as the one I was in Saturday night that was completely stoney silent. Not a sound. A single “Merda” broke the silence eventually.
There’s all kinds of analysis that can be done after a game like that. You can look again at both sides mentality, Worlds apart, you can study the decisions made in the Inter Milan defence. I’ll leave that to the football experts, I deal in emotion. Once I’d picked myself up from the floor, downed three more pints and then thought about the match I had one overriding thought. What a game.
It has everything. Redemption for Calha, world class strikes, brothers in opposing sides, two fairly novice managers battling with big clubs, end to end football, young players announcing themselves in the best way possible and one man’s march towards a definite future Ballon D’Or. This was the advert Serie A needed. Derided by some as a “has been league”, this game showcased the exact opposite. It was exciting, it swung both ways, the lead changed hands and it was the younger stars on the pitch who shone the brightest.
I haven’t seen a La Liga or Premier League that exciting in years. The next day I watched Man City easily despatch their city rivals United in a no contest. A week before I barely stayed awake as Liverpool edged past Arsenal 1-0. I know there’s more money at stake in England, it makes those games much tighter. I know they’re probably better “tactical battles”. But I’m not after that, I’m looking to be excited. I’m after Pazza Inter. And they’re back.
So most of the teams, apart from like two of them, have given us their home kits for next season. However, all 20 have provided at least one kit and I’ve been through them all and assessed them for your pleasure. Now, be warned, I’m not listing all 20 teams, I’ve picked the best and the worst ones. These are, of course, only my opinions – yours will differ so don’t come at me unless you agree.
The Best
Napoli (Both)
Napoli have the best midfield and best kits for 2025/26
My word. Not only are they champions, not only do they have De Bruyne and McTominay together but these kits are works of art. The home is nice and clean, classic, it’s hard to get it wrong when you go simple. But it can be equally hard to get something beautiful – AND YET LOOK AT THAT AWAY KIT. Chef’s kiss. Well done Napoli, early trophy to you lot as best dressed this season.
Roma (Third)
They’ve killed it with this
This third kit launched just after I wrote this initial blog and it couldn’t be more welcome! It pained me having to put the Roma home kit in the bad section. Then someone at the club read it and did something about it. Probably. It is pure sex. Should come with a health warning it’s that naughty. Give me more!
Como (Home)
Yes Please
Yeah, everything about this works. The main chest of the shirt looks like the lake with some moonlight or something on it. And yet, despite that motif, it’s still pretty clean and basic. The colour consistency, the uncomplicatedness of everything else that isn’t the background. It’s gorgeous, 10/10 for Como.
Sassuolo (Home)
Is it this years shirt or a 90s classic?
Promoted for their footballing merit, they could’ve gone up for this shirt alone. Everything about it I’m in love with. The design of it is simple, yet nods back to the 90s – everyone’s favourite nostalgic period currently. Love that collar on the shirt too, a good collar seems like a lost art. Little touches like anything else on the shirt only being in white is really smart too. I don’t normally buy “other clubs” shirts but I might this one… 15/10
Parma (Third)
Parma’s third kit this year is a really nice effort
Is it an early 90s Leeds kit? Is it the current Parma Third Shirt? Who knows but I want more of it. Parma should’ve used this as their home shirt for me. It’s clean, simple, slight throwback. It works. Well done.
Milan (Home)
Clean, Simple, Milan.
Ok, so I am typing this with gritted teeth as an Interista, but this kit is nice. They’ve done no messing about here, like Inter did with their stripes. This is a really nice effort, the two tone badge is cool and the little pattern on the stripes is a nice touch. Hope this is all they get right this season. Well done Milan.
The Worst
Inter (Home)
Hmmm…
Rumour has it they took over 3 millions photos of Lautaro in this shirt and he refused to smile in this kit. I think when teams try something a bit different it can work, it refreshes their style and it can be a nice departure. None of that is true here. Inter have some of the best kits of all time and they’re all just SIMPLE BASIC BLUE AND BLACK STRIPES! What they’ve been up to the last couple of seasons I can’t tell you, but it isn’t cool. Go back to what you do best.
Juventus (Home)
Nope. No thanks.
Stop messing about with stripes. All teams. Now. If you have stripes, look at Milan and Atalanta and do that in your colours. Hate the haphazard stripes here, hate the two sponsors and although I know Juventus used to wear pink when they were founded, I hate the pink accents. Please god, just get together with Inter and bang your heads together.
Cremonese (Home)
Not for me
Goalkeepers wear grey kits. There’s not a lot else to say. It’s a weird colour for an outfield shirt and I’m not on board. Pass.
Lazio (Home)
Home? No. Away? Yes, just.
Guess what guys? Lazio have a plain sky blue shirt. They’ve made zero effort here and I’m not making any effort to talk about it. Wear the away kit, it’s a much sharper look.
Inter (Away)
As an Interista… No
Two things here. 1) Was this designed by a competition winner? 2) How did they win the competition with this design? Honestly, after the embarrassment we Interisti suffered at the end of last season, these kits feel like Nike rubbing it in a bit. Pass.
Juventus (Away)
Monstrosity
This looks like the hooky shirt you see hanging from a souvenir stand in a main piazza in Turin. Why this colour? Why the yellow Adidas stripes? Why are there two sponsors on the home shirt and none here? None of this adds up, I’m sure there’s a conspiracy here but I don’t know why, or what. Just wear that gorgeous third strip all season please.
Roma (Home)
Mixed feelings
Ok so hear me out here, because maybe there’s nothing actually wrong with this, maybe there is. I just feel like Roma normally turn out in such beautiful kits that this feels a little… generic? Again, it looks like a copy of a real Roma kit. Maybe the PES version of a Roma shirt. It’s not awful, it’s not horrible, it’s just not very Roma for me.
