Brescia Calcio is facing complete collapse. The Italian Football Federation has revoked the traditional club’s professional license.
In 2020, Brescia Calcio was still playing in Serie A, but now the club is facing ruin. As the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced on Thursday, the traditional club, founded in 1911, has had its license for the Italian professional leagues revoked. Brescia played in the second-tier Serie B last season and saved itself from relegation, but the club was deducted four points due to financial irregularities, causing the Lombardy-based club to slip to 18th place and be relegated to Serie C.
Now, however, the club will not be granted a license for the latter either. In its statement on Thursday, the Italian Football Federation listed all unpaid debts and defaults of club owner Massimo Cellino. Cagliari has also not yet paid the registration fee for Serie C, and a required initial guarantee of €350,000 has not been provided either. Brescia, it is said, therefore “does not meet all the conditions and requirements for obtaining the license.”
Cellino has owned the club since 2017, having previously owned Cagliari Calcio and Leeds United, among others. Under his reign, Brescia was initially promoted to Serie A, but was relegated again in 2020. Since then, the club has accumulated millions in debt, with Cellino refusing to pay outstanding player salaries this season, among other things.
Baggio, Pirlo, and Guardiola played for Brescia
“He has trampled on 114 years of history,” said angry captain Dimitri Bisoli in a statement in June. “But Brescia is not him, Brescia is us. Brescia will never die.” However, the future of the club is completely uncertain following the final ruling, and even the dissolution of the traditional club is on the cards. One thing is certain: Brescia will not be playing professional soccer next season.
In the past, Italian soccer legends such as Roberto Baggio, Luca Toni, and Andrea Pirlo played for the club from northern Italy. Current ManCity coach Pep Guardiola was also under contract with Brescia from 2001 to 2003.
