Cesena, August 8, 2026 – The soul of football is the one that pays tribute to a legend. You can see it in Cesena, in front of the small church of Madonna delle Rose, a gem nestled in the heart of the city, where on a scorching hot Saturday morning, two worlds come together to say goodbye to Giuseppe ‘Pippo Marchioro. On one side of the street are the fans of Reggiana, on the other those of Cesena. The rivalry between the fanbases is strong, normally a robust cordon of law enforcement would be needed. Not here, not now. Not in the presence of a great man who helped write historic pages for both clubs.
He led the Romagnoli to sixth place in Serie A which earned the conquest of the UEFA Cup, the best result ever achieved by the Cavalluccio. With the Granata instead, he started from C and reached the first historic Serie A, then also adding salvation the following year. ‘Marchioro forever in the heart’ reads the banner signed by Curva Mare and to that is added the chant of the Reggiana fans at the moment the coffin covered first by flags, scarves, and granata jerseys (the last of which is placed by president Carmelo Salerno) and then by a black and white banner is taken out. Because everyone takes turns paying tribute to Marchioro.
They are all inside and outside the church
The fans, ordinary people, and many well-known faces from the world of football. Starting with those who lived football alongside him. Inside the church is the gonfalon of Cesena and representing the club are board member Massimo Agostini and secretary Marco Valentini, together with cousin Gabriele who played in that Cesena that made history.
Then, besides the family of Dino Manuzzi, many others who shared important pages of their journey with Marchioro, from Antonio Genzano to Daniele Arrigoni, passing through Agatino Cuttone, but also Totò De Falco and Walter De Vecchi who have ‘bipartisan’ backgrounds.
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Staying on the Reggiana side, the names grow longer: Andrea Silenzi, Alessandro Bonesso, Eugenio Sgarbossa, Paolo Sacchetti, and Marco Pacione. Not forgetting the already mentioned president Salerno and the operations director and general secretary Nicola Simonelli.
The tribute from the football world
There is the secular tribute of football, but there is also the one based on faith and of which don Pierluigi Tonelli speaks during his homily: “Giuseppe dedicated his life to contact with young people. To them he transmitted football techniques, certainly, those we could call ‘the secrets of the trade’. That’s fine, of course. But there is more, something extraordinarily important, those values that make our life a masterpiece. Giuseppe taught friendship, solidarity, taking care of the more fragile, respect. He left a ‘human heritage’ so that those who knew him could appropriate it and in turn pass it on to the generations that will come after. The other, what he did on the field, was work. This is his true masterpiece. In his career, he received many awards, but this, the most important one, was given to him by Jesus.” Then the blessing, the hugs, the coffin’s exit from the church, the applause, the chant, the banner. Pippo Marchioro is not forgotten.
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