So there you have it, I’m sure some of you are upset by my choices, it goes without saying! But as you can see I’m not biased, an Interista choosing Milan’s shirt as nice and condemning the Inter efforts! Anyway, I’m off to Sassuolo to buy a shirt. Let me know your favourites…
In the late 1990s, a small club from the Veneto region etched its name into calcio folklore. They beat Napoli to lift the Coppa Italia. They almost knocked Chelsea out of Europe. And then… they disappeared.
This is the story of L.R. Vicenza — a club that dreamed big, defied the odds, and left a legacy far greater than their trophy cabinet suggests.
Founded in 1902, L.R. Vicenza is one of Italy’s oldest clubs. Based in the historic city of Vicenza, they’ve always been seen as a classic “provinciale” — a small, local side often bouncing between Serie A and B. Their home, the Stadio Romeo Menti, holds just over 12,000 but has witnessed moments that rival even the grandest stages in Italian football.
For decades, Vicenza quietly survived in the shadows of northern giants like Milan, Inter, and Juventus — until one unforgettable season changed everything.
In 1995, under the tactical guidance of Francesco Guidolin, Vicenza were promoted to Serie A and quickly became Italy’s surprise package. They played compact, organized football with bursts of creativity, led by key figures such as Uruguayan striker and cult hero Marcelo Otero, the safe hands of Giorgio Sterchele and the attacking duo of Giovanni Cornacchini and Alessandro Iannuzzi.
The next season, in 1996-97 they would embark on a magical run to the Coppa Italia final, beating the likes of Bologna and Genoa on the way to facing Napoli. Vicenza would lose the first leg at San Paolo 1-0, but at home three weeks later they completed a stunning turnaround in front of a raucous home crowd. Goals from Giovanni Cornacchini, Maurizio Rossi, and Alessandro Iannuzzi secured a 3–0 win after extra time — and with it, their first major trophy in 95 years of existence.
In the age of Batistuta, Baggio, and Del Piero, it was Vicenza that lifted silverware. A provincial club, built on heart and discipline, had conquered the cup.
As Coppa Italia winners, Vicenza qualified for the 1997–98 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup. And incredibly, they didn’t just make up the numbers — they lit up the continent.
Beat Shakhtar Donetsk and Roda JC to reach the semi-finals.
Drew English powerhouse Chelsea in the final four.
In the first leg at the Stadio Menti, Pasquale Luiso scored the winner to give Vicenza a 1–0 lead. Chelsea, loaded with stars like Gianfranco Zola, Gustavo Poyet, and Mark Hughes, were stunned.
But at Stamford Bridge in the second leg, Vicenza’s European dream fell apart. Goals from Poyet, Zola, and Hughes sent Chelsea through 3–1 on aggregate. It was heartbreak — but Vicenza had shown Europe what they were capable of.
Just one year later, however, in the 1998–99 season, Vicenza were relegated from Serie A.
Key players left, financial difficulties crept in and over the next decade, the club bounced between Serie B and C, with ownership instability and budget issues mounting.
The final blow came in 2018, when the club was declared bankrupt and lost its professional status. After over a century of history, Vicenza Calcio was no more.
In the wake of the collapse, a new entity was formed: L.R. Vicenza Virtus, following a merger with nearby club Bassano Virtus. While technically a new club, it carries the same badge, colours, and loyal fanbase.
They returned to Serie B in 2020, and though they were relegated again in 2022, the passion remains.
Stadio Romeo Menti still echoes with memories of Otero’s goals and that famous win over Napoli. And Vicenza’s story continues — not in the headlines, but in the hearts of calcio romantics everywhere.
In an era before oil money and inflated sponsorships, clubs like Vicenza could still write fairy tales. With tactical discipline, local pride, and passionate fans, they showed that in Italian football, anything was possible.
Today, we remember them not because they became a giant — but because, for one brief, beautiful moment, they stood toe-to-toe with giants and didn’t flinch.
“Do you remember Vicenza’s fairytale run in the ‘90s? Should Serie A do more to protect its provincial clubs?”
Drop your memories or thoughts in the comments below — or tag us on X @EnglishCalcio and Instagram @calcioenglish.
Back to chronicling some travel again on today’s blog and judging by its popularity last time out I’m calling it as being “Back by popular demand”.
And yes, I went over to everyone’s favourite football tournament, the FIFA Club World Cup. Now, I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea but I’m so open minded I was willing to give it a go, and when my pal Francesco suggested we fly over to experience it and watch Inter take on River Plate – I thought, “why the hell not”.
The first thing to say is, I’m not a millionaire, far from it! In fact I’m not even rich, I do ok in my job but high rent and cost of living means I generally live month to month. So how were we going to plan this properly? Tickets weren’t an issue (as is well publicised) and with our Inter Club Memberships we easily purchased tickets in the “Inter end” for the game, for around €120.
But how to get to America? Seattle is as far away from London as it can possibly be so this wasn’t going to be cheap. BA were after £1600 for return flights, Virgin wanted more and the American airlines seemed to want me to fly exclusively with BA. I tried looking at connecting options if I could get into New York with Fly Norse for cheap but to no avail.
Suddenly, Icelandair revealed itself to me. I’d heard rumours before that they were cheap due to some variation on long haul taxes in the Viking island. A quick check on their website confirmed it. Around a £1000 saving on the previous cheapest option. It seemed mad to me, £650? Really? to get to Seattle and back?
Now there’s a few caveats here, that was the base fare and didn’t include my seat or luggage. There’s a generous free hand luggage allowance of a small wheeled suitcase and a backpack. The thing you pay £50 to bring on Ryanair. I didn’t need to book a seat either, as you can get one allocated for free, but for ease I decided to pay for a window.
Icelandair Economy was more than spacious for someone of 6′ plus!
So all in I think it was around £700 to fly. I didn’t get fed, you have to buy food, but that’s fairly reasonably priced. But there’s something I haven’t told you! In a bid to boost tourism, Icelandair offers up to 7 nights stopover in Iceland for no additional airfare. So whatever you pay for you flight, you can connect in up to a weeks time for nothing extra.
