Venezia FC: The club built on water rising to the top of Italian football
Most titles and promotions are celebrated on an open-top bus. In Venice, they do it on a gondola.
Steeped in history and culture and renowned globally for its architectural grandeur and distinct waterways, the Italian city is not normally associated with its football club.
However, after three bankruptcies in 10 years – each leading to readmittance to Italian football’s fourth tier – that could all be about to change.
Promoted back to Serie A following a 19-year absence, Venezia FC are on the rise following a turbulent period in the club’s history.
Their 10 men heroically held on in last season’s play-off final second-leg against Cittadella, before a 93rd-minute goal sealed victory and triggered scenes of jubilation among the players and staff at the Pier Luigi Penzo Stadium, little more than a mile from the city’s iconic Piazza San Marco.
Those scenes were upstaged somewhat as the players, joined by a parade of boats and waved on from the bridges as supporters showed their gratitude on both land and water, took to the city’s canals in a unique celebration of their achievement.
“This is the way the club always celebrated,” Venezia’s technical director and former striker Paolo Poggi told BBC Sport.
“To see the happiness in the eyes of the players, the staff and the owners and to enjoy it with all the supporters on the bridges – for me it was like a dream, it was a dream come true.”
Poggi, who both started and ended his playing career with his hometown club before taking up his current role, added: “If I think of that moment I feel so happy, especially after a difficult year with Covid.
“In the past 12 years the club had a lot of problems, big problems. We lost an entire generation of supporters, we lost the soul of the club. It was not easy.
“Luckily we are still here but it could have been different.”
The unique celebrations in the streets and waterways that followed Venezia’s promotion depict a passionately supported club – but it is one which could all too easily have faded from existence.
The 1941 Coppa Italia winners were relegated from Serie A in 2002 following their third top-flight campaign in four years, and a period of relative stability unravelled overnight as then-owner Maurizio Zamparini sold up and took 12 players – plus the manager – with him to Palermo.
The club would have to start again in the fourth tier in 2005, 2009 and 2015 as it teetered on the brink of financial ruin.
Yet, following a third bankruptcy in a decade, its rebirth as Venezia FC in October 2015 would pave the way for three promotions in six seasons.
Rescued by ambitious American investor Joe Tacopina, whose eye-catching appointment of former AC Milan boss Filippo Inzaghi as manager secured successive promotions to Serie B, the club completed its recovery under the guidance of current president and former New York Stock Exchange chief Duncan Niederauer.
Coach Paolo Zanetti has since been rewarded for his contribution with a new contract until 2025 as Venezia hope for a more certain future.
“I never had the chance to play with the club in Serie A so to be part of it now means a lot to me,” said Poggi, who was born close to the stadium and would watch training and matches every week before his own career began.
“Our goal now is to bring the club to be known as the city is known around the world,” he added.
“We play in the second oldest stadium in Italy, on an island – it is something that is unique in the world.
“We want our supporters to feel proud of our football club because they deserve to have a strong club in this city.
“I think now everything is possible. The most important thing is to be in Serie A every season, of course. It is a very crucial season and if we can stay in Serie A I think the future will be bright.”
Agencies