AC Perugia Calcio

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File:Perugia through the ages 2025.jpg
The performance of Perugia in the Italian football league structure since the first season of a unified Serie A (1929/30).

Associazione Calcistica Perugia Calcio,[1] or simply Perugia, is a professional football club based in Perugia, Umbria, Italy, that competes in the Template:Italian football updater, the third division of Italian football.

Founded in 1905 as Associazione Calcistica Perugia, the club folded in 2005 and were re-founded the same year as Perugia Calcio, before dissolving once again in 2010, taking on its current name.

The club has played 13 times in the Serie A; their best placement was finishing runners-up in 1978–79 year unbeaten, becoming the first team under the round-robin format to finish the Serie A season without defeats. In addition to various minor league titles, the club has won the 2003 UEFA Intertoto Cup, and has made two UEFA Cup appearances. In its Serie A spell under club president Luciano Gaucci around the turn of the century Perugia had some upset wins at home, most notably against Juventus on the final day in 2000, which led to their opponents dropping the title win to Lazio. Gaucci's era ended with relegation in 2004 after which bankruptcy unfolded.

The club's players are nicknamed "biancorossi" (red and whites) due to their historical kit colours, which include red shirts and socks accompanied by white shorts, and "grifoni" (griffins), inspired by their city's heraldic symbol. They play their home matches at the 28,000-capacity Stadio Renato Curi. In the 1979–80 season, they became the first Italian football team to show a kit sponsorship.[2]

History

A.C. Perugia (early years)

A.C. Perugia were founded on 9 June 1905, after the merger of U.S. Fortebraccio and Libertas.[3] During the early 1900s, the club primarily engaged in regional competitions.[4] Throughout the 1930s, Perugia experienced significant growth, culminating in its inaugural promotion to Serie B in 1933. Notably, in 1937, Perugia constructed its first official stadium, Santa Giuliana. After a second promotion to Serie B in the season 1945–46, Perugia spent almost all of the 1950s in the lower divisions.[4]

File:Associazione Calcio Perugia 1933-34.jpg
1933–34 Perugia line-up

A.C. Perugia (1960s-1975)

The 1960s marked a resurgence for Perugia, under the presidency of prominent local entrepreneur Lino Spagnoli. The promotion to Serie B in the 1966-1967 season would mark the beginning of one of the club's most successful periods.[4] Perugia spent the next eight years in Serie B before promotion to Serie A for the first time in 1975.[5] The society underwent profound renewal, with the arrival of Apulian entrepreneur Franco D'Attoma as president and with a new technical and managerial staff, including Ilario Castagner, a former player for the team in the early part of the previous decade, as coach, and Silvano Ramaccioni as sporting director. Several new players joined the team, including defender Pierluigi Frosio, midfielders Franco Vannini and Renato Curi, and forward Paolo Sollier.[6] Sollier gained attention beyond football circles and was known for using a clenched fist salute on the pitch.[7][8] Perugia secured promotion to Serie A with a three-point lead over Como and a four-point lead over Verona.[9][10]

File:1974–75 Associazione Calcio Perugia.jpg
1974–75 Perugia first-team squad

A.C. Perugia (D'Attoma years)

The newly promoted Perugia, competing in the new Comunale di Pian di Massiano stadium, embarked on its inaugural Serie A campaign, retaining much of the squad from the previous season. Their debut match in Serie A was against Milan on October 5, 1975.[11]

File:1975–76 Serie A - Perugia v AC Milan.jpg
Serie A 1975-76 AC Perugia vs AC Milan

On May 16, 1976, Renato Curi - who played a pivotal role in Perugia's journey to Serie A - scored the decisive goal in the Perugia-Juventus match, sealing Torino's victory in the championship against Juventus.[12] Additionally, Perugia made its debut in European competitions during that season, participating in the Mitropa Cup.[12] Curi's performances and goals were crucial in securing Perugia's commendable sixth-place finish in the following season, making them the highest-ranked team excluded from UEFA qualification. Tragically, the talented Curi died on October 30, 1977, from a heart attack during a home match against Juventus, leaving a lasting impact on the club and leading to the stadium's renaming in his honor.[12][13]