Francesco had already decided he was going to head over there on Friday night and give himself a few days to explore. It was a little trickier for me. Work commitments, a wedding and the Mrs being furious I was going away for a week without her meant I joined him on the Monday.
My layover was only 16 hours in Reykjavik and it was a bloody expensive 16 hours. Frustratingly for me, we were flying to Keflavik and not the central Reykjavik airport. There was an Icelandic Premier League game kicking off at 6pm that was right next to that airport, but Keflavik was around a 45 minute transfer away. Alas, I didn’t make it to the Icelandic match, but I did catch the second half in a bar while waiting for Francesco to return from an excursion.
It’s a shame I didn’t manage to make it, the game finished 7-1 and I wouldn’t have spent £45 on three pints… Never mind though, that wasn’t the game I was coming for. Francesco and I got a bit drunk and headed back to the hotel where blackout blinds were most welcome. It was around 2am when we got back there and the sun was still shining like it was 8pm in England. A truly bizarre experience!
Next morning we headed over to the airport for about 8am, our flight was at 10:30 and we didn’t want to take any chances. As it turns out, the process in Keflavik couldn’t have been smoother. We breezed through security, straight through passport control to be stamped out and headed straight for a coffee (pint).
Boarding was on time and quick and I must say I was hugely impressed with Icelandair. The plane was bright and spacious, we had huge TV screens for entertainment, the food and drink was well priced and the temperature was just right. I’m not sure what it is most airlines do, but pretty much every other plane I’ve been on has been too hot or too cold, but Icelandair got it just right.
After take off, I tucked into a cup of noodles, very tasty and 4 beers in between chatting with Francesco, reading a book, watching Twisters (don’t bother) and napping. It’s that weird thing flying to America where the travel time and time difference mean you essentially land the same time you leave. And we did just that. Arriving into Seattle roughly 30 minutes after take off. In reality, our day had moved on 7 hours, but in Seattle we were only 30 minutes further on in our day!
A great sunny approach into Seattle over the bay
To stave off jetlag we enjoyed a nice long queue at the US border (sort it out Trump) and then an even longer queue for the bus to the car rental service. Each queue was around 40 minutes and moved the day along nicely. At the car rental area, we were greeted with our first taste of good ol’ fashioned USA when we were presented with a monster of a pick up truck!
It wasn’t exactly what we were used to, but you know what they say – when in Rome…
Getting into the spirit with this monster…
After checking in at our Motel on the outskirts of Seattle, we drove into town to check out the Inter team hotel, see what was going down. It turned out to be great timing, we arrived there about 6pm just in time for some kind of player curfew as we met Davide Frattesi. He was good enough to pose for pictures with us and some other fans before heading into the hotel. Sebastiano Esposito also stopped for a photo but didn’t seem best pleased to be doing so!
After dinner, we walked back past the hotel towards the car with some more perfect timing and stumbled across bona fide Inter and Argentina legend Javier Zanetti. He was a gentleman who stopped for photos and long chats with all the Inter fans – much to the annoyance of his wife who was waiting to go back into the hotel.
An Inter legend with Javier Zanetti…
Wednesday was match day and the day began with another stop at the hotel – Francesco’s obsession – and we once again arrived just as the players returned from training. This time there was no mood for photos, Thuram, Bisseck and Frattesi all strolled straight into the hotel, while I’ve never seen Zielinski move so quick as when some kids wanted an autograph. Maybe Inter should employ some to follow him around the San Siro pitch?
The game kicked off at 6pm local time and we decided around midday that it was time for a beer and headed to the oldest pub in Seattle called Central Bar. On the way there, we once again tripped over an Inter legend when we saw Maicon out for a stroll.
Central Bar is your typical American pub, it looks a little like what an American thinks a British pub should look like. But the bar staff and the locals were welcoming and keen to learn about “soccer” from us and some River fans.
This leads me in nicely to dropping a little praise for River fans. They’re mental. They outnumbered Inter fans there by 20 to 1 and they were all over the city and constantly decked out in their River shirts. They also have this weird thing where when one group sees another group, they immediately start singing and jumping up and down. They had clearly come to party and were in bouyant mood on match day.
The teams about to (slowly) enter the pitch…
After a short pub crawl towards the stadium (Lumen Field is so central in Seattle it’s crazy), we arrived at a designated meeting point for the Inter fans. Some of the clubs from America had organised a get together at The Gantry pub just outside of the stadium.
Flags were prominent with Inter Club DC, Miami and Ohio present with Francesco and I repping London. It was great to see the fans come together like this and it was definitely a different experience to the San Siro being among American fans. Some of them are children of Italian immigrants, some of them are Italians who live and work in the States and others just liked Inter because they were in Milan on their honeymoon when Inter played.
We shared some beers (maybe too many) and sang songs, we bantered with River fans and appeared on various Argentinian TV stations who wanted to speak to us. It was a great way to pass a couple of hours pre match.
Around an hour before kick off, Francesco and I decided to head into the stadium. Now, let me tell you, Americans may not have the right kind of football, but their stadiums for this sport are nothing short of amazing. Lumen Field is a spectacular stadium, with the Inter fans housed in a large open air section behind one goal. Behind the stand was a plaza like area with food and drink stalls and general mingling.
Our seats were amazing, right down behind the goal and we got a great view of the spectacular River fans behind the other goal enjoying their day. The noise that came from them was incredible, I can only imagine the scenes if they’d scored.
As it stands, they didn’t. Inter actually played well, probably for the only time in the tournament. They had a nervy opening few minutes but quickly settled and were largely the better side. A few scuffed chances and the score could’ve been a lot better than 0-0 at half time.
