L.R. Vicenza

L.R. Vicenza, commonly referred to as Vicenza, is an Italian football club based in Vicenza, Veneto. Founded in 1902 as Associazione del Calcio in Vicenza, they became Lanerossi Vicenza in 1953, then Vicenza Calcio from 1990 to 2018, a year which saw the club going bankrupt and being put under controlled administration in order to preserve the Serie C spot at the end of the 2017–18 season. Renzo Rosso, owner of fashion brand Diesel, merged its Bassano Virtus and some of the assets of Vicenza Calcio into one team, L.R. Vicenza Virtus, which will play in Vicenza, while the two sides will preserve their distinct youth teams. Vicenza is the oldest team in Veneto; officially founded on 9 March 1902 by the then dean of Liceo Lioy, Tito Buy, and the physical education teacher of the same school, Libero Antonio Scarpa.

Vicenza
Full nameL.R. Vicenza S.p.A.
Nickname(s)I Biancorossi (The White and Reds)
I Berici
Lanerossi
Founded9 March 1902
GroundStadio Romeo Menti
Capacity12,000[1]
OwnerOTB Group
ChairmanRenzo Rosso[2]
Head coachFrancesco Baldini
LeagueSerie C Group A
2021–22Serie B, 17th of 20 (relegated via play-offs)
WebsiteClub website
Away colours

The club currently plays in Italy's Serie C, having spent the entire 1960s, most of the 1970s and a large part of the 1990s in Serie A. They won the 1996-97 Coppa Italia and reached the semi finals of the Cup Winners' Cup the following season, losing to eventual winners Chelsea.

History
The performance of Vicenza in the Italian football league structure since the first season of a unified Serie A (1929/30).

Vicenza competed in the Italian Championship for the first time in 1911; reaching the finals for the title before being defeated by Pro Vercelli, one of the top Italian clubs at the time. During the 1920s and the 1930s, the team played in the lower divisions, reaching the first division for the first time in 1942. In the last round of the season, a 6–2 win versus Juventus in Turin, meant a final relegation escape.

In 1947, Vicenza finished fifth in Serie A, but were relegated at the end of the following season.

Lanerossi Vicenza
1953–54 L.R. Vicenza

The early 1950s were quite troublesome due to economic problems, but in 1953 the club was bought by Lanerossi, a woollen firm from Schio, with the side being renamed Lanerossi Vicenza.

Between 1955 and 1975 Vicenza never left the top level, always putting a hard fight against more established clubs. In this period the side was also known as Nobile Provinciale (Noble Provincial).

In 1964 and 1966 it finished 6th, with the Brazilian Luis Vinicio finishing league's top-scorer in the former with 25 goals.

In 1975 the club was relegated, however, after winning the 1976–77 second division, they would eventually finish runners-up in the following season with a young Paolo Rossi led the scoring charts with 24 goals. In that year the side was nicknamed Real Vicenza. Club chairman Giuseppe Farina had just bought the striker from Juventus for a then record fee of 2.6 billion lire, but the team would eventually drop two divisions in just three seasons.

1973–74 L.R. Vicenza

In the mid-1980s, Roberto Baggio started his career at the club, leading it in 1984-85 to the Serie B. In 1986 Vicenza achieved a top flight promotion that was subsequently denied due to its involvement in the second Totonero match-fixing scandal. The club was soon relegated back to Serie C1.

Vicenza Calcio
1990–2018 Vicenza Calcio logo

In 1990 Vicenza took back its current name and was promoted to Serie B in 1993, thanks to coach Renzo Ulivieri. His successor, Francesco Guidolin took the team back to Serie A in 1995, and led it through successive successful seasons. After finishing ninth in the league, the club won the 1996–97 Italian Cup with a 3–1 aggregate win over Napoli, eventually reaching next year's Cup Winners' Cup semi-finals, being defeated by Chelsea after winning the first leg in Vicenza for 1–0.

In 1999 the team was relegated to Serie B and after a return to the top flight in 2000–01, was relegated to Lega Pro Prima Divisione in 2005, after losing a relegation playout against Triestina. However, the club was readmitted to Serie B as F.I.G.C. had determined that Genoa C.F.C. had fixed the final match of the season.

In the season 2011–12 the club was relegated to Lega Pro Prima Divisione after losing the relegation play-off against Empoli. Vicenza, however, were reinstated in Serie B at the eve of the 2012–13 season in place of Lecce for its role in the 2011–12 Italian football scandal.[3] However, the club finished the 2012–13 in 19th place; missing out on the play-out and were finally relegated after reprieves in the previous two seasons.