Despite this loss, Perugia continued to excel. The following season, they made history by becoming the first team to complete a Serie A campaign undefeated, finishing runners-up in 1979 with 11 wins and 19 draws, resulting in the only unbeaten side not to win a title.[5] Perugia's unbeaten record in the Serie A lasted for 37 matches from April 1978 until October 1979.[14][5] Led by Castagner, the team's cohesive performance saw them finish second in the league standings behind AC Milan, earning widespread admiration as the "Perugia of miracles." Among the key figures in their ranks were captain Pierluigi Frosio, along with Franco Vannini, Antonio Ceccarini, and Salvatore Bagni.[5]

Ahead of the 1979–80 season, Perugia ambitiously signed Italy national team striker Paolo Rossi from L.R. Vicenza.[15] Also notable was President D'Attoma's pioneering commercial deal with the Ponte pasta factory, which marked the first instance of a kit sponsorship for an Italian football team, setting a precedent in the history of Italian football.[2]

Despite Rossi's performance as a goal scorer, the team couldn't replicate their previous success, seeming overwhelmed by newfound fame. Perugia struggled in the league and their first UEFA Cup appearance ended early in the round of 16 against Aris Thessaloniki.[16] The ongoing absence of a key midfielder like Vannini, who later retired due to injury, further hindered their season.[17]

However, as the club appeared to have solidified its position in Italian football, an unexpected turn of events occurred. In March 1980, the Totonero scandal erupted, implicating Rossi himself and indirectly impacting Perugia's fate. The team collapsed, finishing the season in a nondescript seventh place and was penalized five points in the following season, which ultimately led to relegation in 1981.[5]

A.C. Perugia (1980s)

The club spent the first half of the 1980s trying to get back to Serie A, nearly succeeding under the management of Aldo Agroppi in the 1984-1985 season, narrowly missing promotion back to Serie A by just one point, setting records for the fewest defeats (1) and most draws (26 out of 38 matches) in the Serie B, a sign of potential resurgence.[18] However, the club's decline continued, culminating in a double relegation to Serie C2 in 1986 due to their involvement in the 1986 Totonero scandal, despite already facing relegation on the pitch.[19] It was during this time that Fabrizio Ravanelli would be discovered, he would later go on to a career with Reggiana, Juventus, Middlesbrough and several other clubs before returning to Perugia.[20]

A.C. Perugia (Gaucci years)

In 1991, the entrepreneur and sportsman Luciano Gaucci took control of the club.[21] His impactful legacy with the team endured until 2005, characterized by notable moments, including the contentious attempt to recruit the first female footballer for a male Serie A side, an unexpected victory against championship contender Juventus in 2000, and the triumph in the Intertoto Cup in 2003.[21][22]

Gaucci, known for his unconventional methods of dealing with players, coaches, and journalists, expressed his determination to swiftly return the Biancorossi to the top flight, a goal he achieved within five years.[21] To accomplish this, Gaucci initiated significant transfer campaigns in the early 1990s, making notable signings such as Giuseppe Dossena and Giovanni Cornacchini.[23] Despite narrowly missing promotion in the 1991–1992 season, Perugia secured promotion to Serie B the following year after defeating Acireale in a playoff match. However, the joy was short-lived as Gaucci was embroiled in a scandal involving a gift of a horse to the family of a favorable referee, leading to the denial of Serie B promotion by the Italian Football Federation.[24] Nevertheless, the 1993–1994 season saw Perugia, led by Ilario Castagner, dominate their group and earn promotion to Serie B, with Cornacchini clinching the top scorer title for the second consecutive year.[25] The team's stay in Serie B lasted only two seasons, as they achieved promotion to Serie A in the 1995–1996 season under the guidance of Giovanni Galeone. Led by captain Federico Giunti and striker Marco Negri, Perugia secured promotion with a dramatic victory over Verona, ultimately sealing their return to the top flight after a fifteen-year absence.[26]

Perugia started well before Gaucci's decision to replace Galeone with Nevio Scala.[27] The side's form subsequently declined before a late rally gave them a chance of survival- a 2–1 defeat at Piacenza in the final round ultimately determined relegation by tie-breaker rules due to finishing level on points.[27] With Castagner back in charge, Perugia won a play-off with Torino to secure a return to the top flight.[28]

The next six seasons saw Perugia hold their own in Serie A with foreign imports including the Japanese international Hidetoshi Nakata in 1998 and the Ecuadorian top goal scorer Ivan Kaviedes.[29] The team came under scrutiny when Gaucci criticised and eventually terminated the contract of his own player, Ahn Jung-Hwan of South Korea, for scoring the golden goal that knocked Italy out of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and allegedly insulting the Italian nation. Ahn's national manager Guus Hiddink spoke out against the sacking.[30]