Pio Esposito – the younger brother – was an absolute handful throughout and probably played his way into Chivu’s thinking for next season. His goal was therefore thoroughly well deserved. Good play by the also impressive Petar Susic played him in and he turned well before firing low into the net. The celebrations of his team mates tell you this was a popular goal.
The second followed from Bastoni who rode a couple of attempted assualts from the Argentinians before smashing low under the keeper and into the net. What followed was all a bit unsavoury if not desperately funny as Dumfries and Acuna clashed and followed it on after the full time whistle.
Heading back into Seattle post match
Inter had won, they’d played well and deserved it, I’m not sure if we’ll say that a lot based on the fall out that followed. More importantly though, it was literally a 5 minute walk from the ground the a dive bar where we enjoyed a few beers in the evening before heading back to the Motel.
The next couple of days were quite chilled. We drove North near to Canada to the Northern Cascades National Park which was breathtakingly beautiful, exploring small town America on the way. We did all the tourist bits in Seattle too, the Space Needle and the boat tour round the harbour and I’ve got to say I really enjoyed the city.
Looking towards Canada in the Northern Cascades National Park
Now don’t get me wrong, there’s not really enough going on in Seattle to warrant a flight around the World just to see it, but it’s clean and spacious, it isn’t as busy and bustling as some of the other US cities. It doesn’t really represent what we all hear about “Trump’s America” either, it all seemed a bit… woke, I guess. Everyone was friendly, there was Pride flags hanging everywhere as it was Pride month, the food was all Mexican, Vietnamese, Thai – people from all cultures were mixing.
Seattle from the boat tour around the bay
Well worth adding to any trip you’ve got planned in the States.
As for the Club World Cup? Well, I had kept an open mind. I’m glad I did. Even though I only did one game I thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle. Where else can we see Europe’s finest take on South America’s finest in something meaningful? I do a lot of international tournaments following England and the group stages are always the best part. Everyone from around the World is still there, everyone’s happy because the proper serious stuff hasn’t kicked off yet.
Seattle certainly had these vibes. After the games River fans and Inter fans were swapping shirts, swapping scarves, swapping flags, sharing a drink together and laughing together. There’s no doubt that FIFA’s new flagship tournament has some work to do – but I enjoyed myself in this first iteration.
Ok you’ll have to bare with me on this one, because I only just about understand it myself. But there’s a “play out” happening tonight in Serie B. A play out, so much as I can figure out, is the same as a play off. But they don’t always happen. They only sometimes happen.
Welcome to another Calcio madness…
So the relegation from Serie B is settled by the bottom three going down. Sometimes it’s the bottom four though. But sometimes you can finish 5th bottom and be relegated. How? Well it depends how fair ahead of 4th bottom you finish. Still with me?
If you finish the Serie B campaign in 20th, 19th or 18th you’re down no matter what. Now normally the 17th place team will also be relegated. But there could also be a play out between the 17th and 16th place team as long as the gap between them is 4 points or fewer. So finishing 16th guarantees you safety as long as you finish 5 points ahead of 17th placed team.
But the season finished three weeks ago, so what’s been the hold up? We all saw the scenes of Sampdoria being relegated and the top class shithousing from Genoa supporters celebrating? How come they’re playing tonight.
Sampdoria were relegated to Serie C for the first time in their history. Or were they?
Well, it’s “simple” really. Sampdoria finished 18th, so were relegated. Salernitana were 17th and Frosinone were 16th, separated by a point and Brescia were 15th by dint of having better goal difference than Frosinone.
And then the news broke that broke hearts of Calcio fans of a certain vintage. Brescia had gone bust, they probably won’t be around anymore and their financial misfortune could cost them points. The FIGC acted swiftly and dished out a 4 point penalty at the end of the season.
That meant that Sampdoria have been briefly spared. Brescia took the 18th place after that and Sampdoria escaped automatic relegation to move into 17th. The biggest winners? Frosinone. They’re now not involved in the relegation picture at all.
The final table after the 4 point deduction to Brescia
Cue absolute legal pandemonium. Brescia are obviously challenging the ruling, Salernitana aren’t happy and Sampdoria are remaining suspiciously quiet. There’s suits and countersuits going on all over the place and beneath it all, Sampdoria take on Salernitana in the first leg tonight.
Sampdoria haven’t been spared some shenanigans from their city rivals Genoa though. The Genoa fans are determined to make sure Sampdoria play in front of an empty stadium and have taken advantage of Samp putting tickets on at €5 each to fill the ground. They’re purchasing up tickets in the name of Genoa legends past and present and plan to then leave the seats empty.
Whatever happens tonight and next week, it’s not a situation where the FIGC covered themselves in glory and it doesn’t reflect well on Italian football that these situations come up. But it can’t take away the excitement of two winner takes all games.
Keep your eyes on this one, even when the football is done, I don’t think we’ve heard the last of this relegation battle.
Here it is then, finally, the long awaited part three to the Calcio weekender review! After two days in Bologna, it was time to actually spend a day there. With no travelling to be done for this match, there’s a bit of tourism writing here!
Bologna had never really ever occurred to me as a tourist destination. Sure you go to Milan, Rome, Sicily, Turin – but Bologna? Short of being the home of bolognese, I didn’t really know anything about it.
Well hold on to your hats folks, because it turns out it’s bloody beautiful. Not as hustly and bustly as some of the bigger cities I mentioned earlier, Bologna is chilled. A perfect place to spend a day sat outside cafes with a coffee watching the world go by.
Not that there’s nothing to do there. Isabelle and I left the apartment with a clear plan of our day after a quick Google. We had plans, we’d researched what we were going to do, so what could go wrong?
Well. It was Monday by now. Despite the fact I was off work, booked annual leave and wasn’t supposed to be contactable, I work in sales so I’m never really off the clock other than weekends or Christmas. And sure enough, I was awoken by the sound of my work mobile going off. A crisis for one of my customers that needed sorting.
