The Cult of Calcio – Italian Football Serie A News and Stories in English

The Italian Minister of Sport Vincenzo Spadafora confirmed that the Serie A will resume on June 20 (Photo: EPA/CLAUDIO PERI)

It’s Official: Serie A Will Restart In June, Minister Spadafora Says

May 28, 2020 The Cult of Calcio Staff

It’s official: The Serie A will restart on June 20. The first calcio games to be played, however, will be the remaining Coppa Italia rounds – the second leg of the Semi-Finals (Napoli-Inter on June 13 and Juventus-Milan on June 14) and then the Final in Rome on the 17th. The Italian Minister for Sport Vincenzo Spadafora confirmed that.

Temples of The Cult: The Late Stadio Delle Alpi In Turin

May 25, 2020 Thomas Salvatori

A football stadium is most often a synonym for “home advantage.” That was not the case of the late Stadio Delle Alpi in Turin, however, which both Juventus and Torino reluctantly called their home for 18 years before managing to move away from it. A symbol of waste, poor organization, and underutilization common to many Italian playing grounds.

Gigi Simoni, The Gentleman Coach Who Mentored Ronaldo at Inter

May 23, 2020 Matteo Carnevale

For all football fans, he will always remain Ronaldo’s first manager in the Serie A. Luigi “Gigi” Simoni, a football coach and a gentleman, passed away on Friday at 81. His name is mostly linked to the 1997-98 season when he led Inter to win the UEFA Cup but lost his Scudetto chances in a controversial game against Juventus.

Massimo Maccarone spent 5 years at Middlesbrough, alternating a few good season with some disappointing ones

On Her Majesty’s Service: The Rise and Fall of Massimo Maccarone

May 21, 2020 Luke Phelps

A name that rings true with Middlesbrough fans, Massimo Maccarone was an eccentric addition to the long list of fine Boro strikers. From Fabrizio Ravanelli to Mark Viduka, to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Yakubu, and Maccarone – the Riverside has long been the home of some great forwards, but the latter proved many wrong with his performances.

Italian Football President Gabriele Gravina officiated the meeting which decided the restart of the Serie A season (Photo: ANSA/Riccardo Antimiani)

Serie A To Restart In June, Playoffs In Case of New Suspension

May 20, 2020 The Cult of Calcio Staff

The Serie A will restart in June, and so will the lower divisions Serie B and Serie C. The Federal Council of the Italian Football Federation approved to resume all the major football competitions in Italy. In case of another stop to the games, the Federation will consider resorting to a playoff round to determine the Serie A winner.

The Artemio Franchi Stadium in Florence (Photo: https://www.lamartinelladifirenze.it/pierguidi-il-franchi-e-viola-e-deve-restare-il-cuore-sportivo-di-firenze/)

Temples of The Cult: The Artemio Franchi Stadium In Florence

May 17, 2020 Thomas Salvatori

The Artemio Franchi Stadium in Florence is more than a playing ground. Fiorentina’s home turf is considered an architectural masterpiece of the ‘30s, a clear example of Italian Rationalism, a combination of aesthetic refinement and structural rigor. A stadium that lives up to the beauty of the city it belongs, despite not being the most suitable to watch a football game.

A Horst Hrubesch header gave West Germany the win in the Euro 1980 Final against Belgium (© imago)

The History of The UEFA Euro: 1980, The Belgium Challenge

May 16, 2020 Din Havolli

UEFA Euro 1980 would see an introduction to a new-look tournament featuring eight teams. Italy did not make it past the group stage but cemented the base of a side that would go on to become World Cup champions two years later. Belgium’s golden generation proved to be the tournament surprise despite losing to mighty West Germany in the Final.

Carlo Cudicini became known as a reliable "no. 2" between Chelsea and Tottenham's sticks (Photo: Phil Cole/Getty Images)

On Her Majesty’s Service: Carlo Cudicini Could Have Been a Star

May 13, 2020 Luke Phelps

Carlo Cudicini lasted 22 years as a professional goalkeeper, with 13 of those being spent in England between Chelsea and Tottenham, making him one of the Premier League’s longest-serving Italian stars. But for all his talent, it seems he was always with the wrong club at the wrong time and somehow forged a reputation as a “back-up” player.

Temples of The Cult: The Ennio Tardini Stadium In Parma

May 10, 2020 Thomas Salvatori

Today’s stadium tour takes us to North-Central Italy. We’re going to talk about a playing ground whose history and expansion went hand in hand with that of the team it hosts. This is a story of late glory, unexpected falls, and a slow but deserved resurrection. We are heading to Parma and therefore to the Ennio Tardini Stadium.

The Top 11 Argentinian Players in Serie A (Graphics by Andreea Stefanescu)

The All-Time Top 11 Argentinian Players In Serie A

May 9, 2020 Avram Iclozan

Players from Argentina have been a long-standing presence in Serie A since the league opened its frontiers to foreign players. With so many names to choose from and a couple of spots filled with no explanation needed (did anybody say Maradona?), we are sure our all-time Albiceleste selection in Italian sauce will spark some healthy debate.

Attilio Lombardo had a one-year-and-a-half stint at Crystal Palace (Photo: Action Images)

On Her Majesty’s Service: Attilio Lombardo’s Stint at Crystal Palace

May 6, 2020 Luke Phelps

Attilio Lombardo was one of the most robust right-wingers of the ’90s. He spent a year-and-a-half in England, playing for the newly-promoted Crystal Palace in 1997. His move shocked many, as Lombardo had only just reached the heights of Italian football with Juventus and he swapped that all to become Palace’s star player of an otherwise forgetful season.

The Moral Dilemma of The Newcastle United Takeover

May 3, 2020 Abdullah Bashiti

Imagine being a supporter of a football club, and one day you find out that your club is about to become owned by one of the most criticized states in the world. What would you do? That is the moral dilemma that Newcastle United fans are currently facing as their club seems set to be purchased by controversial Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

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It’s Official: Serie A Will Restart In June, Minister Spadafora Says

Gigi Simoni, The Gentleman Coach Who Mentored Ronaldo at Inter

Serie A To Restart In June, Playoffs In Case of New Suspension

Temples of The Cult: The Ennio Tardini Stadium In Parma

The All-Time Top 11 Argentinian Players In Serie A

Temples of The Cult: The Renzo Barbera or La Favorita In Palermo

Five Reasons Why The Serie A Season Should Be Completed

The Reasons Why Serie A Should Not Restart After Lockdown

Gazzoni Frascara, The Architect of Bologna’s Renaissance

Temples of The Cult: The San Nicola Stadium in Bari

The All-Time Top 11 Brazilian Players In Serie A

The Impact of Coronavirus on The Serie A Transfer Market

It’s Official: Serie A Will Restart In June, Minister Spadafora Says

Temples of The Cult: The Late Stadio Delle Alpi In Turin

Gigi Simoni, The Gentleman Coach Who Mentored Ronaldo at Inter

On Her Majesty’s Service: The Rise and Fall of Massimo Maccarone

Serie A To Restart In June, Playoffs In Case of New Suspension

Temples of The Cult: The Artemio Franchi Stadium In Florence

The History of The UEFA Euro: 1980, The Belgium Challenge

On Her Majesty’s Service: Carlo Cudicini Could Have Been a Star

Temples of The Cult: The Ennio Tardini Stadium In Parma

The All-Time Top 11 Argentinian Players In Serie A

On Her Majesty’s Service: Attilio Lombardo’s Stint at Crystal Palace

The Moral Dilemma of The Newcastle United Takeover