Palermo FC

(Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Football club
Palermo
Full namePalermo Football Club
Nickname(s)I Rosanero (The Pink and Blacks)
Le Aquile (The Eagles)
Founded1 November 1900; 123 years ago (1900-11-01) (Anglo Palermitan Athletic and Football Club)
GroundStadio Renzo Barbera
Capacity36,365[1]
OwnerCity Football Group (94.94%)
Hera Hora S.r.l. (5%)
Associazione Amici Rosanero (0.06%)[2][3]
ChairmanDario Mirri
Head coachEugenio Corini
LeagueSerie B
2022–23Serie B, 9th of 20
WebsiteClub website
Home colours
Away colours
Third colours
Current season

Palermo Football Club, shortened to Palermo F.C. and usually simply known as Palermo (Italian pronunciation: [paˈlɛrmo] ), is an Italian professional football club based in Palermo, Sicily, that currently plays in Serie B. It is part of the City Football Group.

Founded for the first time on 1 November 1900 as Anglo Palermitan Athletic and Football Club, Palermo is one of the oldest clubs in Italy

Among the club's accomplishments are a Coppa Italia Serie C, won in the 1992–93, and five Serie B league titles. It also appeared in three Italian Cup finals: in 1973-74, in 1978-79 and in 2010-11; and made 29 appearances in Serie A.

Internationally, the club has made five appearances in European competitions, all in the UEFA Cup/Europa League.

History

The performance of Palermo in the Italian football league structure since the first season of a unified Serie A (1929/30).

Early history (1898–1947)

Ancient Palermo FBC logo
Historical first Anglo-Palermitan Athletic & Football Club line-up, 1900

There is some debate and uncertainty about the exact date the club was founded. Some authorities believe that it may have been founded as early as 1898 due to the existence of papers addressed to Joseph Whitaker an, English ornithologist in Palermo and originally believed to be the first club president, about a Palermo football team founded in April of that year.[4] Conversely, another source cites that in April 1897, the future founders of Palermo Calcio founded the association Sports Club.[5] The most common and officially stated foundation date is 1 November 1900,[6] as the Anglo Palermitan Athletic and Football Club. The club is thought to have been founded by Ignazio Majo Pagano, a young Palermitan colleague of Whitaker who had discovered football while at college in London in the UK, where the modern game of association football originated. The initial staff comprised three Englishmen and nine natives of Palermo,[7] with Whitaker as honorary chairman, Edward De Garston as inaugural president, and red and blue as the original team colors.[citation needed] The first recorded football match, played by the team on 30 December 1900, ended in a 5–0 defeat to an unidentified amateur English team.[citation needed] The club’s first official match, played on 18 April 1901 against Messina Football Club, ended in a 3–2 victory for the Palermitan side.[8]

In 1907, the club changed its name to Palermo Foot-Ball Club, and the team cocolorsere changed to the current pink and black.[9] From 1908 until Italy entered World War I in 1915, Palermo was featured in the Lipton Challenge Cup, organized by Scottish businessman Sir Thomas Lipton. The competition saw them face off against Naples FBC; Palermo won the competition three times, including a 6–0 victory in 1912.[10]

After a gap during the First World War, the club was refounded in 1919 as Unione Sportiva Palermo,[11] by a committee of young university students and sportsmen.[citation needed] During the early 1920s, the club mainly competed in the Campionato Lega Sud, a football league in Southern Italy, reaching the semi-finals in 1924 before being knocked out by Audace Taranto, Alba Roma, and Internaples.[citation needed] The club was dissolved in 1927 due to financial problems but was reformed one year later following a merger with Vigor Palermo under the name Palermo Football Club.[citation needed] Originally admitted to Prima Divisione (First Division), the equivalent of today's Serie C1,[12][13] the team was promoted to Serie B in 1930 and finally reached Serie A in 1932.[citation needed] From its debut season in Italy's top division, Palermo relocated to a new home, the Stadio Littorio (Lictorian Stadium) in the Favorita neighborhood, today known as Stadio Renzo Barbera.[citation needed] The club played in Serie A until 1936 when they were relegated to Serie B and first played Catania in the Sicilian derby.[14]

In 1936, Palermo was forced by the fascist regime to change its colors to yellow and red, after the official colors of the local municipality.[15] Meanwhile, economic difficulties arose, and in 1940 the club was expelled by the Italian Football Federation because of financial problems.[15] A merger with Unione Sportiva Juventina Palermo brought the foundation of Unione Sportiva Palermo-Juventina, which joined Serie C in 1941 and Serie B in 1942.[16]

Palermo goalscorer, Santiago Vernazza

The club could not finish the 1942–43 season due to the outbreak of the Second World War. At the same time, the pink-and-black colors were chosen because Sicily became a "war zone".[citation needed] After the conflict, the club changed its name to US Palermo.

Post-war years (1947–2002)

After the Second World War, the team returned to Serie A by winning the Serie B championship of 1947–48.[citation needed] The new Palermo squad featured players such as Czechoslovakian legend[tone] Čestmír Vycpálek, who signed from Juventus alongside Conti, Carmelo Di Bella and Pavesi.[clarification needed][15] Palermo played Serie A until they were relegated in 1954.[15][17] Massive[quantify] changes in the board, as well as the manager's job and the squad, proved successful, and the club returned to Serie A in 1956. Palermo became a "yo-yo club", bouncing up and down between the top two Italian leagues.[citation needed] Several stars played for Palermo during this period, such as Argentine striker Santiago Vernazza (51 goals in 115 games with the Rosanero),[18] goalkeepers Roberto Anzolin and Carlo Mattrel, Giuseppe Furino and Franco Causio.[citation needed] Palermo marked its best campaign in 1961–62 season, finishing in eighth place in Serie A.[citation needed] In 1963, however, they were relegated to Serie B, where they played for five seasons.[citation needed] Palermo played again in Serie A between 1968 and 1970.