Cue an entire morning of back and forth phone calls with the customer and my office, with Isabelle’s face increasingly more fuming as the minutes passed! Don’t get me wrong, being sat in my office dealing with the crisis wouldn’t have been anywhere near as nice as sitting in a cafe Piazza Maggiore dealing with it.
Crisis resolved, I was marched back to the apartment by Isabelle to deposit the work phone and focus on her and Bologna. That’s where I noticed I still had Andrea’s sons fan card from Parma a few days before. Surely not, what a ballache!
A quick phone call, and I had an address to send it to. But no stationary to send it with and no idea how to send it. I figured it must be easier to post in Italy than when I get home so Isabelle and I set off for the nearest Post Office.
Now if you think UK/US post offices are a nightmare, at least you speak the language. PostItalia in Bologna was at least air conditioned but that’s where the positives end. When my number was called I approached the desk and opened with my best, “Ciao, Inglese??”. To be met with a firm shake of the head. Well how the fuck are we going to do this?
Turns out there’s no phone signal or free WiFi in this particular branch so speaking into Google translate is out. No amount of gesturing to the fan card, then to the address on my screen was working. Shouting “SEND” or “POST” while doing it wasn’t working either.
Finally, the bloke in the next booth was done with his client and apparently spoke some English and came to help. It cost me roughly €5 all in for the envelope and postage and I swiftly sent the tracking number to Andrea and wished him all the best in receiving because who knows if it’s making it there!
Well, it’s time to enjoy our day in Bologna, surely. We head straight for Le Due Torre, a large tower sticking out of the ground made of the local red brick. Nowadays it sticks out like a sore thumb but apparently in Bologna’s heyday there were loads of these towers all over town.
Le Due Torre
As we arrive, there’s a notice on the door, it’s closed for renovations while we’re out of season. Of course it is. Now what? Back to Google. The Clock Tower is open, over in Piazza Maggiore. Looks like that’s the plan.
We head over and finally greeted with a bit of good luck. It’s open and tickets aren’t ridiculously priced. It’s a shame there’s no lift to the top, but Italy is a country with many old buildings so I didn’t really expect one. I’m not a man exactly built for lots of stairs but the Clock Tower breaks it up nicely with art exhibitions on each floor so it’s not just constant climbing. The views from the top are great, over Piazza Maggiore, the entire city and over to the hills outside of town.
Your guides in this journey
There’s just sight of the evening entertainment too, right over in the distance you can catch a glimpse of the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara. Home of Bologna FC since 1927. Tonight Isabelle and I are finishing our Calcio epic at Bologna v Napoli, an exciting prospect in a Serie A season where Napoli are chasing down Inter (they eventually succeeded, spoiler alert) and Bologna are pushing hard for a return to the Champions League (they fell away late and didn’t make it).
First, we need some lunch and it was time to embrace a tradition for Isabelle and I. Some people also partake, some people think we’re mad to do it in Italy. But we always, wherever we visit across the World, always, have a McDonald’s one day for lunch. For those who don’t know, the menus in McDonald’s are wildly different all over the World so we always insist on seeing what each country offers that the UK doesn’t.
Sorry…
On this occasion, Italy didn’t really offer anything more exciting that being able to have a beer with my meal, my favourite thing about European McDonald’s. I went for a spicy chicken burger of some description while Isabelle went for her favourite food of all time, wings – something else unavailable in the UK.
Our afternoon was spent exploring the rest of the town fairly aimlessly, basically walking around flitting from bar to bar, it’s matchday and I’m English so obviously beer is required. It’s also always required when there’s a city with the ambience and weather of Bologna.
When I tell you this city is beautiful, there’s no lie, it is gorgeous. The architecture on nearly every building is unique and ornate. I’ve no doubt that if I headed out of the centre to the outskirts I’d see the normal high rise flats built in the 1970s, but I’ve rarely seen a city centre like this.
We stumbled across the Finestrella. A small canal running along a street in Bologna, and rather cheekily named “Little Venice” locally. It’s literally one canal so I’m not sure it can rival Venice, or even Milan’s Navigli area! There’s a small window in a wall that opens out onto the street, but there was an awful long queue of travel influencers queuing up to take videos of the window opening to a trending audio. If you head across the road there’s an equally good view which is below.
Finestrella
As we edged closer to match time, I decided we should get some dinner. Kick off was at 9pm so around 5pm I thought we should eat and begin our journey to the ground. The stadium is around a 30/40 minute walk and I had designs on pub crawling down there!
We ate at Sfoglia Rina on a few recommendations. There’s no reservations so expect to queue, but we weren’t waiting longer than ten minutes for a table. Sfoglia Rina all feature fresh pasta made on site and is a popular place with locals and tourists alike. There’s one large table in the middle where different groups can all sit together. Not really my thing, so we plumped for a small table for two on the outside.
Isabelle was keen to have a proper Bologna bolognese and went for the Taglietelle Bolognese Ragout, which was delicious and I had the Gramigna with Sausage Ragout. It was absolutely fantastic. A great meal to end our time in Italy.
Tasted better than it looked!
After the meal, we popped into the Celtic Druid Irish Pub around the corner, we’d been in a couple of times when returning from the other cities and I knew there was a lot of Bologna FC themed decoration and figured there’d be some fans in pre-match.
I wasn’t wrong and the atmosphere was lively. I love the way Italians talk so expressively and with their hands. Even though I don’t know what they’re saying, I can pick out footballer and team names, there’s so much discussion on the previous weekends Calcio going on here.
We have a couple of pints here and begin the long trek to the ground, stopping at a few pubs along the way. The amount of people on the street increases the closer we get and there’s a few livelier fan bars here. In one I’m immediately accused of being “Napolista” because I’m different to them. I refer him to the fact I’m English and show Isabelle’s scarf bought earlier at the club shop in the City Centre and I’m immediately bought a sambuca and welcomed. I’m not sure how many more sambucas I can take.
