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Pisa
Pisa SC crest.svg
Full name Pisa Sporting Club S.r.l.
Nickname(s) I Nerazzurri (The Black and Blues)
Founded 1909
Ground Arena Garibaldi – Stadio Romeo Anconetani
Ground Capacity 12,500
Owner Alexander Knaster
Chairman Giuseppe Corrado
Head coach Alberto Gilardino
League Serie A
2024–25 Serie B, 2nd (promoted)
Third colours

Pisa Sporting Club, often called Pisa, is a professional football team from Pisa, Tuscany, Italy. The club is set to play in Italy's top football league, Serie A, for the 2025–26 season.

The club first started in 1909 as Pisa Sporting Club. Later, in 1994, it was restarted as Pisa Calcio due to money problems. The team faced financial difficulties again in 2009 and was re-founded as A.C. Pisa 1909.

Pisa has won the Mitropa Cup twice, in 1986 and 1988. They play their home games at the Arena Garibaldi – Stadio Romeo Anconetani. This stadium is named after Romeo Anconetani, a former chairman who helped the club reach Serie A in the 1980s. In 2016, Giuseppe Corrado bought the club. In 2021, billionaire Alexander Knaster became a major owner.

History of Pisa Football

Early Years and Serie A Success

Pisa moved up to Serie B in 1965. Three years later, they reached Serie A for the first time. However, they were relegated from Serie A at the end of the 1968–69 season.

During the 1970s, Pisa mostly played in Serie C. In 1979, they returned to Serie B. Under the leadership of Romeo Anconetani, they were promoted to Serie A in 1982. This began a period where they spent six out of nine seasons in Serie A. With players like Danish star Klaus Berggreen, Pisa finished 11th in the 1982–83 Serie A season. The next season, they were relegated, even though 15,000 fans traveled to Milan for a key game.

Pisa was promoted again in 1985 but could not stay in Serie A. The same happened in 1987, but this time, with players like Dunga and Paul Elliott, they managed to stay up. Their last promotion to Serie A was in 1990. With talented players such as Maurizio Neri, Michele Padovano, Lamberto Piovanelli, Diego Simeone, Henrik Larsen, and Aldo Dolcetti, the team started strong. They were even briefly at the top of the league before being relegated again.

After this relegation, the club faced big money problems. By 1994, they lost a play-off and dropped down to Serie C1.

Pisa Calcio and the Dog President

After financial issues, Pisa was reformed in Eccellenza. They returned to Serie C2 in 1996 and then to C1 in 1999. Pisa worked hard to get back to Serie B, which they achieved in 2007. Their fans are very dedicated, often bringing large crowds to games.

In 2002, a trust owned by Maurizio Mian bought Pisa. They even made a wealthy German Shepherd dog named Gunther IV the honorary president! During the 2002–03 Serie C1 season, Pisa reached the play-off final but lost. President Gunther would attend matches and bark to cheer on the team. In 2005, Mian sold the club.

In the 2006–07 season, with new coach Piero Braglia, Pisa fought for promotion. They finished third and won the promotion play-offs, beating Venezia and Monza.

For the 2007–08 Serie B season, their first in 13 years, Gian Piero Ventura became the coach. Pisa played very well, aiming for direct promotion. Their strong attackers, Alessio Cerci, José Ignacio Castillo, and Vitali Kutuzov, were among the best in the league. The club finished sixth, earning a spot in the promotion play-offs, but lost to Lecce.

In 2008–09, Luca Pomponi bought the club. The team was weaker after key players left. Coach Ventura was fired in March 2009. Pisa was surprisingly relegated in the final game of the season. This also revealed major financial problems. In July 2009, the club was removed from Italian football for the second time.

Arena Garibaldi – Stadio Romeo Anconetani A.C. Pisa
Home of Pisa S.C. as seen from the Leaning Tower of Pisa

A New Beginning: A.C. Pisa 1909

Pisa was restarted as A.C. Pisa 1909 S.S.D. and began again in Serie D. At the end of that season, Pisa won their group and was promoted to Lega Pro Seconda Divisione for the 2010–11 season.

The team then moved up to Lega Pro Prima Divisione for the 2010–11 season. This happened because other clubs were removed from the league.