In 1970, Renzo Barbera took over the club as the new chairman.[citation needed] After 1973, Palermo FBC remained firmly rooted[tone] in Serie B.[citation needed] Despite this, Palermo reached two Italian Cup finals, both of which they narrowly lost: in 1974 to Bologna, on penalty shoot-outs,[clarification needed] and in 1979 to Juventus, after extra time.[citation needed] Barbera left the club in 1980, and Palermo were relegated to Serie C1 four years later.[citation needed] The 1985–86 season, however, which ended in the summer,[clarification needed] was the last for Palermo FBC, as, having just saved themselves from relegation, the club was expelled by the football federation due to financial problems.[citation needed] In the summer of 1987, after a year without professional football in Palermo, the club was re-founded bearing a new name, and began to play in Serie C2, which it promptly[tone] won.

In the 1990s, Palermo played between Serie B and Serie C1 with a few highs, such as its 1995–96 Serie B and Coppa Italia campaign, the latter ending in the quarter-finals, and a number of lows such as the 1998 relegation to Serie C2 after defeat in the play-offs to Battipagliese, later revoked by the federation to fill a vacant league slot.[19]

In March 2000, Roma chairman Franco Sensi led a holding company to purchase Palermo and Sergio D'Antoni became the president of Palermo[20] and Palermo were promoted to Serie B one year later after a dramatic[tone] final week of the season, with Palermo coming back from behind[clarification needed] to take first place from league-toppers Sicilian rivals Messina.[citation needed] The first comeback season in the Serie B, with Bortolo Mutti as head coach, was an eventless one, with Palermo ending in a mid-table placement.

The Zamparini era: back to Serie A and European years (2002–2013)

Palermo chairman and owner Maurizio Zamparini

In the summer of 2002, Friulian businessman and Venezia owner Maurizio Zamparini acquired the club from Franco Sensi in a €15 million bid, with the clear intention to bring Palermo back to Serie A and establish the club as a Serie A regular with aims of participations to European competitions.[21] Palermo failed in its first attempt to reach the Serie A in 2002–03 on the final week of the season, but later managed to[tone] achieve it after a hard but successful[vague] 2003–04 campaign, which saw Palermo crowned[tone] as Serie B champions and promoted to Serie A after 31 years, under head coach Francesco Guidolin, who was hired in January 2004 as replacement for dismissed Silvio Baldini.[citation needed]

The 2004–05 season, the first in Serie A for the Palermo club since 1973, ended with an excellent[tone] sixth place, securing qualification for the 2005–06 UEFA Cup for the first time in its history.[citation needed] Luca Toni broke the Palermo Serie A scoring record by notching up[tone] 20 league goals.[citation needed] In the following season, despite an unimpressive[tone] eighth place in the Serie A table, Palermo reached the last 16 in the UEFA Cup as well as the Coppa Italia semi-finals.[citation needed] The club was, however, admitted to play UEFA Cup again, due to the 2006 Calciopoli scandal, with Palermo players Andrea Barzagli, Cristian Zaccardo, Simone Barone and Fabio Grosso being crowned[tone] 2006 World Cup winners.[citation needed] A number of impressive[tone] signings were made to establish an ambitious team,[22] and a good beginning in the 2006–07 campaign appeared initially to confirm this.[original research?][citation needed] An 11-game winless streak, however, forced Palermo to fall down[tone] from third to seventh place, ending the season in fifth place and ensuring another UEFA Cup qualification.[citation needed] The club successively[clarification needed] established as a force[tone] in the mid-table part of the Serie A league, also winning a Campionato Nazionale Primavera national title in 2009.[23]

The following season started with new manager Walter Zenga, whose appointment from Sicilian arch-rivals Catania was greeted with surprise and dismay from supporters of both parties;[24] Zenga's reign, however, lasted only 13 games, as he was dismissed on 23 November 2009 due to poor performances, ironically after a 1–1 home tie to Sicilian rivals and Zenga's former team, Catania,[25] with former Lazio boss Delio Rossi being appointed at his place.[clarification needed][26] Under the tutelage of Delio Rossi, results dramatically improved, and Palermo established a record of seven consecutive home wins, including wins against Italian giants[tone] Milan and Juventus, and emerging as serious contenders for a Champions League spot, which they ultimately lost to Sampdoria by only one point.[citation needed] Such season[clarification needed] also launched new emerging stars such as midfielder Javier Pastore and goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu, who went on to become integral part[clarification needed] of their respective international teams.

Former club captain Fabrizio Miccoli

The 2010–11 season started with Delio Rossi still in charge of the club, and also marked Palermo's return into continental football in the form of the UEFA Europa League.[citation needed] Palermo reached their third Coppa Italia finals after defeating Milan 4–3 on aggregate on 10 May 2011, losing 3–1 to Internazionale in the final, in what is considered[by whom?] one of the peak moments of Zamparini's period at the club.

Zamparini's later years and Serie B return (2011–2018)

For the 2011–12 season, Delio Rossi was replaced by former Chievo boss Stefano Pioli, who was, however, sacked before the Serie A kickoff, after being eliminated by Swiss minnows[tone] FC Thun in the Europa League third preliminary round; new head coach Devis Mangia, with no managerial experience other than at youth team and minor league level;[clarification needed] despite that, Mangia turned Palermo fortunes by leading the Rosanero in fifth place thanks to an impressive string[tone] of six consecutive home wins, thus deserving a long-term deal at the club.[tone][citation needed] A string of poor results, however, led Palermo to three consecutive defeats, including elimination from the Coppa Italia and a disappointing[tone] loss in the Sicilian derby, persuading Zamparini to replace Mangia with the more experienced Bortolo Mutti.[27] Palermo arrived 16th in that season.[clarification needed]

Giuseppe Iachini, formerly a Palermo midfielder in the 1990s, replaced Gattuso as head coach during the 2013–14 season and led the club to a Serie B champions title and broke the highest-Serie-B-point record

For the 2012–13 season, Zamparini came with another staff revolution, appointing Giorgio Perinetti as the new director of football and Giuseppe Sannino as the manager, both coming from Siena.[citation needed] A complete squad restructuring, a total five managerial changes and some staff changes (including a short stint with Pietro Lo Monaco as sports director) did not help, and Palermo ended its season in 18th place, being thus relegated to Serie B after nine consecutive seasons in the top flight.