2014–15 Vicenza Calcio

Vicenza ended the 2013–14 season in fifth place, being successively defeated by Savona in the promotion play-offs, and were due to play the 2014–15 season in the unified Lega Pro division, that would have featured an unprecedented crosstown derby against Real Vicenza. However, the dissolution of Siena meant Vicenza were promoted to become the 22nd team in Serie B. Vicenza were relegated again at the conclusion of the 2016–17 Serie B after finishing 20th.

Changes in ownership

The club entered a debt restructuring process since March 2016, which the new director stating that the club required a re-capitalization of at least €20 million.[4] Vi.Fin. S.p.A., a special purpose vehicle for a consortium of new investors, provided just €2.5 million new shares of the club in May 2016. Immediately before the recapitalization, Vi.Fin. acquired most of the shares of the club from Finalfa S.r.l., a company owned by Sergio Cassingena.[5]

Former Vicenza chairman Tiziano Cunico and CEO Dario Cassingena were also sued by the prosecutor of Italian Football Federation (FIGC) in September 2016 for allegations of reporting false profits from player exchanges with Parma; where prices were inflated relative to their performances in the first team.[6] The players under the investigation that involving Vicenza were Sandrini (sold to Parma for Malivojević; both players were tagged for €1.2 million)[6] Eventually the club and directors were inadmissible from the charge due to expiry of the legal proceeding.[7][8][9] In a different matter, Dario Cassingena was sentenced 10 months (in probation) by the Court of Vicenza, after the football club failed to paid the value-added tax in time.[10]

On 1 June 2017 the contract of general manager Andrea Gazzoli was resolved in a mutual consent[11] and on 5 June, Alfredo Pastorelli resigned as the chairman; citing the financial troubles of the club.[12] On 10 July 2017, Luxembourg-based Boreas Capital Sàrl announced it would buy the club. The parent company of Boreas Capital was Dubai-based G.S. Holding.[13]

However, the club faced another financial trouble during the first season of new ownership. Football Italia reported that the club failed to pay the wage since September 2017.[14]

Vicenza was declared bankrupt on 18 January 2018.[15] The team finished as the 17th of the group B of 2017–18 Serie C season, beating Santarcangelo in a relegation "play-out" matches.[16]

The Rosso years: L.R. Vicenza Virtus/L.R. Vicenza

On 24 May 2018, Bassano Virtus, a fellow Serie C team also from the Province of Vicenza owned by Renzo Rosso and his family, were relocated to Vicenza for the 2018–19 Serie C, starting using also the white-and-red Vicenza colours and being renamed L.R. Vicenza Virtus, while keeping both the youth systems of Vicenza and Bassano.[17] The new club was lately formalized as a merger between the original Vicenza and Bassano Virtus, following Rosso family's OTB Group's acquisition of some of the assets of Vicenza Calcio in order to make the merger possible.[18][19]

The newly-formed L.R. Vicenza Virtus finished in eighth place in the 2018–19 Serie C season.[20] They were promoted the following season as Group B champions, thus marking Vicenza's return to Serie B after just two years.

On 1 July 2021, the club dropped "Virtus" from its official name, thus being renamed L.R. Vicenza S.p.A..[21]

Kit Manufacturer and sponsors

Kit Manufacturer

Sponsors
  •  ?000–2017: Banca Popolare di Vicenza[22]
  • 2017–2018: Acciaierie Valbruna[23][24]

Honours

League
  • Serie B
    • Winners: 1954–55, 1976–77, 1999–2000
  • Serie C
    • Winners: 1932–33, 1939–40, 2019–20

Cups
  • Coppa Italia
    • Winners: 1996–97
  • Coppa Italia Serie C
    • Winners: 1981–82

International friendly
  • Benelux Cup
    • Winners: 1961
  • Uhrencup
    • Winners: 1965

Divisional movements
SeriesYearsLastPromotionsRelegations
A 302000–01- 5 (1948, 1975, 1979, 1999, 2001)
B 372021–22 5 (1942, 1955, 1977, 1995, 2000) 5 (1935, 1981, 1987, 2013, 2017)
C 222019–20 6 (1933, 1940, 1985, 1993, 2014, 2020)never
89 out of 90 years of professional football in Italy since 1929
D 11929–30 1 (1930)never