When we head to the ground it’s about half an hour before kick off, and this is a mistake. The beautiful old facade to the stadium is also the only entry point to that stand, which is where our tickets were. There’s only two gates and two long queues stretch in either direction and in a very Italian way there’s absolutely no organisation. The queue is carnage, absolute chaos. It’s anarchy. The Brit in me breaks out in a cold sweat.
The other uniquely Italian thing about the queue is across the road from it, it is easily the biggest moped parking area I’ve ever seen. It raises a smile in me, this is a unique country and I love it.
Italy…
We eventually get into the ground about 5 minutes before kick off and head to our seats and we’re confronted with another Italianism of football matches. Just because your ticket has a seat number on it, unless you get in early don’t expect to be able to sit there.
It’s every man for himself and we arrive to our seats to see them filled with Napoli fans. Again, in Italy it’s very common for away fans to sit in any area of a stadium and not just the allocated away section. You won’t find them in the ultras section obviously, but they’re generally accepted. If you’re watching your team as an away team in the home end, just don’t rub it in if you’re winning. You’re allowed to cheer the goals, but not excessively, then sit down and shut the fuck up is basically the rules.
Chaos reigns in the queue…
Even last year at the Milan derby I was sat with both Inter and Milan fans who were chatting about the game together.
Anyway, the section we’re in is crazy, the game is sold out so rather than go in the hunt for two seats together, we plonk ourselves down on the stairs with a few others and watch the first half. Napoli take the lead after 18 minutes through Anguissa. It’s a scrappy goal that started with some nice football and Anguissa going through 1v1. The goalkeepers attempt to close him down results in a messy “rounding” of the keeper by Anguissa who taps in as he’s falling over.
No one in a Napoli shirt cares how good or scrappy the goal is though, and they’re up. Flares are lit and the noise cranks up a level in the ground. Bologna aren’t in the game and they’re in danger of being overrun here. Napoli can smell blood after Inter’s draw on Saturday.
Napoli fans all over the ground celebrate taking the lead…
Half time comes and Isabelle and I have noticed a smattering of empty seats right down at the front, so we head there (via the bar). Down in position right in the front row, we strike up conversation with a half drunk guy next to us. He’s Scottish and travelling Italy watching football, and came to this game to see the obvious Scott McTominay, but also last season’s best midfielder winner Lewis Ferguson who turns out for Bologna.
As the second half gets underway Bologna have decided to play. They’re much more positive, much more decisive and much quicker. The Napoli section quietens down and the Bologna ultras step it up. They’re rewarded in the 64th minute when Dan Ndoye scores a quite audacious goal. Meeting a cross from the left he flicks it through his own legs with his heel, the ball rising to meet the underside of the bar and settle in the back of the net.
Dan Ndoye celebrates his equaliser…
They deserve the equaliser and there’s absolute pandemonium. Suddenly Conte’s team look happy with their point and there’s a ten minute spell where they look like they won’t get it. Eventually, the game settles back down and rather peters out in the final few minutes. Napoli have done a good job of killing the momentum Bologna were enjoying.
All told, the point is probably deserved. It’s not terrible for Napoli who saw Inter also drop points. And it kind of helps Inter out too. As we leave the ground with our new Scottish friend in tow, there’s a row of buses waiting and we hop straight on one heading for the City Centre.
We depart the bus outside the Celtic Druid pub and head in for a nightcap. The trip to Italy is coming to an end and tomorrow I’ll be hungover in an airport heading for home. It’s been three fantastic days and we haven’t seen one team win a game, witnessing three draws. I guess that’s almost appropriate for a country whose entire football identity is built on strong defence.
Writing these reviews of the long weekend have done nothing to quench my thirst to get back out to Italy and watch some more Calcio. I was over there 4 times last season and it wasn’t enough. As I mentioned back in part one, in my opinion Italy does food, beer, football (and women) better than anyone in the world and I think it comes from passion. Watch an Italian talk to another person and there’s passion oozing out of them, they apply the same to cooking, their football, to everything. Last week the fixtures for 2025/26 were released and I’m already planning trips.
As the blog begins, it seems that I should lend some credibility to my self proclaimed “expertise” in Italian football. And like every other love story, it came about with falling in love with an experience rather than an individual. The weekend in question is one of my most recent experiences, but by far the most varied so it seemed like the best place to start. This blog will cover day one, so look out for days two and three coming…
In early April I travelled for “just another” Calcio weekender with my 15 year old daughter Isabelle in tow. I guess that makes us a little unique too, most people go to matches with their mates or their son, I take a 15 year old girl. Anyone who knows anything about 15 year old girls will know that spending time with Dad isn’t always viewed as cool and they certainly don’t appreciate early starts and late finishes! But God bless her, my kid Isabelle goes with it and I tend to pay for it the couple of days after we’ve returned.
Pizza and beer and football are three of my favourite things and I think the Italians do them all better than most of Europe.
So I earmarked the first weekend in April. Inter were away at Parma, which is not a million miles from Bologna. Bologna is easily accessible with Ryanair via London Stansted and the rail network in Italy meant that we had easy access to Parma. Further to this, Bologna would play Napoli the same weekend. With both Inter and Napoli chasing a Scudetto I knew there was no chance Italian TV schedules would allow the games to be on the same day.
£55 later and Isabelle and I have return flights booked from Stansted to Bologna. Ok, £55 is stretching it a bit, I added prebooked seats, fast track security and a checked bag for us to share so it was more like £200 between us. But come on, £100 a head to get to Italy and back in relative comfort once I’d added everything on? I can’t go to Manchester from London for that!
My go to when travelling is always Airbnb. I don’t really know why, hotels are great, especially if you can get breakfast included. I just like the local experience and those apartment buildings in Italy are a great authentic experience. We chose one on Via Pescherie Vecchie just off the central Piazza Maggiore. Naturally, with Ryanair and a night flight, it was late so we didn’t arrive at the apartment until 1:30am on Saturday morning, but whatever, we’re on holiday. Who cares?