For the new Serie B campaign, Zamparini appointed former Milan and Italy international star Gennaro Gattuso as the new manager,[28] despite him having little prior managerial experience; he was sacked in September 2013, the 28th sacked manager in 11 years.[citation needed] Fortune was reversed rather[tone][vague] rapidly, however, as Palermo regained promotion back to Serie A for the 2014–15 season under the guidance of new head coach Giuseppe Iachini, with the Rosanero completing a record-breaking Serie B season with 86 points, one more than previous record holders Juventus, Chievo and Sassuolo (all of them in the 22-team Serie B format).

With Iachini confirmed in charge, Palermo played a rather[tone][vague] successful 2014–15 Serie A season, narrowly missing on a UEFA Europa League spot also thanks to the all-Argentine striking force of Paulo Dybala and Franco Vázquez.

In 2015–16 season, Palermo started their season without Dybala after the youngster[tone] moved to Juventus; the Rosanero therefore relied on senior striker Alberto Gilardino to play as a partner of Vázquez.[citation needed] Another long list of managerial changes during the season (seven in total, with Davide Ballardini as the final one)[citation needed] marked a very troublesome[tone] season, during which Palermo escaped relegation on the last day of the league with the necessary win over Hellas Verona 3–2, securing 16th place.[29]

For the 2016–17 season, Zamparini re-appointed Rino Foschi as director of football; he however resigned after just a month in charge and was replaced by former Trapani director Daniele Faggiano.[citation needed] Most senior players such as Gilardino, Sorrentino, Vázquez and Maresca were sold and mostly replaced with Alessandro Diamanti plus a number of young and quasi-unknown foreign players.[citation needed] Ballardini, who was originally confirmed as head coach, left his position after a draw at Inter Milan at the second matchday of the season and was replaced with Serie A newbie Roberto De Zerbi[30] who ended his stay after seven league losses in a row, with former club captain Eugenio Corini taking over.[31] More managerial and staff changes followed with little luck[tone][vague][citation needed] and, on 27 February 2017, Zamparini stepped down as chairman of Palermo after 15 years in charge, announcing he had agreed in principle to sell his controlling stake to an unspecified Anglo-American fund,[32] led by Italian-American Paul Baccaglini who was named new club president on 6 March.[33]

Palermo ended the season in 19th place, being relegated to Serie B.[citation needed] The takeover, originally scheduled to be finalized by 30 April 2017 and then delayed by 30 June, eventually collapsed[tone] after Zamparini, who in the meantime had appointed Bruno Tedino as new head coach for the 2017–18 Serie B campaign, rejected the final offer he received from Baccaglini.[34] On 4 July 2017, Baccaglini resigned as Palermo chairman, falling back into the hands of Zamparini,[tone] after the necessary funds were not in place.[vague][35]

Palermo's campaign in the 2017–18 Serie B aimed for an immediate return to the top flight, with Bruno Tedino as head coach and Fabio Lupo as director of football.[citation needed] Initially, the team's form was good and the Rosanero ended the first half of the season in first place; however, a string of negative results led to the appointment of new manager Roberto Stellone, who was ultimately unable to win promotion, ending the regular season in fourth place and eventually losing the playoff finals to Frosinone.

New ownerships, financial issues and Serie B exclusion (2018–2019)

For the 2018–19 Serie B season, Palermo (with Rino Foschi back for a third time as sporting director) found themselves having to sell a number of players for financial reasons.[citation needed] On 22 November 2018, the club formally confirmed a takeover agreement between Zamparini and an undisclosed investor,[36][37] later confirmed to be the London based Sport Capital Group Investments Ltd., with English businessman Clive Richardson, head of the new group, being named as new club chairman.[38] Following a January 2019 transfer window with no signings at all and serious tensions within the board,[clarification needed][citation needed] Clive Richardson (chairman) and John Treacy (director) both resigned from the club with immediate effect on 4 February 2019, citing that the full nature of the serious financial situation at the club had not been fully disclosed to them at the time of their purchase.[39] Days later, the club was acquired for a nominal fee by Daniela De Angeli (former managing director from the Zamparini days) and Rino Foschi (appointed as chairman),[40][41] only for them to sell it again to hotel and tourism company Arkus Network S.r.l. later in May.[42][43][44][45] The new owner, Sporting Network S.r.l., subscribed a €5 million capital increase to the club.[45]

At the end of the 2018–19 Serie B, Palermo finished in third place with 63 points but was demoted by FIGC to last place in Serie B on 13 May due to serious financial irregularities, which meant relegation to Serie C for the following season.[46][47] The club appealed to FIGC against this ruling and were successful in having the penalty revised; rather than automatic demotion, the club was merely docked 20 points instead, which consequently placed them in a comfortable mid-table eleventh position.[48] However, on 24 June 2019, Palermo incorrectly submitted to FIGC their standard application for the following 2019–20 Serie B season, by failing to provide evidence of a valid insurance policy for the new season.[49] A club trading with no insurance is an extremely serious breach of Italian company law, and as such FIGC had no alternative but to formally exclude the club not only from Serie B, but indeed all professional leagues, on 12 July 2019.[50]