Players

Current squad
As of 1 September 2022[25]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  SVN Rok Bržan
2 DF  ITA Federico Valietti (on loan from Genoa)
4 DF  ITA Christian Corradi
5 DF  ITA Marco Bellich
6 MF  ITA Loris Zonta (Captain)
7 MF  ITA Nicola Dalmonte
8 MF  BRA Ronaldo
9 FW  ITA Franco Ferrari
10 FW  ITA Stefano Giacomelli
11 FW  ITA Alex Rolfini
13 DF  ITA Nicola Pasini
14 DF  ITA Emanuele Padella
15 MF  ITA Jean Freddi Greco
17 MF  ITA Fabio Scarsella
19 FW  SVN Tjaš Begić
No. Pos. Nation Player
20 MF  ESP Kaleb Castillo (on loan from Salernitana)
21 MF  ITA Riccardo Cataldi
22 GK  ITA Matteo Grandi
23 DF  ITA Daniel Cappelletti
24 FW  ITA Filippo Alessio
27 FW  ITA Matteo Stoppa (on loan from Sampdoria)
31 GK  ITA Sebastiano Desplanches
68 DF  ITA Mario Ierardi
73 DF  ITA Thomas Sandon
77 MF  ITA Michele Cavion
80 MF  ITA Alessandro Favero
88 MF  ITA Enrico Oviszach
94 FW  ITA Tommaso Busatto
98 GK  ITA Alessandro Confente

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK  ITA Nicolas Gerardi (at Montebelluna until 30 June 2023)
— DF  FRA Sebastien De Maio (at Modena until 30 June 2023)
— DF  ITA Nicholas Fantoni (at Ancona until 30 June 2023)
— DF  ITA Mattia Santi (at Virtus Verona until 30 June 2023)
— MF  ITA Stefano Cester (at Arzignano until 30 June 2023)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF  TOG Malik Djibril (at Fidelis Andria until 30 June 2023)
— MF  ITA Matteo Manfredonia (at Imolese until 30 June 2023)
— MF  ITA Federico Proia (at SPAL until 30 June 2023)
— MF  ITA Raul Talarico (at Virtus Verona until 30 June 2023)
— MF  ITA Simone Tronchin (at Virtus Verona until 30 June 2023)

Retired numbers
3 – Giulio Savoini[26]
25 – Piermario Morosini, Midfielder (2007–09, 2011) – posthumous honour.[27]

Notable former players

Notable former managers
  • Otto Krappan (1933–34)
  • József Viola (1934–36)
  • András Kuttik (1937–39)
  • Elemér Berkessy (1948–49)
  • Alfredo Mazzoni (1950–51)
  • Fulvio Bernardini (1951–53)
  • Aldo Campatelli (1954–55)
  • Béla Guttmann (1955–56)
  • Roberto Lerici (1957–62)
  • Giovanni Varglien (1957–58))
  • Aldo Campatelli (1965–66)
  • Umberto Menti (1967)
  • Arturo Silvestri (1967–68)
  • Umberto Menti (1968)
  • Ettore Puricelli (1969–71)
  • Umberto Menti (1971–72)
  • Ettore Puricelli (1973–75)
  • Chinesinho (1976)
  • Giovan Battista Fabbri (1976–79)
  • Renzo Ulivieri (1979–80)
  • Giancarlo Cadé (1981–83)
  • Bruno Mazzia (1982–83)
  • Bruno Giorgi (1983–86)
  • Tarcisio Burgnich (1986–87)
  • Romano Fogli (1989–90)
  • Renzo Ulivieri (1991–94)
  • Francesco Guidolin (1994–98)
  • Franco Colomba (1998–99)
  • Edoardo Reja (1998–01)
  • Eugenio Fascetti (2001–02)
  • Adelio Moro (2001–02)
  • Andrea Mandorlini (2002–03)
  • Giuseppe Iachini (2003–04)
  • Gianfranco Bellotto (2004–05)
  • Giancarlo Camolese (2005–06)
  • Angelo Gregucci (2006–09)
  • Rolando Maran (2009–11)
  • Nedo Sonetti (2010)
  • Silvio Baldini (2011)
  • Luigi Cagni (2011–12)
  • Massimo Beghetto (2012)
  • Luigi Cagni (2012)
  • Roberto Breda (2012–13)
  • Alessandro Dal Canto (2013)
  • Giovanni Lopez (2013–14)
  • Pasquale Marino (2014–16)
  • Franco Lerda (2016)
  • Pierpaolo Bisoli (2016–17)
  • Vincenzo Torrente (2017)
  • Alberto Colombo (2017)
  • Nicola Zanini (2017–18)
  • Franco Lerda (2018)
  • Nicola Zanini (2018)
  • Giovanni Colella (2018–19)
  • Michele Serena (2019)
  • Giovanni Colella (2019)
  • Domenico Di Carlo (2019–)

In Europe
source:[28]

UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
Season Round Club Home Away Aggregate
1997–98 First Round Legia Warsaw 2–0 1–1 3–1
Second Round Shakhtar Donetsk 2–1 3–1 5–2
Quarter-finals Roda 5–0 4–1 9–1
Semi-finals Chelsea 1–0 1–3 2–3

UEFA Cup
Season Round Club Home Away Aggregate
1978–79 First round Dukla Prague 1–1 0–1 1–2

References
  1. "Stadio "ROMEO MENTI" | Vicenza Calcio | Official Website". Archived from the original on 29 June 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  2. "Vicenza, critiche alle raccattapalle minorenni: Renzo Rosso denuncia i centri anti-violenza". corriere del Veneto (in Italian). 27 November 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  3. "FIGC AMMETTE IL VICENZA IN B - legaserieb.it". Archived from the original on 15 May 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
  4. "I soci di Vi.Fin. hanno abbandonato il Vicenza Calcio". Il Giornale di Vicenza (in Italian). Athesis. 23 May 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  5. "Vi. Fin. spa acquisisce le quote di maggioranza di Vicenza Calcio spa" (in Italian). Vicenza Calcio. 30 May 2016. Archived from the original on 3 July 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  6. "Procura Federale: deferiti 12 dirigenti sportivi e 4 società" (in Italian). Italian Football Federation. 14 September 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  7. "Comunicato Ufficiale N°125/CFA" (PDF). Corte Federale d'Appello (in Italian). Italian Football Federation. 20 April 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  8. "Comunicato Ufficiale №93/TFN – Sezione Disciplinare (2016–17)" (PDF). Tribunale Federale Nazionale – Sezione Disciplinare (in Italian). Italian Football Federation. 13 June 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  9. Russo, Pippo (7 March 2018). "Vicenza, plusvalenze senza rischi: la FIGC assolve tutti nel silenzio generale e i club falliscono - parte 1". calciomercato.com (in Italian). Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  10. "L'evasione dell'Ivacosta dieci mesi a Dario Cassingena". Il Giornale di Vicenza (in Italian). Athesis. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  11. "Comunicato – Andrea Gazzoli" (in Italian). Vicenza Calcio. 1 June 2017. Archived from the original on 8 June 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  12. "Comunicato – Presidente Alfredo Pastorelli" (Press release) (in Italian). Vicenza Calcio. 5 June 2017. Archived from the original on 24 June 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  13. "Boreas Capital Ing. Pioppi: obiettivo rilanciare il progetto sportivo del Vicenza Calcio" (Press release) (in Italian). Vicenza Calcio. 10 July 2017. Archived from the original on 20 July 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  14. "Vicenza players on strike". Football Italia. Tiro Media. 12 January 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  15. "Vicenza declared bankrupt". Football Italia. Tiro Media. 18 January 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  16. "CAMPIONATO SERIE C –CLASSIFICHE UFFICIALI 2017/2018" (PDF) (in Italian). Lega Pro. 27 June 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  17. "Lettera aperta dal Presidente Stefano Rosso" (Press release) (in Italian). Bassano Virtus 55 Soccer Team. 24 May 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  18. Written at Vicenza. "Serie C Vicenza, ufficiale: Rosso è il nuovo proprietario". Corriere dello Sport (in Italian). Rome. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  19. Written at Vicenza. "Serie C, Vicenza: arriva 'Mister Diesel': Rosso acquista la società". La Repubblica. Rome: GEDI Gruppo Editoriale. 18 June 2018. ISSN 2499-0817. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  20. Ghirelli, Francesco (27 June 2019). "CAMPIONATO SERIE C 2018-2019" (PDF) (in Italian). Florence: Lega Pro. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  21. "Ottenuta l'autorizzazione della FIGC al cambio di denominazione sociale in L.R. Vicenza S.p.A." (Press release) (in Italian). L.R. Vicenza. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  22. "Presentazione Ufficiale della Squadra" (in Italian). Vicenza Calcio. 25 August 2011. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  23. "DOTT. MASSIMO AMENDUNI: CREDIAMO IN QUESTO PROGETTO" (Press release) (in Italian). Vicenza Calcio. 10 July 2017. Archived from the original on 3 August 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2018.{{cite press release}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  24. "Main Sponsor of Vicenza Calcio" (Press release). Bolzano: Acciaierie Valbruna. c. 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  25. "Vicenza squad". Soccerway. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  26. "Ritirata la maglia biancorossa numero 3 in memoria di Giulio Savoini" (in Italian). Vicenza Calcio. 28 July 2015. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  27. "Vicenza retires No. 25 jersey in honor of Morosini", Goal.com
  28. "Vicenza Calcio at UEFA.com". Uefa.com.
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