The check in was so easy, there was a lockbox that I had a code to, we opened it and found the apartment key and let ourselves in. The place was “cosy” but again, who cares, we’re only sleeping here.
The ambience at 1:30am betrayed the ambience for the rest of our trip. At check in we were completely alone, waking up at 8am we were atop a busy bustling market street with Parma ham, parmesan and coffee the main wares being sold. Truly, it was fantastic, the sights and smells of Italy right there, absorbed in the culture. What else was there to do but head for a coffee in the Piazza. Honestly, sat there with my daughter with a cappuccino in the sun, picking at a croissant I have never felt so anti-Brexit. Europe is fantastic, what the hell were we doing leaving this place??
The chilled start to the day belied what was to follow. Saturday was the day of Parma v Inter. We still had to get to Parma, then we had to find tickets. Shit, I never mentioned, I still had no tickets for the main game we came to see! I’d tried online, surely I would secure a Parma ticket? They hadn’t sold out all season! Bullshit, they sold this game out immediately. No ticket. Well, there’s always a chance on the day…
The next best thing was paying slightly over the odds on Vivaticket. Secondary reselling sites are common in Italy and mostly they’re ok to be trusted. You’ll pay more than you would directly to the club, but if you’re desperate to see the game it’s a really good option. The only problem here was, nothing was hitting the website!
Now we reached desperation time. I joined every Parma fan group on Facebook. It must be possible, people must be surely not travelling to the game who have season tickets. Surely they’ll help out a foreigner in need?? Surely??
For about a week before the match I hit nothing but brick walls. But fuck it, I could travel to the game and surely find someone selling there? Isabelle and I set off for Parma from Bologna station, for a mere €14 each return. This is something I need to praise Italy for. The transport system is a joke compared to the rest of Europe. It’s cheap and it’s more often than not on time. Don’t get me wrong, try to get to Como in peak summer season and the trains arrive whenever they feel like it, but I’ve had nothing but broadly positive experiences on Trenitalia. I tend to use the English website to buy my tickets and just download them to my phone, but the big stations have super helpful staff who all speak your language and will help. Definitely don’t get caught without a ticket though! The wrong ticket’s fine, your ignorance as a tourist will be accepted, but having no ticket is a problem!
Anyway, 1h10 minutes or so later, Isabelle and I are pulling into Parma and the first thing we see is the Inter team bus parked up at a hotel opposite the station. We hang around for a bit, hoping for photo opportunities that never materialise before jumping in a cab to the ground. We’d hoped to explore Parma a bit but the tickets are more pressing. It’s a shame because Parma looks magnificent.
As we arrive at the Stadio Ennio Tardini, there’s hustle and bustle everywhere. But no one selling tickets! We hang around the shop, the ticket office and are informed that maybe by 3pm there’ll be some returns for sale. Not exactly promising. I increase my desperation to the Facebook Groups – “Please, I’m English, I’ve only travelled for the game” – but no response. Well, we have three hours, so let’s go grab lunch.
Easy as pie in Italy, avoid anything touristy looking and you’re getting a fantastic meal for next to nothing. The food is incredible in this country, always has been, always will be. It’s the first thing that always comes to mind when you think of Italy; pasta and pizza. So true to form, we drop into the first place we walk past and Oh My God look at this pizza below! Parma Ham and Parmigiana! That, in the sun with a cold beer and the world of work felt a million miles away!
Then suddenly a breakthrough… a message on Facebook, from a knight in shining armour! It was a simple message, “I have a woman ticket. 14 year old ok”. First I’d ever heard of a woman’s only ticket, but then there was a pin dropped to a pub around half a mile from the ground. And this is where it gets interesting. Really interesting!
Isabelle and I set off immediately on foot towards the pub, Google Maps reckons 25 minutes but I’m half running. We pass the ground and are now heading in the opposite direction, please god please!
On the final stretch a truly bizarre encounter. As we wander up the road, a VERY familiar figure walks out in front of us. No, surely it isn’t? It is, someone else just asked for a photo… “Lilian!” I shout, “A picture?”
Somehow, in this little back street cut through in Parma, I’ve bumped into former Parma and Juventus player and French World Cup Winner Lilian Thuram. His son now plays for Inter so it makes sense he’d be in attendance for this match. A lovely bloke, with very little English, he happily posed for photos with Isabelle and I before we head off to the pub.
As we approach the pub, it’s clear this is a testosterone charged environment. This is the Ultras. Mattia greets Isabelle and I at the door and ushers us in, I duly buy him a pint.
Now, the Ultras have a very mixed reception in Italy and Europe. Viewed on by some as nothing more than hooligans, but by others – including themselves – as the life blood of the club. They travel to every match, they rally the team when required, they organise charity events and they fill the stadium with noise and get every chant going. And yes, they fight each other.
It’s a complicated relationship that clubs have with their Ultras and the other fans at the clubs, which I won’t go into in any great detail here but if you want to know more, Tobias Jones’ book Ultra is a great insight into their World.
One thing I will say is, if you turn up and you’re ready to get involved and be part of their World – you cannot wish to meet a friendlier and more welcoming bunch. Immediately a Sambuca shot is thrust into my hand, a scarf wrapped around my neck and I’m welcomed.
Their English is probably only slightly better than my Italian and conversation is limited to saying names like “Gianfranco Zola” and everyone nodding and cheering. Mattia brings over his friend Andrea, an absolute tree of a man, who hugs me and welcomes me.
I explain the ticket predicament to him, “No problem”, he says, “we can get you in”. Pints downed, we march off the four of us to the ground, Mattia on his pushbike, and I’m handed Andrea’s son’s season card and his ID. Apparently I’m going to be passing for a 12 year old boy. Andrea explains that I just need to keep my thumb over the picture, “the only check the name matches”. Surely, surely, this isn’t going to work.
