Dark glasses to hide a sleepless night. Pillows under your arm because, no matter how comfortable, six hours in a coach, mini van or car always takes its toll. And the slow, tired, at times stumbling step that seems like that of a war veteran. In fact, there has certainly been a battle, but there are also many smiles printed on the faces of those who still have no intention of going to bed and want to enjoy it to the fullest after hundreds of kilometers covered with the headlights on or just dawned the sunrise. They are the smiles of the Libertassino people, children of a historic promotion to Serie A2 which brings at least one Livorno team back to basketball closer to that of the greats.
Dozens and dozens of amaranth hearts, this afternoon, Thursday 13 June, await the return of the heroes at Porta a Terra. Who arrive around 4pm amidst shuffling chants, smoke bombs always lit and flags that, despite their tiredness, don’t stop waving. The president, staff and players of the Labronica bus get off one by one from the white and amaranth bus of Labronica Libertas Livorno and for them there is only applause, hugs, “high fives” and a lot of gratitude. The promotion cup passes from hand to hand, photos and autographs are ritual, the final greeting without too many pleasantries like in a big family.
That amaranth, in fact, already in fibrillation thinking about the next season and the next away games. Pesaro, Cantù, Bologna. And also Verona, Rimini, Milan on the Urania side, Forlì and Cremona. Which, with all due respect, are certainly not Cassino, Omegna or Salerno, but rather represent what, in the geography of basketball, are the historic squares. Where bread and ball have always been eaten in slices and where Libertas will finally return to compete.
