German press about FCS: “Football novelty in the winter sports country”

The historic first Serie B championship begins for FC Südtirol in three days. This not only electrifies the country's sports fans, but also attracts attention outside of South Tyrol (and Italy). The German Press Agency published a detailed report about the FCS on Thursday morning. She comes from the Pen by Manuel Schwarz , who comes from St. Leonhard in Passeier and has been working for the dpa is working. The journalist, who completed a two-week internship in the Dolomites sports department in November 2000, is currently working as a correspondent in Rome. It is interesting how FC Südtirol is perceived from a German perspective. Here we reproduce the report. Football innovation in the winter sports region: FC Südtirol in Serie B for the first time Football has always been a popular sport in South Tyrol. However, unlike winter sports athletes, no team from the northern Italian province has made it into higher spheres. FC Südtirol is now playing in Serie B. Under special circumstances it has a special mission.

Top-class sport and South Tyrol – the first thing that comes to mind are the Alpine ski aces. Maybe your thoughts turn to tennis and shooting star Jannik Sinner. Cyclists, tobogganers and divers from the Alpine province have also celebrated huge successes.

Manuel Schwarz, a Passeirer at the dpa.

Now a football club from South Tyrol is also moving into higher spheres, even if not quite world class. After being promoted to the Italian Serie B for the first time, FC Südtirol wants to survive against illustrious opponents - including three world champions. At the same time, the FCS sees itself as a flagship for a region whose history and language mix are unique and which are also tangible around the club.

At the training center in Eppan near Bolzano, in the middle of vineyards and surrounded by the South Tyrolean mountains, people are looking forward to the start of the season this weekend with “mixed but positive” feelings. That’s what managing director Dietmar Pfeifer says, who sees the club as an “ambassador” for the entire region. He proudly points out that all Serie B games will be broadcast live in 46 countries.

In April, FC Südtirol celebrated promotion. © Bordoni

In many parts of the world, but also in some areas of Italy, you will hear about FC Südtirol for the first time. The club is “a business card that is now receiving special attention throughout Italy,” says Governor Arno Kompatscher, the head of government in Bolzano.

Many a Tifoso - for example in the very south in Palermo, Bari or Reggio Calabria - might be surprised by this club with the letter “Ü” in its name, which is so unusual in Italy. The province on the Austrian border can often only be geographically classified by those Italians who have already been there on a hiking or skiing holiday. Moving story And in Germany, South Tyrol is sometimes mistaken for part of Austria. This was the case until 1919, when the region fell to Italy after the First World War. The German-speaking locals suffered extreme reprisals under the fascists. The German native language was forbidden, many were forced to emigrate, and some of those who stayed at home even had to translate their names into Italian. Johannes became Giovanni, Hofer became Dalmaso.

Even after the Second World War, equal rights were still denied; In the 60s there were protests, attacks and deaths. It was only in 1972, 50 years ago, that the German South Tyroleans were granted central rights in a so-called Second Statute of Autonomy. Exactly two decades later, all agreed measures to protect the German and Ladin-speaking population were implemented. In 1992, the so-called dispute settlement before the United Nations followed.

The FCS is ready for Serie B.

Most of FC Südtirol's current professionals weren't even born back then. For them, the coexistence of German and Italian is normal today. An Italian FCS fan group has been complaining for years that the club name is only “South Tyrol” and not “Alto Adige” – after all, the coat of arms says “Bolzano” as well as “Bozen”. Smaller frictions are normal between language groups, says Managing Director Pfeifer reassuringly to the German Press Agency. “But in the stadium everyone is behind FC Südtirol.” The exotic of the league The club will need its supporters, especially at the home games in Bolzano. The FCS has one of the smallest budgets in the league. Reinforcements are still being sought on the transfer market. And just five days before the season opener on Sunday (20.45:1500 p.m.) at Brescia Calcio, the club surprisingly parted ways with newly hired coach Lamberto Zauli. The outsider has to travel a long time for some away games: Palermo, for example, is XNUMX kilometers away on the motorway and a plane has to be chartered.

A fan of FC Südtirol.

The competition comes with some world champion blessings: goalkeeper idol Gianluigi Buffon (Parma) and the Spaniard Cesc Fabregas (Como) are on the field in Serie B, ex-striker Filippo Inzaghi is on the sidelines as coach at Reggina. Former Frankfurt player Stefan Ilsanker plays for German coach Alexander Blessin's CFC Genoa.

“We’re a bit of an exotic player in the league,” says Pfeifer. “Most of the time, clubs only represent one city. We stand for an entire region.” And it doesn’t just have ski athletes as its driving force. “We are still a winter sports country, but we are pleased that we can now also play a prominent role in football,” says Governor Kompatscher. FCS managing director Pfeifer even says: “Our job is to show that in South Tyrol you don’t just do winter sports, but that football is number one.”

Serie B Italy	SP	TV	P
1. Parma	34	59:32	70
2. As	34	54:37	67
3. Venice	34	62:39	64
4. Cremonese	34	43:28	60
5. Catanzaro	34	53:42	56
6. Palermo	34	58:48	52
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German press about FCS: “Football novelty in the winter sports country”

With its promotion to Serie B, FC Südtirol caused a stir far beyond the country's borders, especially in German-speaking countries. Now Germany's largest news agency is reporting in a detailed report about the upcoming adventure in Italy's second league.

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