Pro Piacenza (Serie C) Lose 20-0 With Only Seven Players

[Eco]

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Serie C crisis club Pro Piacenza lose 20-0 with only seven players

Serie C crisis club Pro Piacenza were beaten 20-0 at Cuneo on Sunday after being able to field only seven players to start the match, the minimum number needed for a game.

Six of Pro Piacenza's players, including their captain and coach for the day, Nicola Cirigliano, were under 18, while the seventh player to take to the field -- to ensure the game could go ahead -- was their 39-year-old kitman, since one of the youth players had reportedly left his identity papers at home and could not start the game. He later came on as a substitute, once his documents had arrived, after which the kitman -- who had played with a borrowed No. 11 shirt and the name on the back covered with tape -- was forced to limp off due to cramp.

Pro Piacenza were down 16-0 at half-time in the Italian third-tier clash, before going on to lose 20-0.

Their regular playing and coaching staff had refused to travel to Cuneo because of their ongoing wait for overdue wages.

Local media outlet Sport Piacenza abandoned its reporting of the match, writing that readers would be informed of the final result once the "farce" was over.

Francesco Ghirelli, president of the Lega Pro, told Sky Sport Italia: "What happened is an insult to sport and its principles. It's a black page for football. We can only apologise to everybody, above all the fans.

"We need to follow the regulations, but today the notion of sporting loyalty was violated, and it has gone too far. Football has its problems, but the parents also have responsibility -- why put these young kids through such a disgrace? As a parent, I'm really upset about this."

Pro Piacenza had already forfeited three games in Serie C this season and played on Sunday because to miss a fourth would have seen them expelled under league rules. But Lega Pro will check the eligibility of the players fielded by Pro Piacenza, who could be forced to forfeit the game and, consequently, their place in the division.

The club, suffering severe financial problems, was sold for a nominal €1 last summer.

Senior players had been on strike and then left over nonpayment of wages, while those on loan returned to their parent clubs.

Pro Piacenza, which have changed their general manager four times in six months, prop up the rest of the division with just eight points, and relegation is inevitable even if the club gets through the rest of the season.

Cueno, who before the game had scored 18 goals all season, went 17-0 up with 20 minutes remaining, scoring their 20th goal in the 90th minute.

Information from ESPN FC Italy correspondent Ben Gladwell was used in this report.

Cuneo	20 - 0	Pro Piacenza	View events	More info
E. Defendi 3'			1 - 0
E. Defendi 4'			2 - 0
H. Kanis 8'			3 - 0
H. Kanis 10'			4 - 0
M. Emmausso 15'			5 - 0
E. Defendi 16'			6 - 0
H. Kanis 17'			7 - 0
E. Defendi 20'			8 - 0
E. Defendi 22'			9 - 0
G. Caso 24'			10 - 0
H. Kanis 30'			11 - 0
M. Emmausso 32'			12 - 0
H. Kanis 33'			13 - 0
H. Kanis 36'			14 - 0
F. De Stefano 38'			15 - 0
F. De Stefano 44'			16 - 0
F. Ferrieri 58'			17 - 0
N. Alvaro 78'			18 - 0
M. Emmausso 84'			19 - 0
F. De Stefano 90'			20 - 0

[Stan]

Fair play to the kids for stepping up and playing so that the club avoids any further punishment i.e. being kicked out of the league.

How can the Lega Pro president blame the parents of the kids though?! Surely blame the way the club is run and therefore getting to this stage where the older/professional players can't be paid. Perhaps they need to take a closer look at themselves and how their clubs are run financially instead of pointing the finger at the parents of kids who just want to play football! Very weird take by him to point the finger to the parents.

[Inverted]

I think it's hypocritical for the president to talk about loyalty and then say that the boys shouldn't have played - to me, they showed immense loyalty and should be commended. 

However I do sympathise with the rest of the league if certain teams are getting insane GD boosts from playing Piacenza at the right time, and it's distorting the competition.

[Eco]

20 minutes ago, Stan said:

Fair play to the kids for stepping up and playing so that the club avoids any further punishment i.e. being kicked out of the league.