A fresh start, City Football Group ownership (2019–present)

On 23 July 2019, in compliance of Article 52 of N.O.I.F., Mayor of Palermo Leoluca Orlando confirmed six declarations of interests had been presented for a new phoenix club to be admitted in Serie D, the highest level of non-professional football in Italy, for the 2019–20 season.[51] The next day, Orlando announced his choice of a bid by a company named "Hera Hora srl", jointly owned by entrepreneurs Dario Mirri (a Palermo native, and Renzo Barbera's nephew) and a Sicilian-American, Tony DiPiazza.[52] Palermo completed their Serie D campaign in first place, and was awarded promotion to Serie C by the Italian Football Federation after all the amateur leagues were stopped in March 2020 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.[53] On 16 July 2020, the club changed its name to Palermo Football Club.[54]

Palermo, under the guidance of Silvio Baldini, concluded the 2021–22 Serie C campaign in third place in the Group C, behind Bari and Catanzaro, and then made it to the promotion playoff final against Padova after eliminating Triestina, Virtus Entella and Feralpisalò in the process (during playoffs, Renzo Barbera stadium was always sold out).[citation needed] On 12 June 2022, Palermo were promoted to Serie B after defeating Padova 2–0 on aggregate thus returning to the Italian second division just three years after having been excluded from the league.[55] On 4 July 2022, at the presence of Manchester City F.C. CEO Ferran Soriano, the club was formally announced to have been acquired by City Football Group, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi United Group, with outgoing owner Dario Mirri (who was confirmed as club chairman) keeping a 20% of the quotes.[56][57]

Under new head coach Eugenio Corini, former Palermo captain in the 2000s, the Rosanero ended their season in ninth place, missing on promotion playoffs in the final game of the season.

Colours and badge

Airoldi's letter in which he suggests pink and black as the club's new official colours
Palermo's original red-blue kit, worn from 1900 until 1907.

The new official badge as of 2019 is a white eagle's head and three pink/black feathers within a black stylized letter 'P'.[citation needed] The eagle represents the city of Palermo, as it is also part of the city's official coat of arms.[citation needed] This new badge replaced the long-standing badge of the previous formation of the club, an escutcheon with an eagle poised for flight within it, and the previous official club denomination "U.S. Città di Palermo" in capital letters on the top.[citation needed]

From its foundation, Palermo originally played with a red and blue shirt as its official colours, but decided to switch to the unusual current choice of pink and black on 27 February 1907, contemporaneously with the change of denomination to "Palermo FootBall Club".[58]

The colour choice of pink and black was suggested by Count Giuseppe Airoldi, a prominent founding member of the club. In a personal letter Airoldi wrote on 2 February 1905 to English club councillor Joseph Whitaker, he defined pink and black poetically as "colours of the bitter and the sweet", a choice he amusingly asserted to be suited for a team characterised by "results as up and down as a Swiss clock", noting also the fact that red and blue were a very commonly used choice of colours around Italy at the time.[4]

The club had to wait for their new jerseys for three months, because no pink cotton flannel material was available in Palermo and the appointed tailoring company could only find suitable material from England and had to import it from there.[58] The vivid new shirts were first worn in a friendly match against Sir Thomas Lipton's crew team; the match ended in a 2–1 win for Palermo.[58] From 1936 to 1940, the team were forced to play in red and yellow jerseys due to an imposition by the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini (red and yellow being the official colours of the municipality of Palermo.) When the club was refounded in 1941 following a merger with Juventina Palermo, they started dressing in light blue shirts on the pitch, but switched back to the very popular pink and black only one year later.[16]

Shirt sponsors and manufacturers

Period Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor[59][unreliable source?]
1979–80 Pouchain None
1981–82 NR Vini Corvo
1983–84 Pasta Ferrara
1985–86 Juculano
1987–90 Città di Palermo
1989–90 Hummel
1990–91 ABM
1991–92 Seleco
1992–93 Giornale di Sicilia
1993–94 Toka
1994–96 Provincia Regionale di Palermo
1996–97 Kappa Giornale di Sicilia
1997–98 Tomarchio Naturà
1998–99 Palermo Provincia Turistica
1999–00 Kronos Tele+
2000–01 Lotto Alitalia
2001–02 LTS
2002–06 Provincia di Palermo
2006–08 None
2008 Pramac
2008–09 None
2009–10 Betshop
2010 Eurobet
2010–11 Legea
2011–12 Eurobet & Burger King
2012–2013 Puma Eurobet & Italiacom
2013–2014 Palermocalcio.it & Sigma
2014–2015 Joma RosaneroCares & CBM
2015–2017 None
2017–2019 Legea
2019 Gruppo Arena c/o Super Conveniente[60][61]
2019–2023 Kappa Bisaten, Gruppo Arena, Nuova Sicilauto, Sicilgesso and Gagliano Gioielli
2023-current Puma Old Wild West, Bisaten and a29

Stadium

Stadio Renzo Barbera, Palermo

Palermo plays its home matches at Stadio Renzo Barbera. The stadium was opened in 1932, during the fascist regime, with the name Stadio Littorio (after the Italian name for the fasces symbol). The inaugural match, won by Palermo 5–1, was played on 24 January 1932 against Atalanta. In 1936, the Littorio was renamed Stadio Michele Marrone after a fascist soldier who died in the Spanish Civil War.[62]

Initially the stadium featured a running track and no spectator space behind the goals, only terraces and a stand along the side. In 1948, following the end of World War II and the fall of the fascist regime, the stadium was renamed Stadio La Favorita, after the Favorita neighbourhood where it was located. It was also restructured to remove the running track and add two curved end sections, increasing its capacity to 30,000.[62] In 1984 it was enlarged to 50,000. The new capacity was reached only twice: for a Serie C1 league match against Sicilian rivals Messina and for a friendly match against Juventus.[62] On the occasion of the 1990 FIFA World Cup, the stadium was renovated, some new seats added, but the overall capacity reduced to 37,619. During the 1989 renovation works, five employees died following the collapse of a section of the stadium.[62] In 2002 the stadium was renamed in honour of Renzo Barbera, legendary Palermo chairman in the 1970s.[62]

