Week of lively anticipation for Legnano football. Next Sunday, May 12, on the Varano Brianza pitch, the Lilacs will face Castellanzese in the match that will decide whether or not they will remain in Serie D. For the Lilacs, on the strength of a positive streak that has lasted for eight matchdays, a draw will be enough, thanks to their better position in the standings.
The eve, with the ongoing press blackout, is characterized by a long and detailed outburst by president Enea Benedetto. His story goes from the shares taken over by Montanari to Zattarin’s return to the bench, from moments of tension to reflections on the problems of national football, from investments to heal the club to thanks to the team and fans.
In the end, the closing is an appeal «to support Legnano in this last match with a massive presence at the stadium. All together we will be able to push our boys for this important match and to build a new history of the Club together. Go Lilla!”
When I decided to take over Legnano I was aware of the extent of the challenge. A club with a great history, with a superior category of fans and with a sporting tradition of the highest level which was nevertheless sailing towards relegation, a disheartened environment without a horizon. In just two months we managed to get back on track, with work, with dedication, with the right patience, with a few words and many actions. The choice, criticized but successful, to bring Mr. Zattarin back to the bench and the desire to re-establish a climate of trust and cooperation based on the essentials.
It was definitely not easy and we certainly didn’t solve all the problems. However, we believe we have taken the right direction: we have inherited many situations that require and will require radical recovery. For this reason we had to take drastic measures, based on sobriety, because the capital injection served to clear up past debts and guarantee the conclusion of the season.
I don’t deny the moments of tension or even the difficulties. In some situations there were attitudes that did not help us and were mainly the result of a different conception compared to what it means today to “manage a football club” successfully and sustainably. No one can deny that the new ownership has invested in Legnano and that it wants to continue to do so, but the intention is to start from a very specific idea of sport management based on the sharing of prospective values and healthy company balance sheets.
I am an entrepreneur used to thinking in terms of business effectiveness and sustainability. Unfortunately, the state of health of Italian football is there for all to see. It is enough to observe which results have produced approaches that are distant from this conception. A seriously ill football, with an increasingly mediocre level in an absolute sense and with clubs constantly changing hands, increasingly indebted, almost always without a real “corporate and entrepreneurial” bond with their supporters, who often fail sportingly and not only . All this because there is no proportionality between the costs and revenues of sports clubs. When these are, or rather should be, amateur the phenomenon is even more evident.
We must pursue a new model, based on sustainability, on the quality of management, on the valorization of our young people, on the correct interaction with the territory, with our reference community, with the fans who support us. We must recover a football that is able to convey values. A football closer to the great Captain Valentino Mazzola, always a source of inspiration for me, who went to the stadium by bicycle. We should take inspiration from the passion and loyalty of the great lilacs like Paolino Pulici and Gigi Riva. Men at the top of world football who played mainly for the love of the most beautiful game in the world and to bring happiness to their fans.
On Sunday we will play the season, it’s true. We have already won something, because the confidence and desire to fight for this glorious shirt has returned. For this, I thank the players, who despite the difficulties gave their heart on the pitch. I thank the coach, the staff and all the managers for their precious work. I also thank our fans, including those who have challenged me in recent weeks but have never failed to give their fundamental support to the team.
I appeal to support Legnano in this last match with a massive presence at the stadium. All together we will be able to push our boys for this important match and to build a new history of the Club together.
Go Lilac!
Go AC Legnano!Enea Benedetto, President of AC Legnano Calcio