In the summer of 2003, Perugia signed English striker Jay Bothroyd, and Al-Saadi Gaddafi (the son of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi).[31] Soon after, the club were one of three winners of the 2003 UEFA Intertoto Cup after beating VfL Wolfsburg of Germany 3–0 on aggregate. This qualified the team to the 2003–04 UEFA Cup, in which they were eliminated in the third round by PSV Eindhoven.[32]

Perugia Calcio (2005–2010)

The new chairman Vincenzo Silvestrini had re-established the club in 2005 as Perugia Calcio.[33]

After a takeover, in 2009 Perugia Calcio property passed to Perugian entrepreneur and former Pisa owner and chairman Leonardo Covarelli. On 21 May 2010 the Court of Perugia declared the bankruptcy of Perugia Calcio srl.[34] Nobody decided to take over the society at the subsequent auction[35] and on 30 June 2010 the club was unable to join the Italian third level championship 2010–2011. The Italian Football Federation decided on 8 July 2010 to revoke the affiliation of the bankrupt Perugia Calcio Srl.[36]

A.C. Perugia Calcio (2010–present)

In July 2010, a new club with the same denomination as ASD Perugia Calcio and inheriting the old side history, was entered into the Serie D with local entrepreneur Roberto Damaschi as chairman.[37]

On 10 April 2011, Perugia became the first team of the season to get promoted from Serie D to the Lega Pro Seconda Divisione 2011–12, after a 3–2 home victory against Castel Rigone.[38] The club also won the 2010–11 Coppa Italia Serie D, beating Turris 1–0 in the final.[39]

In summer 2011 the club was renamed Associazione Calcistica Perugia Calcio, to play in the Lega Pro Seconda Divisione/B obtaining immediate promotion to Lega Pro Prima Divisione.[40] On 4 May 2014, beating Frosinone 1–0, AC Perugia won the 2013–14 Lega Pro Prima Divisione championship and gained promotion to Serie B after a 9-year absence from Italy's second highest football division. Additionally, Roman entrepreneur Massimiliano Santopadre acquired full ownership of the club's shares.[41]

On 2 May 2021, Perugia finished in first place in group B of the 2020–21 Serie C, and were promoted back to the Serie B.[42] Their promotion came after consecutive wins in the last five games on the season, having been in third place, six points from first place.[42] The club was relegated back to Serie C at the end of the 2022–23 Serie B season.[43]

Players

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Current squad

As of 7 February 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".[44]

<templatestyles src="Template:Football squad player/styles.css" /> Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Template:Fba/core Luca Gemello
4 DF Template:Fba/core Daniel Leo (on loan from CrotoneScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".)
5 DF Template:Fba/core Gabriele Angella (Vice-captain)
6 MF Template:Fba/core Giovanni Giunti
7 FW Template:Fba/core Mamadou Kanouté (on loan from TrapaniScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".)
9 FW Template:Fba/core Daniele Montevago
10 FW Template:Fba/core Ryder Matos
11 FW Template:Fba/core Alessandro Seghetti
12 GK Template:Fba/core Francesco Yimga
13 DF Template:Fba/core Peter Amoran (on loan from ParmaScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".)
14 FW Template:Fba/core Riccardo Barberini
15 DF Template:Fba/core Cristian Dell'Orco
16 MF Template:Fba/core Paolo Bartolomei
17 FW Template:Fba/core Andrea Cisco (on loan from SüdtirolScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".)
18 MF Template:Fba/core Luca Di Maggio (on loan from Inter MilanScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".)
20 MF Template:Fba/core Joselito
21 GK Template:Fba/core Giovanni Belia
22 GK Template:Fba/core Marco Albertoni
23 MF Template:Fba/core Francesco Lisi
No. Pos. Nation Player
24 MF Template:Fba/core Emanuele Torrasi
25 MF Template:Fba/core Andrea Ambrogi
26 DF Template:Fba/core Giulio Brunori
27 DF Template:Fba/core Filippo Cottini
28 DF Template:Fba/core Davide Riccardi
29 MF Template:Fba/core Jérémie Broh
30 FW Template:Fba/core Giacomo Marconi (on loan from ParmaScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".)
33 MF Template:Fba/core Louis Agosti
44 DF Template:Fba/core Noah Lewis
46 MF Template:Fba/core Matteo Giorgetti
52 DF Template:Fba/core Gianmarco Bussotti
54 GK Template:Fba/core Davide Romagnoli
67 DF Template:Fba/core Matteo Plaia (on loan from RomaScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".)
73 FW Template:Fba/core Matteo Polizzi
84 FW Template:Fba/core Adrian Lickūnas
91 DF Template:Fba/core Mouhamed Souare
94 DF Template:Fba/core Francesco Mezzoni (on loan from NapoliScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".)
98 DF Template:Fba/core Federico Giraudo
— DF Template:Fba/core Moustapha Yabre

