Unione Sportiva Salernitana 1919, commonly referred to as Salernitana, is an Italian football club based in Salerno,

Campania (man), it, Campana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demog ...

. The original club was founded in 1919 and has been reconstituted three times in the course of its history, most recently in 2011. The current club is the heir of the former ''Salernitana Calcio 1919'' and it restarted from

Serie D The Serie D () is the top level of semi-professional football in the country. The fourth tier of the Italian league system, the competition sits beneath the third professional league, Serie C. It is administered by the Lega Nazionale Dilettant ...

in the 2011–12 season. Salernitana returned to

Serie A The Serie A (), also called Serie A TIM for national sponsorship with TIM, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and the winner is awarded the Scudetto and the Cop ...

in 2021, after a break of 23 seasons, having finished second in

Serie B The Serie B (), currently named Serie BKT for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It has been operating for over ninety years since the 1929–30 season. It had been ...

History

From Unione Sportiva Salernitana to Salernitana Calcio 1919

The Salerno-based club was originally founded in 1919 as the ''Unione Sportiva Salernitana.'' The club was known as ''Società Sportiva Salernitanaudax'' for a time during the 1920s following a merger with Audax Salerno. In 1978, the club was renamed ''Salernitana Sport.'' The club has spent the majority of their history at the

and

Serie C The Serie C () is the third-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie B and Serie A. The Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico (Lega Pro) is the governing body that runs the Serie C. The unification of the Lega Pro ...

levels of Italian football. Salernitana play their home matches at Stadio Arechi. In their early years, Salernitana competed in the regional

Italian Football Championship Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language Italian (''italiano'' or ) ...

. They played at this level for four seasons during the 1920s. Since that time the club returned to the top level of Italian football twice; they played in

during 1947–48 and 1998–99. In 2005, the club went bankrupt but was restarted by Antonio Lombardi, changing the name from ''Salernitana Sport'' to ''Salernitana Calcio 1919''. In 2011, the club did not appeal against a decision by ''Commissione di Vigilanza sulle Società di Calcio Professionistiche'' (Co.Vi.So.C) and was excluded from Italian football.

Club refoundation: from Serie D to the top flight

On 21 July 2011, following the exclusion of the original Salernitana club, Salerno mayor Vincenzo De Luca, in compliance with Article 52 of N.O.I.F., assigned the new title to Marco Mezzaroma, brother-in-law of

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owner and chairman Claudio Lotito. The new club was admitted to

under the denomination of Salerno Calcio. In the 2011–12 season, Salernitana was immediately promoted to Lega Pro Seconda Divisione after winning ''Group G'' of

. On 12 July 2012, the club was renamed US Salernitana 1919. In the 2012–13 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione season, Salernitana finished first in Girone B, and was promoted to

Lega Pro Prima Divisione Lega Pro Prima Divisione was the third highest football league in Italy. It consisted of 33 teams, divided geographically into two divisions of 16 and 17 teams for group A and B respectively. Until 2008 it was known as Serie C1. Before the 1978 ...

. This was the second consecutive promotion for the team. Finally Salernitana won Group C of Lega Pro and returned Serie B in 2014–15 season. After several seasons at Serie B level, Salernitana won promotion to

at the end of the 2020–21 Serie B season under the tenure of head coach Fabrizio Castori, finishing in 2nd place behind champions Empoli. Promotion was secured with a 3–0 victory over

Pescara Pescara (; nap, label= Abruzzese, Pescàrë; nap, label= Pescarese, Piscàrë) is the capital city of the Province of Pescara, in the Abruzzo region of Italy. It is the most populated city in Abruzzo, with 119,217 (2018) residents (and approxim ...

on the final matchday. Salernitana's return to Serie A however required Lotito and Mezzaroma to sell the club, due to Italian football laws not allowing two clubs from the same owner to play in the same league. On 7 July 2021, the

FIGC The Italian Football Federation ( it, Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio; FIGC), known colloquially as ''Federcalcio'', is the governing body of football in Italy. It is based in Rome and the technical department is in Coverciano, Florence. It ...

Federal Council approved the trust of Salernitana to take control of the club, meaning it was officially enrolled in Serie A for the first time in 23 years.