On June 12, 2016, Pisa was promoted to Serie B after seven years. They won play-off matches against Maceratese, Pordenone, and Foggia. However, they were relegated back to Serie C the very next season.

Return to Pisa Sporting Club

After moving back to Serie B in 2019, the club changed its name back to Pisa Sporting Club in the summer of 2021. Under coach Filippo Inzaghi, Pisa finished second in the 2024–25 Serie B season. This earned them promotion to Serie A, marking their return to the top league after 34 years.

Current Squad

No. Position Player
1 Brazil GK Nícolas
3 Italy DF Samuele Angori
4 Italy DF Antonio Caracciolo (captain)
5 Italy DF Simone Canestrelli
6 Romania MF Marius Marin
8 Denmark MF Malthe Højholt
10 Italy FW Emanuel Vignato
11 France FW Mattéo Tramoni
14 Denmark FW Henrik Meister (on loan from Rennes)
15 Germany MF Idrissa Touré
17 Romania DF Adrian Rus
19 Portugal DF Tomás Esteves
22 Italy GK Leonardo Loria
30 Italy FW Alessandro Arena
32 Italy FW Stefano Moreo
33 Italy DF Arturo Calabresi
36 Italy MF Gabriele Piccinini
37 Algeria MF Mehdi Léris
45 Denmark FW Alexander Lind
No. Position Player
47 Croatia GK Adrian Šemper
Italy GK Alessandro Livieri
Italy GK Simone Scuffet
Croatia GK Ante Vuković
Italy DF Pietro Beruatto
Italy DF Francesco Coppola
Brazil DF Mateus Lusuardi
Belgium DF Jeremy Kandje Mbambi
Nigeria MF Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (on loan from Inter Milan)
Slovenia MF Žan Jevšenak
Italy MF Mattia Leoncini
Slovenia MF Miha Trdan
Turkey MF İsak Vural
Italy FW Nicholas Bonfanti
Lithuania FW Edgaras Dubickas
Italy FW Elia Giani
Slovenia FW Jan Mlakar
Bulgaria FW Adrian Raychev
France FW Lisandru Tramoni

Other Players Under Contract

No. Position Player
Italy DF Andrea Primasso
Italy DF Lorenzo Pucci
Italy MF Riccardo Bassanini
No. Position Player
Italy MF Mattia Sala
Bulgaria FW Mert Durmush
Italy FW Andrea Pavanello

Coaching Staff

Position Name
Head coach Italy Filippo Inzaghi
Assistant coach Italy Maurizio D'Angelo
Goalkeeper coach Italy Maurizio Pugliesi
Italy Leonardo Baldini
Fitness coach Italy Luca Alimonta
Italy Daniele Cominotti
Technical assistant Italy Simone Baggio
Portugal Miguel Veloso
Rehab coach Italy Lorenzo Ferrari
Match analyst Italy Mirko Barbero
Head of medical staff Italy Cataldo Graci
Club doctor Italy Andrea Moretti
Italy Federica Parra
Nutritionist Italy Guido Guidotti
Physiotherapist Italy Stefano Montanari
Italy Gabriele Pignieri
Italy Matteo Grazzini
Kit manager Italy Andrea Patti
Italy Claudio Del Guerra
Italy Alessio Fasano

Famous Former Players

Club Achievements

League Titles

  • Serie B
    • Winners: 1984–85, 1986–87
    • Runners-Up: 1989–90, 2024–25
    • Third Place (Promoted): 1981–82, 2006–07
  • Serie C
    • Winners: 1933–34, 1964–65
    • Winners - C2 Group A: 1998–99
    • Runners-Up - C1 Group A: 1999-00
    • Third Place - Group A (Promoted): 2018–19
  • Serie D
    • Winners - Group D: 2009-10
  • Lega Pro
    • Runners-Up (Promoted) - Group B: 2015-16

Cup Wins

  • Coppa Italia Serie C
    • Winners: 1999–00
    • Runners-Up: 2011-12
  • Mitropa Cup
    • Winners: 1985–86, 1987–88
    • Runners-Up: 1990-91

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Pisa Sporting Club para niños

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