Rimini FC: La Dolce Vita — Terrace Edition

Words: Federico Farcomeni

Images: Federico Farcomeni and Michel De Paola

What is Gianfranco Zola doing at centre circle, handling out a trophy whilst Champions League football is on?

The former Chelsea magician, now Lega Pro Vice-President, is awarding Rimini Football Club 1912 their second ever trophy after a 0-0 draw (1-0 on aggregate) against Giana Erminio to win the Coppa Italia Serie C

Rimini is famous for its promenade, the hotels and the bars of the (real, original) Riviera where German tourists tend to holiday en masse, so much so that loads of German ultra stickers are normally spread around town. And yet, the team here is named in the English style, Rimini Football Club.

After taking 800 supporters to Gorgonzola for the first leg, the Romeo Neri is packed for the return leg of the final as 6,029 fans congregate for this historical occasion.

Unlike the Supercup won in 2005, when the coastal side just had to beat Cremonese over two legs (9-4 on aggregate), this time Rimini had to dispatch Vicenza and Trapani amongst others and got here after seven games.

Curva Est displays a tifo which says “history remembers winners only, let’s paint the cup with our colours”, the famous red and white chequered shirts.

There is a feeling things are about to turn around as their first ever female president Stefania Di Salvo’s husband Stefano Petracca is investing in new training facilities and, soon (by 2028) a new 12,000-seater ground which will cost approximately €35 million.

The original 1932 façade will stay. And right next to it, red and white ultras have highlighted their dissent for the new logo which was introduced last August.

The Roman monuments of the town (the Arch of Augustus and the Bridge of Tiberius, now a pedestrian path beautifully reflecting itself in the waters of the river Marecchia once called Ariminus) were scrapped for the badge.

Introduced instead, an emblem including interlaced letters “S” and “I” representing Sigismondo Malatesta (a Lord of Rimini and military leader, but also a rogue and a womanizer of the XV century) and his third wife Isotta as a symbol of the club’s renaissance but also possibly showing off the unity between husband and wife (Petracca and Di Salvo) leading the club to pastures new.

© Federico Farcomeni/ Terrace Edition. Rimini Ponte di Tiberio.

As you walk around the city centre, references to Rimini-born Federico Fellini, director of “La Dolce Vita” and winner of awards in Cannes, Los Angeles, Venice and Moscow, are virtually everywhere.

There is a dedicated museum, but also a small “Circo Amarcord” plaque, a tribute to the ending of the movie “8 1/2”.

Rimini winning their first trophy wouldn’t have looked too out of place in one of his movies, superbly blending dreamlike and baroque elements.

This, after all, is the place where Italian Champions Juventus started their life in the Purgatory of Serie B after the 2006 Calcio scandal - couldn’t it get more surreal than that?

Meanwhile, life goes on as the city prepares itself to host the 34th edition of Paganello, a beach ultimate tournament split over two competitions (frisbee and freestyle) and held over Easter weekend between beaches 39 and 47, recalling athletes (1600 in 2023) from all over Italy and beyond, including countries such as USA, UK, Russia, Canada and Sweden.

The international vocation to entertain is there - Rimini FC must surely answer that call.