There is no more professional soccer at the Mario Rigamonti stadium in Brescia // Photo: bresciacalcio.it
In spring, the club from Brescia finished the season in the second league in 18th place among 20 clubs and relegated to the third league. The federation demanded that the club’s management pay the players and technical staff their salary debts for March and April, as well as those owed to the professional league. The total amount of debts is estimated at €3 million. Brescia owner Massimo Cellino refused to fulfill the debt obligations.
The club was disbanded on June 9 and bankruptcy proceedings began. In early July, the Italian Football Federation issued an official decision on the inadmissibility of “Brescia” in the next season of the third league. The club, which has existed for 114 years, is no longer allowed to participate in professional tournaments, its activities are allowed in amateur status.
“Brescia” was mainly represented in Italy’s second league. It played 23 seasons in Serie A, last dropping out of it in 2020. World famous players played for the club in their time – Italians Roberto Baggio, Luca Toni, Andrea Pirlo, Mario Balotelli, Romanian soccer legend Gheorghe Hadji. Spaniard Josep Guardiola, who also played for the club, became a top-class coach and led Barcelona (Spain), Bayern (Munich, Germany) and Manchester City (England, UK) to victories in national championships, and Spanish and English clubs under him also won the Champions League. From 1991 to 1995, the Brescia coaching staff was headed by Mircea Lucescu, now the head coach of the Romanian national team.
The club played its home matches at the Mario Rigamonti stadium with a capacity of 16,308 spectators. The stadium was built in 1959. Its capacity was 19,550 spectators, but before the 2010/11 season, when the stadium was last renovated, the number of seats for fans was reduced.
