One of the ugliest pages in the history of Italian football has taken place. The Foggia-Catania match was a game that should not have been played under any circumstances. Just 48 hours prior, there were funerals for 12,000 people, where the football world and the ultras community were in mourning.
Foggia coach Ezio Capuano was left fuming after the match, describing the decision to play as “something to be ashamed of”. “We have to be ashamed,” he said. “We have to be ashamed of what happened, of the tragedy, of the three young lives lost, of the two boys fighting for their lives. We have to be ashamed that we didn’t even pay a minute of silence, not on all the fields, not in the Lega Pro, because of this tragedy.”
Capuano’s anger and sadness were palpable as he spoke about the team’s performance, which was overshadowed by the tragic events. “We have to thank the boys because they played a wonderful match and it wasn’t easy, but it’s not just about that match. It’s something that will haunt us throughout the year.”
The coach lamented the lack of consideration shown by those in charge, comparing it to a recent match between Carpi and Milan Futuro, which was postponed due to injuries to two Milan youth players. “Just a few weeks earlier, a match was postponed because two Milan kids were called to the national team. Here, with a tragedy, with three deaths and two fights for life, a match is played.”
Capuano’s words were a poignant reminder of the responsibilities that come with being a coach, a player, and a fan. In a world where football is often touted as a pleasant distraction from the difficulties of everyday life, it is easy to forget the power that sports have to bring people together, to lift our spirits, and to make us forget our troubles.
But on this day, football was a distant second to the humanitarian crisis that unfolded on the pitch. The Foggia-Catania match will be remembered as a dark stain on the history of Italian football, a painful reminder of the darker aspects of our society. And as Capuano so eloquently put it, “whoever allowed this match to be played must have the dignity to be ashamed.”