In 2007 Palermo chairman and owner Maurizio Zamparini announced plans to move the club to a new state-of-the-art stadium possibly to be located in the ZEN neighbourhood of Palermo not far from the Velodromo Paolo Borsellino, a smaller stadium which had previously hosted some Palermo matches.[63]

Supporters

Palermo supporters in the 2006 Sicilian derby

The majority of Palermo supporters come from the city and its neighbourhood. However, Palermo is also widely popular throughout Western Sicily, as well as among Sicilian immigrants in northern Italy, For example, a number of Palermo fans living in and around the German city of Solingen have even founded a club named FC Rosaneri in honour of Palermo which, as of 2007, plays in the Kreisliga B league.[64][65][66]

Support for Palermo is traditionally closely associated with a strong sense of Sicilian identity; indeed, it is not uncommon to see Sicilian flags waved by fans and ultras during Palermo matches. Palermo fans are also twinned with Lecce ultras.[67] This friendship was strengthened by the acquisition of Fabrizio Miccoli, who is originally from the city of Lecce and a well-known Lecce supporter who went on to become captain of Palermo and also the club's most prolific player, setting records for: most Serie A league goals (74, from 2007 to 2013); most goals in all competitions (81, from 2007 to 2013); and most Serie A league appearances (165, from 2007 to 2013).[citation needed]

Palermo's biggest rivals are fellow islanders Catania.[citation needed] Matches between Palermo and Catania are usually referred to as Sicilian derbies, despite the existence of a third Sicilian team, Messina, who played in Serie A alongside Palermo and Catania in recent years.[citation needed] Rivalry with Messina, although historically older, is generally less intense than that with Catania.[citation needed]

The 2006–07 return match between Palermo and Catania, played on 2 February 2007 at Stadio Angelo Massimino, Catania, is remembered due to the death of policeman Filippo Raciti who was injured during riots between the local police and the Catania supporters.[citation needed]

According to a survey of 2008, the team has about 1.47 million fans domestically, placing it among the top ten best-supported Italian teams.[citation needed] For example, at the Coppa Italia final played in Rome on 29 May 2011 against Inter, which Palermo lost 3–1, it was estimated that there were 25,000 - 35,000 fans from Palermo, easily outnumbering the Nerazzurri fans present.[citation needed]

Players

Current squad

As of 1 February 2024[68]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Italy ITA Sebastiano Desplanches
2 DF Denmark DEN Simon Graves
3 DF United States USA Kristoffer Lund
4 MF France FRA Claudio Gomes
5 DF Italy ITA Fabio Lucioni
6 MF Slovenia SVN Leo Štulac
7 FW Italy ITA Leonardo Mancuso (on loan from Monza)
8 MF Italy ITA Jacopo Segre
9 FW Italy ITA Matteo Brunori
10 FW Italy ITA Francesco Di Mariano
11 FW Italy ITA Roberto Insigne
12 GK Italy ITA Manfredi Nespola
13 GK Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Adnan Kanurić
14 MF Italy ITA Filippo Ranocchia
No. Pos. Nation Player
15 DF Italy ITA Ivan Marconi
17 FW Italy ITA Federico Di Francesco
18 DF Romania ROU Ionuț Nedelcearu
20 MF Serbia SRB Aljoša Vasić
22 GK Italy ITA Mirko Pigliacelli
23 DF France FRA Salim Diakité
25 DF Italy ITA Alessio Buttaro
27 FW Italy ITA Edoardo Soleri
31 DF Italy ITA Giuseppe Aurelio
32 DF Italy ITA Pietro Ceccaroni
53 MF Scotland SCO Liam Henderson (on loan from Empoli)
70 FW Ivory Coast CIV Chaka Traorè (on loan from AC Milan)
80 MF Senegal SEN Mamadou Coulibaly (on loan from Salernitana)

Other players under contract

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
DF Albania ALB Masimiliano Doda
No. Pos. Nation Player
DF The Gambia GAM Bubacarr Marong

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
DF Serbia SRB Mladen Devetak (at Croatia Istra 1961 until 30 June 2024)
DF Poland POL Patryk Peda (at SPAL until 30 June 2024)
MF Italy ITA Jérémie Broh (at Südtirol until 30 June 2024)
No. Pos. Nation Player
MF Italy ITA Samuele Damiani (at Juventus Next Gen until 30 June 2024)
MF Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Dario Šarić (at Turkey Antalyaspor until 30 June 2024)
FW Italy ITA Giuseppe Fella (at Latina until 30 June 2024)

Former players

In 2020, as part of the celebrations for the club's 120th anniversary, Palermo announced a hall of fame selection, with eleven players and a manager selected from a list of over 100 proposals.