How can the Lega Pro president blame the parents of the kids though?! Surely blame the way the club is run and therefore getting to this stage where the older/professional players can't be paid. Perhaps they need to take a closer look at themselves and how their clubs are run financially instead of pointing the finger at the parents of kids who just want to play football! Very weird take by him to point the finger to the parents.

I think he's blaming the parents for the kids who played, say that they are essentially putting their children in impossible and embarrassing position. 

Just now, Inverted said:

I think it's hypocritical for the president to talk about loyalty and then say that the boys shouldn't have played - to me, they showed immense loyalty and should be commended. 

However I do sympathise with the rest of the league if certain teams are getting insane GD boosts from playing Piacenza at the right time, and it's distorting the competition.

Yeah - It's an odd stance, and this sadly is still all over the place in Italy. Each year clubs go bankrupt and have to start all over. Heck, Serie B only has 19 teams this year after Bari, Avellino & Cesena had to forfeit due to lack of funds. 

Absolute shambles. All of it. 

[Guest]

What happened in the second half did they feel sorry for them?

[Eco]

2 minutes ago, Gunnersauraus said:

What happened in the second half did they feel sorry for them?

I'm sure the manager told them to lay off a bit and just milk the clock. I'm sure he was just as embarrassed as the Pro Piacenza team and players. 

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, Eco said:

I'm sure the manager told them to lay off a bit and just milk the clock. I'm sure he was just as embarrassed as the Pro Piacenza team and players. 

Maybe, it's a bit pointless really isn't it. I remember reading that Germany felt a bit awkward when they beat Brazil 7.1. Alex Ferguson said he didn't enjoy man utd beating arsenal 8.2. He probably would have before but him and Wenger were friends by then.

[Eco]

2 minutes ago, Gunnersauraus said:

Maybe, it's a bit pointless really isn't it. I remember reading that Germany felt a bit awkward when they beat Brazil 7.1. Alex Ferguson said he didn't enjoy man utd beating arsenal 8.2. He probably would have before but him and Wenger were friends by then.

Correct. I think it's different as well between fans, and staff. 

Fans of Germany probably loved beating Brazil by so bad, but staff members who grew up playing this sport, all of which were probably on the losing side of a similar scoreline, start to feel emphasize with the other team. Football, like most industries, can become tight knit and you get close to people on the opposing team, and while you understand you want to win, you don't want to embarrass them because next week that could be you. 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Eco said:

Correct. I think it's different as well between fans, and staff. 

Fans of Germany probably loved beating Brazil by so bad, but staff members who grew up playing this sport, all of which were probably on the losing side of a similar scoreline, start to feel emphasize with the other team. Football, like most industries, can become tight knit and you get close to people on the opposing team, and while you understand you want to win, you don't want to embarrass them because next week that could be you. 

From what I have read Americans have a slightly different culture to winning by heavy margins. In Europe it is seen as bad to stop attacking where as in America as not so sportsmanship like to try to keep scoring when you are assured of a win? That's what i have read

[ScoRoss]

1 hour ago, Gunnersauraus said:

From what I have read Americans have a slightly different culture to winning by heavy margins. In Europe it is seen as bad to stop attacking where as in America as not so sportsmanship like to try to keep scoring when you are assured of a win? That's what i have read

Americans seem to dislike people 'running up the score'. Pretty sure coaches have been fired at high school level for trying to win basketball games by close to 100 points. When you're dealing with kids, it might be a bit different though.

But most of the sports are different from football where goal difference is a thing.

[Smiley Culture]

What is it with lower leagues in Italy going bust numerous times and coming back again and again?

[Eco]

2 hours ago, Gunnersauraus said:

From what I have read Americans have a slightly different culture to winning by heavy margins. In Europe it is seen as bad to stop attacking where as in America as not so sportsmanship like to try to keep scoring when you are assured of a win? That's what i have read

 

43 minutes ago, ScoRoss said:

Americans seem to dislike people 'running up the score'. Pretty sure coaches have been fired at high school level for trying to win basketball games by close to 100 points. When you're dealing with kids, it might be a bit different though.

But most of the sports are different from football where goal difference is a thing.

Yeah - running up the score is seen as a bad taste, but @ScoRoss is correct, in that no American sport cares about points (or goal) differential. Some sports show it, but it has no baring on standings, playoffs, etc. 

[ScoRoss]