As we arrive at the Tardini, the throng of people at the gates parts and we are ushered to the front. Andrea must be a big deal I figure, and even more so when none of our tickets are even checked, we’re ushered into the ground. I hand over – as agreed – a €50 note to Mattia and he takes us into the underbelly of the huge open Kop behind the goal. Again, the queues part and we are handed a beer each, more people come to kiss Andrea on each cheek – yep, he’s the guy here.
Mattia takes Isabelle and I into the stand in the last few minutes before kick off and it is absolute pandemonium in there. People are everywhere, there are far more people than there’s space for and we take our place a third of the way up a staircase. There’s no stewards or security inside this stand, another quirk of the Ultras sections – the club expects them to self police. Largely it works. Yeah it’s over subscribed and there’s a strong smell of weed around, but there’s good vibes only here.
As the game kicks off, no one is paying any attention whatsoever. The young lads down at the front are on their perch, back to the pitch facing the crowd, megaphone to their mouths starting every chant. Flags everywhere wave around, we can only catch glimpses of the match through the singing, jumping, flags and general party vibe. Football is secondary today to everyone just getting together and catching up on their weeks. Perhaps it’s not always like this, Inter are top and Parma scrapping to survive, so defeat is generally accepted before a ball was even kicked.
And sure enough, Darmian gives Inter the lead after 15 minutes and the away section erupts behind the opposite goal. Right on half time, Thuram doubles Inters’ lead with potentially one of the worst goals he’ll ever score. And no one noticed. The noise never stopped, the singing never stopped, the flags never stopped. They’re here to support their team, not to react to a setback.
In the second half a new Parma emerge, pulling a goal back on the hour before equalising on 69 minutes from Ondrejka. And you can bet your life that there were spectacular scenes on the equaliser. Limbs everywhere, people falling downstairs, beers being hurled in the air, pure delirium, this was a brilliant display of emotion and it was impossible not to raise a smile for them. Ultimately they deserved it, they fought right until the end and Inter were poor. The game ended in a draw, this was to be the theme of the weekend, 2-2 but it felt like a victory for Parma. They deserved it.
As we filtered out of the stadium, I joined my new friends back at the same bar and we had a few more beers and sambucas, posed for photos and exchanged numbers to become friends for life. Every now and again I still get a text from Andrea after a matchday and we briefly speak to each other in broken English about football. One day they want to join me in Gillingham for a match, I think they’ll be disappointed by the atmosphere.
I sat on the 10pm train back to Bologna with Isabelle and shared a smile with no words as we ate kebab. This was everything we loved about travelling to Italy to watch football, the experiences, the dashing around, the new friends, the atmosphere and the crazy games. And, above all, it’s only day one. There’s two days left yet…
It’s Monday, so there’s a whole week of the soap opera about to begin. Below is our top ten list of things to look out for happening this week.
1. Serie A Fixture Release – Friday, June 6
Grab your espresso and mark the date—this Friday, the 2025/26 Serie A calendar drops. Fans are praying for a soft opening fixture. Clubs are crossing fingers to avoid an away trip to Bergamo in Week 1. And somewhere in Milan, Allegri is plotting a 1-0 already.
2. Serie C Play-Offs – Semi-Final Stage
It’s chaos, it’s passion, it’s Serie C. Ternana and Pescara will fight it out in the final for a golden ticket to Serie B. Expect drama, flares, debates, and at least one 90th-minute winner to shake things up over the two legs tonight and Saturday.
3. Maurizio Sarri Back at Lazio
Yes, you read that right—he’s back. Maurizio Sarri returns to Lazio just 15 months after quitting. Apparently, absence does make the heart grow fonder (or the board ran out of options). Two-year deal, one big reset button. Get the cigarettes and 4-3-3s ready.
4. Allegri Returns to Milan
AC Milan have turned back the clock and hired Max Allegri. He’s promised structure, pragmatism, and probably a very annoyed Rafael Leão being told to track back more. Milan want trophies. Allegri wants another coat. Let’s see who gets what first.
5. Gasperini Leaves Atalanta
After nine iconic years, Gian Piero Gasperini has waved goodbye to Atalanta and is set to join Roma. One Europa League trophy, countless 3-4-2-1s, and more underdog wins than a Rocky film series. Replacing him? Not so easy. The next coach better love wingbacks.
6. Special Serie A Transfer Window (June 1–10)
A unique transfer window opened on June 1 for clubs preparing for the FIFA Club World Cup. Deals can be registered until June 10. It’s like Black Friday for sporting directors—but with more agents and fewer refunds.
7. Davide Frattesi Transfer Rumours Heat Up
After a Champions League final cameo that never materialised, Frattesi is being linked with a move away from Inter. Juventus, Roma, and even some cheeky Premier League clubs are sniffing around. Inter might sell—but only if the price makes Oaktree raise an eyebrow. Watch this space—and Frattesi’s Instagram stories.
8. AC Milan Push for Samuele Ricci
With Allegri back and reportedly craving a Ricci-type in midfield, Milan are stepping up talks with Torino for the Italian starlet. At this point, Ricci may just walk to Milanello himself to get it over with.
9. Napoli Trademark “McFratm”
In what might be the most Napoli move ever, the club has filed a trademark on Scott McTominay’s nickname “McFratm.” He’s the city’s new cult hero, and merchandising execs are already dreaming up beach towels. All that’s missing is a line of limited edition Limoncello.
10. Juventus’ New Tudor Era Maybe Begins
With Thiago Motta drama behind them (for now), Juventus moved forward under Igor Tudor. The Croatian is a disciplinarian who doesn’t mind upsetting a few stars. Think of him as the anti-Allegri—except with just as much tactical tinkering and slightly better hair, and they look set to make his temporary stay a permanent one.
That’s your Italian football week ahead: part soap opera, part tactical chess, part transfer market circus. And it’s only Monday.
The Calcio Blog 