The most voted players were:[69]

Club officials

Board of directors

Role Name
President Italy Dario Mirri
Executive President Italy Giovanni Gardini
General Secretary Italy Giuseppe Li Vigni
Sporting Director Italy Leandro Rinaudo
Team Manager & Press Officer Italy Andrea Siracusa
Manager of Youth System Albania Erjon Bogdani
Chief of Youth System Italy Fabrizio Giambona
Supporter Liaison Officer Italy Francesco Meli
Head of Security Italy Antonino Lentini
RSPP & Supervisory Italy Tiziana Caracappa
  • Last updated: 7 August 2022
  • Source: Board of directors[70]

Current technical staff

Role Name
Head coach Italy Eugenio Corini
Assistant coach Italy Salvatore Lanna
Technical Collaborator Argentina Mario Santana
Technical Collaborator Italy Stefano Olivieri
Goalkeeping coach Italy Michele Marotta
Fitness coach Italy Marco Petrucci
Match analyst Italy Matteo Camoni
Scout Italy Vincenzo Leonardi
Chief doctor Italy Roberto Matracia
Club doctor Italy Giuseppe Puleo
Physiotherapists Italy Gianluca Chinnici
Italy Claudio Fici
Italy Mirko Genzardi
Nutritionist Italy Leandro Carollo
Podologist Italy Alberto Croce
  • Last updated: 7 August 2022
  • Source: Technical staff[71]

Managers

In 2020, as part of the celebrations for the club's 120th anniversary, Palermo announced a hall of fame selection, asking their supporters to select the best manager in the club's history among a list of successful ones from the past.

The best manager in the club's history was selected to be Francesco Guidolin, who led Palermo to win promotion to Serie A in 2004 after a 31-year absence, and sixth place in the top flight (best result in the club's history) and consequent first ever European qualification the year after.[69]

Other candidates for all-time manager were (in order of votes):

Chairmen history

Over the years Palermo has had various owners and chairmen; here is a chronological list of the known chairmen:[5]

Joseph Whitaker, honorary chairman during the early 1900s
  • England Edward De Garston (1900–1903)
  • Italy Barone Michele Vannucci (1903–1904)
  • Italy Cavaliere Ignazio Majo Pagano (1904–1908)
  • Italy Barone Roberto Pottino (1908–1915)
  • Italy Valentino Colombo (1920–1923)
  • Italy Cavaliere Michele Utveggio (1923–1925)
  • Italy Valentino Colombo (1925–1926)
  • Italy Conte Liotta di Lemos (1928)
  • Italy Barone Giovanni Sergio (1928)
  • Italy Conte Guido Airoldi (1928–1929)
  • Italy Barone Luigi Bordonaro di Gebbiarossa (1929–1931)
  • Italy Francesco Paolo Barresi (1931–1933)
  • Italy Cavaliere Giovanni Lo Casto Valenti (1933–1934)
  • Italy Valentino Colombo (1934–1935)
  • Italy Giovanni De Luca (1935)
  • Italy Luigi Majo Pagano (1935–1936)
  • Italy Valentino Colombo (1936–1937)
  • Italy Paolo Di Pietra (1937–1938)
  • Italy Salvatore Barbaro (1938–1940)
  • Italy Duilio Lanni (1941–1942)
  • Italy Giuseppe Agnello (1942–1947)
  • Italy Stefano La Motta (1947–1948)
  • Italy Giuseppe Guazzardella (1948–1951)
  • Italy Raimondo Lanza di Trabia (1951–1952)
  • Italy Barone Carlo La Lomia (1952–1953)
  • Italy Mario Fasino (1953–1954)
  • Italy Ernesto Pivetti (1954–1955)
  • Italy Giuseppe Trapani (1955)
  • Italy Conte Arturo Cassina (1955–1956)
  • Italy Giuseppe Seminara (1956–1957)
  • Italy Casimiro Vizzini (1957–1963)
  • Italy Conte Guglielmo Pinzero (1963–1964)
  • Italy Ernesto Di Fresco, Italy Luigi Barbaccia, Italy Franz Gorgone (1964)
  • Italy Casimiro Vizzini (1964)
  • Italy Conte Guglielmo Pinzero (1964)
  • Italy Totò Vilardo (1964–1965)
  • Italy Franco Spagnolo (1965)
  • Italy Franz Gorgone (1965)
  • Italy Luigi Gioia (1965)
  • Italy Giuseppe Pergolizzi (1967–1970)
  • Italy Renzo Barbera (1970–1980)
  • Italy Gaspare Gambino (1980–1982)
  • Italy Roberto Parisi (1982–1985)
  • Italy Salvatore Matta (1985–1986)
  • Italy Salvino Lagumina (1987–1989)
  • Italy Giovanni Ferrara (1989–1993)
  • Italy Liborio Polizzi (1993–1995)
  • Italy Giovanni Ferrara (1995–2000)
  • Italy Sergio D'Antoni (2000–2002)
  • Italy Maurizio Zamparini (2002–2017)
  • United StatesItaly Paul Baccaglini (2017)
  • Italy Giovanni Giammarva (2017-2018)
  • England Clive Richardson (2018-2019)
  • Italy Rino Foschi (2019)
  • Italy Alessandro Albanese (2019)[72]
  • Italy Dario Mirri (2019–)

Honours

Other Titles

  • Winners (1): 1920[citation needed]
  • Winners (1): 1908[citation needed]
  • Winners (5): 1910,[citation needed] 1912,[citation needed] 1913,[citation needed] 1914,[citation needed] 1915[citation needed]

Records

Italian striker Luca Toni holds the record for most goals in a single season with Palermo, scoring 30 times during the club's 2003–04 Serie B campaign

Competitions

League

Level Category Participations Debut Last season Moves

A

Serie A 29 1932–33 2016–17 Decrease 9

B

Serie B 46 1930–31 2023–24 Increase 9
Decrease 3 ✟ 3

C

Prima Divisione 1 1929–30 Increase 6
Serie C 3 1941–42 2021–22
Serie C1 9 1984–85 2000–01
Serie C2 1 1987–88 Increase 1
87 out of 90 years of professional football in Italy since 1929

D

Serie D 1 2019–2020 Increase 1

National cups

Competition Participation Debut Last season
Coppa Italia 63 1935–36 2016–17
Coppa Italia Serie C 10 1984–85 2000–01
Supercoppa di Serie C 1 2000–01 2000–01

International competitions

Category Participations Debut Last season
Europa League
ex UEFA Cup
5 2005–06 2011–12
Mitropa Cup 2 1960 1968–69
Coppa delle Alpi 1 1960 1960