Out on loan

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No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK Template:Fba/core Luca Moro (at Giana Erminio until 30 June 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".)
— DF Template:Fba/core Matteo Viti (at Monza until 30 June 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".)
— DF Template:Fba/core Raul Morichelli (at Messina until 30 June 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF Template:Fba/core Silvio Antonio Squarzoni (at Caldiero Terme until 30 June 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".)
— FW Template:Fba/core Luca Bacchin (at Pianese until 30 June 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".)

Coaching staff

As of 10 December 2024Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Position Name
Head coach Template:Flagicon Lamberto Zauli[45]
Assistant coach Template:Flagicon Andrea Costa
Goalkeeper coach Template:Flagicon Alessandro Greco
Technical coach Template:Flagicon Gian Marco Ortolani
Athletic coach Template:Flagicon Stefano Cellio
Rehab coach Template:Flagicon Matteo Valeri
Academy manager Template:Flagicon Mauro Lucarini [45]
Chief doctor Template:Flagicon Giuliano Cerulli [45]

Honours

League

Cups

European

Divisional movements

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Series Years Last Promotions Relegations
A 13 2003–04 - Decrease 3 (1981, 1997, 2004)
B 29 2022–23 Increase 3 (1975, 1996, 1998) Decrease 6 (1935✟, 1948, 1986⇊, 2005✟, 2020, 2023)
C
+C2 		33
+3		 2023–24 Increase 6 (1933, 1946, 1967, 1994, 2014, 2021)
Increase 2 (1988 C2, 2012 C2)		 Decrease 3 (1939, 1951, 2010✟)
78 out of 92 years of professional football in Italy since 1929
D 13 2010–11 Increase 4 (1938, 1940, 1959, 2011) never
E 1 1929–30 Increase 1 (1930⇈) never

Records

European record

UEFA Cup

Season Round Club Home Away Aggregate Reference
1979–80 First Round Template:Flagicon Dinamo Zagreb 1–0 0–0 1–0 [16]
Second Round Template:Flagicon Aris 0–3 1–1 1–4
2003–04 First Round Template:Flagicon Dundee 1–0 2–1 3–1 [48]
Second Round Template:Flagicon Aris 2–0 1–1 3–1
Third Round Template:Flagicon PSV Eindhoven 0–0 1–3 1–3

UEFA Intertoto Cup

Season Round Club Home Away Aggregate Reference
1999 Second Round Template:Flagicon Pobeda 1–0 0–0 1–0 [49]
Third Round Template:Flagicon Trabzonspor 0–3 (f) 2–1 2–4
2000 Second Round Template:Flagicon Standard Liège 1–2 1–1 2–3 [50]
2002 Third Round Template:Flagicon Stuttgart 2–1 1–3 3–4 [51]
2003 Third Round Template:Flagicon Allianssi 2–0 2–0 4–0 [52]
Semi-final Template:Flagicon Nantes 0–0 1–0 1–0
Final Template:Flagicon Wolfsburg 1–0 2–0 3–0

References

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  5. ↑ a b c d e f Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  33. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  34. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  35. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  36. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
  37. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  38. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  39. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  41. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  42. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  43. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  44. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  45. ↑ a b c Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  46. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  47. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  48. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  49. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  50. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  51. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  52. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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External links

Template:Sister project

  • Template:In lang Script error: No such module "Official website".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Template:Perugia Calcio seasons Script error: No such module "navbox". Script error: No such module "navbox".

Template:Serie C teamlist

Template:UEFA Intertoto Cup winners Script error: No such module "Coordinates".

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