The appointment with history comes 49 days after the victory in Chieti which earned them Serie C. An enormous amount of days in which Campobasso could have given up a bit on a physical and mental level. And instead the rossoblù team so well shaped by Rosario Pergolizzi (who yesterday signed for Regina, Serie D), honored their sporting commitment to the fullest, reaching a national final. At the ‘Carlo Zecchini’ stadium in Grosseto the Amateur championship is awarded: the opponent is the fearsome Trapani who won group I with the beauty of 94 points resulting from 30 victories and 4 draws (zero knockouts) and won from a few days the Italian Amateur Cup. Only two defeats for the Sicilians throughout the season (at home in the first leg of the Cup, against Gavorrano, and again at home, 2-3 against Cavese in the three-way group of the Scudetto pool, however they finished in the lead.
For their part, the Wolves continue their preparation with enthusiasm and serenity. Tomorrow, Saturday, the departure for a match is announced to be open, there will also be Captain Gonzalez who has recovered without worries. Grandis is disqualified, Coquin, Persichini and Nonni are still absent.
The fans are also preparing to support the team in the last match of the season, with summer just around the corner, as well as the arrival on the bench of Piero Braglia. The organized groups will all be part of the match. Overall they should being between one hundred and two hundred, which is an excellent result given the time of the race (6pm on Sunday). At stake is a national championship to show on your chest for the entire next season: only Italian champions Inter will have the same privilege.
It is not the first national final for the Wolves: the one from March 1998 immediately comes to mind, when Maiellaro’s Campobasso prevailed in the double final match against Faenza thanks to the away goal scored by Piccioni in the 2-1 defeat. It was the penultimate match of the lightning-fast management of Franco Villa, who had replaced Belotti, who was torpedoed with the team first in the standings. Villa was sacked a few days after that victory (Wolves defeated by Casertana), replaced by Bavota. Campobasso won the Italian Amateur Cup for the Cnd Phase in front of a hundred cheering fans, but lost the subsequent final against Larcianese, a Tuscan team that had won the Italian Cup of Excellence. However, that was a very strong Campobasso, led on the pitch by the ‘Maradona of Lucera’ Pietro Maiellaro. Other big names include Armanetti, Moretti, Barometro, the goal-scoring defenders Minadeo and Vitiello (14 goals between them) and the twenty-year-old Alfonso Camorani, destined for Serie A.
The other final to remember is the one at the Buozzi stadium in Florence, exactly ten years ago. Campobasso beats Ponsacco 3-2 to win the Italian Cup of Excellence. Around 700 fans are celebrating in the stands (photo) with 7 organized buses. On the pitch, the indestructible Minadeo (the only one to have played in both finals), Lazzarini and Vitelli scored.
As happened on that occasion, even in two days to support the wolf, there will be a large group of ‘red and blue exiles’ or fans who have lived for years in other regions, especially in the North. For now, a coach and some minibuses have been organised. The rossoblù will not be alone in their attempt to succeed Sestri Levante and become champions in a tournament which saw 168 teams competing.
Even the opponents are ready to accomplish the feat. They are excited and happy: yesterday the parade in the city with the open bus and the two cups in evidence. In the evening everyone was relatively relaxed at the Elettra Lamborghini concert. Will they also dance with the wolves?