In Europe

UEFA Cup / UEFA Europa League

Season Round Opposition Home Away Aggregate Reference
2005–06 First round Cyprus Anorthosis 2–1 4–0 6–1 [73]
Group B Israel Maccabi Petah Tikva 2–1 1st
Russia Lokomotiv Moscow 0–0
Spain Espanyol 1–1
Denmark Brøndby 3–0
Round of 32 Czech Republic Slavia Prague 1–0 1–2 2–2 (a)
Round of 16 Germany Schalke 04 1–0 0–3 1–3
2006–07 First round England West Ham United 3–0 1–0 4–0 [74]
Group H Germany Eintracht Frankfurt 2–1 4th
England Newcastle United 0–1
Turkey Fenerbahçe 0–3
Spain Celta Vigo 1–1
2007–08 First round Czech Republic Mladá Boleslav 0–1 (a.e.t.) 1–0 1–1 (2–4 p) [75]
2010–11 Play-off round Slovenia Maribor 3–0 2–3 5–3 [76]
Group F Czech Republic Sparta Prague 2–2 2–3 3rd
Switzerland Lausanne-Sport 1–0 1–0
Russia CSKA Moscow 0–3 1–3
2011–12 Third qualifying round Switzerland Thun 2–2 1–1 3–3 (a) [77]

References

  1. ^ "Renzo Barbera" (in Italian). PalermoCalcio.it. Archived from the original on 23 April 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  2. ^ "City Football Group acquires majority stake in Palermo FC". palermofc.com. 4 July 2022.
  3. ^ "Palermo, ecco il nuovo CdA firmato City: c'è Galassi" (in Italian). calcioefinanza.it. 6 July 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Oltre un secolo di storia da via Notarbartolo alla A" (PDF) (in Italian). La Repubblica Palermo. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 June 2007. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
  5. ^ a b Il Palermo – Una storia di cento anni (in Italian).
  6. ^ "Storia" (in Italian). U.S. Città di Palermo. Archived from the original on 29 April 2007. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
  7. ^ "Nasce la Anglo-Palermitan Athletic and Foot-Ball Club" (in Italian). La Palermo Rosanero. Retrieved 4 May 2007.[dead link]
  8. ^ "Messina Football Club 1901" (in Italian). Messina Story. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
  9. ^ "Records fall for plucky Palermo". FIFA.com. 8 November 2006. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007. Retrieved 15 June 2007.
  10. ^ "Lipton Challenge Cup". RSSSF. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
  11. ^ "105 anni di storia rosanero" (in Italian). Palermo Rosanero. Archived from the original on 3 May 2007. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
  12. ^ "Città di Palermo Unione Sportiva". RSSSF. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
  13. ^ "Albo d'oro rosanero – Tutti i campionati della storia" (in Italian). Aquile Rosanero. Archived from the original on 27 December 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
  14. ^ "Aneddoti e curiosità d'una sfida lunga 77 anni" (in Italian). CalcioCatania.net. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
  15. ^ a b c d "I primi 60 anni: dalla prima Serie A alla morte del principe Raimondo Lanza" (in Italian). Cuore Rosanero. Archived from the original on 6 October 2007. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
  16. ^ a b "Archivio biografico comunale: Beppe Agnello" (PDF) (in Italian). Comune di Palermo. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2007. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
  17. ^ "I personaggi più rappresentativi nella storia" (in Italian). Cuore Rosanero. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
  18. ^ "Argentine players in Italy". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 14 May 2007. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
  19. ^ "Squadre : Palermo" (in Italian). Er Lupacchiotto. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
  20. ^ Fabio Maccheroni (4 March 2000). "D' Antoni presidente del Palermo comprato da Sensi e soci". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  21. ^ "Sensi-Zamparini: affare fatto" (in Italian). RAI Sport. 21 July 2002. Archived from the original on 16 November 2007. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
  22. ^ "Another kicking for southern Italy's football". Financial Times. 27 October 2006. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
  23. ^ "Palermo, notte magica Primo scudetto Primavera" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 8 June 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  24. ^ "Zenga, l'uomo nuovo per un EuroPalermo" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 5 June 2009. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
  25. ^ "Walter Zenga sollevato dall'incarico" (in Italian). US Città di Palermo. 23 November 2009. Retrieved 23 November 2009.
  26. ^ "Delio Rossi è l'allenatore del Palermo" (in Italian). US Città di Palermo. 23 November 2009. Retrieved 23 November 2009.
  27. ^ "E' MUTTI IL NUOVO ALLENATORE" [MUTTI IS NEW HEAD COACH] (in Italian). US Città di Palermo. 19 December 2011. Archived from the original on 4 August 2018. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  28. ^ "È GATTUSO IL NUOVO ALLENATORE, VENERDÌ LA PRESENTAZIONE" [GATTUSO THE NEW MANAGER, PRESENTATION ON FRIDAY] (in Italian). U.S. Città di Palermo. 19 June 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  29. ^ "Wk38: Palermo squeeze to safety". Football Italia. 15 May 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  30. ^ "Back to chaos: Palermo swaps managers 2 matches into new season". The Score. 6 September 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  31. ^ "Football – Eugenio Corini takes charge after Roberto De Zerbi sacked by Palermo". Yahoo! Sports UK. 30 November 2016. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  32. ^ "Maurizio Zamparini: Palermo president to step down after 15 years". BBC Sport. 27 February 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  33. ^ "Official: Palermo have new president". Football Italia. 6 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  34. ^ "Zamparini: 'No Palermo takeover'". Football Italia. 1 July 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  35. ^ "Baccaglini resigns as Palermo President - Football Italia". www.football-italia.net.
  36. ^ "FINANCIAL INNOVATIONS TEAM STATEMENT" (Press release). US Città di Palermo. 22 November 2018. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  37. ^ "Palermo: Maurizio Zamparini sells Serie B side to London company". BBC Sport. 1 December 2018. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  38. ^ "CLUB STATEMENT" (Press release). US Città di Palermo. 29 December 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  39. ^ "CLUB STATEMENT" (Press release). U.S. Città di Palermo. 5 February 2019. Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  40. ^ "Preliminary Disposal Agreement" (Press release). Sport Capital Group. 14 February 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019 – via Bloomberg.
  41. ^ "CLUB STATEMENT" (Press release). U.S. Città di Palermo. 14 February 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  42. ^ "COMUNICATO DELLA SOCIETÀ" (Press release) (in Italian). U.S. Città di Palermo. 3 May 2019. Archived from the original on 3 May 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  43. ^ "Official: Palermo taken over". Football Italia. London: Tiro Media. 3 May 2019.
  44. ^ "Il Palermo ha Arkus Network come proprietario. Ma sul club pende adesso la "spada" della Serie C". Il Sole 24 Ore (in Italian). 3 May 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  45. ^ a b "COMUNICATO SPORTING NETWORK S.R.L." (Press release) (in Italian). U.S. Città di Palermo. 19 May 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  46. ^ "BREAKING: Palermo relegated to Serie C". Football Italia. London: Tiro Media. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  47. ^ Mastrocola, Cesare (13 May 2019). "(244) – DEFERIMENTO DEL PROCURATORE FEDERALE A CARICO DI: ZAMPARINI MAURIZIO (all'epoca dei fatti Presidente del CdA della Società US Città di Palermo Spa sino al 7 marzo 2017 e, successivamente, Consigliere del Consiglio di Amministrazione della Società US Città di Palermo Spa sino al 3 maggio 2018), GIAMMARVA GIOVANNI (all'epoca dei fatti Presidente del CdA della Società US Città di Palermo Spa dall'8 novembre 2017 all'8 agosto 2018), MOROSI ANASTASIO (all'epoca dei fatti Presidente del Collegio Sindacale della Società US Città di Palermo Spa) SOCIETÀ US CITTÀ DI PALERMO SPA - (nota n. 12055/816 pf18-19 GP/GC/blp del 29.4.2019)" (PDF). Tribunale Federale Nazionale – Sez. Disciplinare. Comunicato Ufficiale (in Italian). 2018–19 (63). FIGC. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  48. ^ "Serie B: Palermo avoid relegation". Football Italia. 29 May 2019.
  49. ^ "Palermo out of Serie B?". Football Italia. 24 June 2019. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  50. ^ "Figc: Palermo escluso da Serie B, ripescato Venezia" (in Italian). La Repubblica. 12 July 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  51. ^ "Proposals arrive for new Palermo". Football Italia. 23 July 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  52. ^ "IL FUTURO DEL PALERMO, MIRRI-DI PIAZZA I NUOVI PROPRIETARI" (in Italian). Giornale di Sicilia. 24 July 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  53. ^ "Il Palermo sale in Serie C insieme ad altre 8 squadre: ecco quali sono" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 8 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  54. ^ "New name & coach for Palermo". Football Italia. 16 July 2020.
  55. ^ "PALERMO BOOK SPOT IN SERIE B AFTER PLAY-OFF WIN OVER PADOVA". Football Italia. 12 June 2022. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  56. ^ "City Group, chi sono i nuovi proprietari che hanno acquistato il Palermo" (in Italian). SKY Sport Italia. 4 July 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  57. ^ "Il city football group rileva la maggioranza del palermo fc" (in Italian). Palermo F.C. 4 July 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  58. ^ a b c "Palermo, 100 anni di rosanero". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). RCS MediaGroup. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
  59. ^ "Palermo Shirt List". Alessio Candiloro. Archived from the original on 16 July 2007. Retrieved 14 June 2007.
  60. ^ "Partners". U.S. Città di Palermo. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  61. ^ "GRUPPO ARENA SPONSOR DI MAGLIA DEL PALERMO CALCIO" (Press release) (in Italian). U.S. Città di Palermo. 2 May 2019. Archived from the original on 3 May 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  62. ^ a b c d e "Lo stadio Renzo Barbera" (in Italian). U.S. Città di Palermo. Archived from the original on 29 April 2007. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
  63. ^ "Si studia un impianto alla tedesca, il progetto è ancora in alto mare". L'Espresso. Archived from the original on 15 October 2007. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
  64. ^ "Die Party ist noch lange nicht vorbei!" (in German). Solinger Tageblatt. Retrieved 4 May 2007.[dead link]
  65. ^ "Cuori rosanero in terra tedesca" (PDF) (in Italian). Provincia di Palermo. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 June 2007. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
  66. ^ "Kreisliga B, Gruppe 2, Saison 2006/07" (in German). ESV Opladen. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
  67. ^ "Lecce: l'8 agosto sfida con il Palermo" (in Italian). Yahoo! Italia Sport. Archived from the original on 19 September 2007. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
  68. ^ "First Team 2022/23". palermofc.com.
  69. ^ a b "LA HALL OF FAME ROSANERO" (in Italian). Palermo F.C. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  70. ^ "Board of directors".
  71. ^ "Technical staff".
  72. ^ "COMUNICATO DELLA SOCIETÀ" (Press release) (in Italian). U.S. Città di Palermo. 3 May 2019. Archived from the original on 3 May 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  73. ^ "UEFA Europa League 2005–06". UEFA. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  74. ^ "UEFA Europa League 2006–07". UEFA. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  75. ^ "UEFA Europa League 2007–08". UEFA. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  76. ^ "UEFA Europa League 2010–11". UEFA. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  77. ^ "UEFA Europa League 2011–12". UEFA. Retrieved 28 August 2017.

Bibliography

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Palermo FC.