Return to Serie A: 2021–present

Salernitana's first match in its return to the top flight was a 3–2 defeat against

Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label=Emilian language, Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 1 ...

on 22 August 2021. After a poor start to the season, earning only one point from the first six matches, the club picked up its first Serie A victory against

Genoa Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian census, the Province of ...

on matchday seven, winning 1–0 due to a goal from Milan Đurić. In October, the Salernitana board fired Castori after a 2–1 loss to

Spezia La Spezia (, or , ; in the local Spezzino dialect) is the capital city of the province of La Spezia and is located at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the southern part of the Liguria region of Italy. La Spezia is the second largest cit ...

had left the club at the bottom of the table, with four points from their opening eight league games. Stefano Colantuono was named as his replacement, returning for a second spell as head coach having previously led Salernitana from December 2017 to December 2018. On 22 May 2022, Salernitana avoided relegation by finishing with the lowest points tally in Serie A history with just 31 points. Salernitana managed to pull off the great escape by securing 18 points from their last 15 matches.

Colours, badge and nicknames

Salernitana originally wore light blue and white striped shirts, known in Italy as ''biancocelesti''. The blue on the shirt was chosen to represent the sea, as Salerno lies right next to the Gulf of Salerno and has a long tradition as a port city. In the 1940s, the club changed to garnet coloured shirts, which has gained them the nickname ''granata'' in their homeland. During the 2011–12 season their kit colours were striped blue and deep red, resembling F.C. Barcelona. The symbol of St. Matthew,

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...

of Salerno, was also a part of the redesigned kit. Since renaming the club US Salernitana 1919, however, their home colours have again been the traditional garnet. The 100th anniversary logo was announced on June 24, 2019, and appeared on their 2019–20 season kits.

Honours

League

: ::Winners: 1946–47 (Group C), 1997–98 *

/ Serie C1: ::Winners: 1937–38; 1965–66; 2007–08; 2014–15 * Lega Pro Seconda Divisione / Serie C2: ::Winner: 2012–13 *

: ::Winner: 2011–12 (as Salerno Calcio)

Cups

Coppa Italia Serie C Coppa Italia Serie C ( it, Serie C Italian Cup), formerly named Coppa Italia Lega Pro, is a straight knock-out based competition involving teams from Serie C in Italian football first held in 1972. Format There are a total of six rounds in the ...

: ::Winners: 2013–14 * Supercoppa di Lega di Seconda Divisione : Winners: 2012–13

Divisional movements

Players

Current squad

Other players under contract

Players out on loan

Non-playing staff

National team players

These current and former players have recorded starts for their respective national teams. Players from the Italian national football team: * Roberto Breda * David Di Michele *

Marco Di Vaio Marco Di Vaio (; born 15 July 1976) is an Italian former professional association football, footballer who played as a Striker (association football), striker. A prolific goalscorer, in his long club career, Di Vaio scored over 200 league goals ...

Salvatore Fresi Salvatore Fresi (born 16 January 1973) is an Italian former professional Association footballer, footballer who played as a Defender (association football)#Centre-back, centre-back & Sweeper (association football), sweeper Club career Fresi was ...

Gennaro Gattuso Gennaro Ivan Gattuso (; born 9 January 1978) is an Italian professional football coach and former player, who currently serves as manager of La Liga club Valencia. He was born in Corigliano (Calabria). As a player, he mainly played in the cent ...

Francesco Caputo Francesco "Ciccio" Caputo (born 6 August 1987) is an Italian professional association football, footballer who plays as a striker (association football), striker for Empoli F.C., Empoli, on loan from U.C. Sampdoria, Sampdoria. He represents the ...

Walter Zenga Walter Zenga (; born 28 April 1960) is an Italian football manager and former player who last managed Serie A club Cagliari. He was a long-time goalkeeper for Inter Milan and the Italian national team. During his playing career, Zenga was pa ...

* Pasquale Mazzocchi Players from other national football teams: *

Franck Ribéry Franck Henry Pierre Ribéry (; born 7 April 1983) is a French former professional footballer who primarily played as a winger, preferably on the left side, and was known for his pace, energy, skill, and precise passing. Ribéry has been des ...

* Vid Belec * Stefan Strandberg * Frédéric Veseli * Mamadou Coulibaly *

Lassana Coulibaly Lassana Coulibaly (born 10 April 1996) is a Malian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Salernitana and the Mali national team. Club career Coulibaly is a youth product from Bastia. He made his Ligue 1 debut on 8 ...

* Wajdi Kechrida * Milan Đurić * Simeon Nwankwo (Simy) * Joel Obi * Erjon Bogdani * Andrei Cristea * Francesco Di Jorio * Bülent Eken * Krzysztof Piątek * Norbert Gyömbér * Tonny Vilhena * Phil Masinga * Roberto Merino *

Ruslan Nigmatullin Ruslan Karimovich Nigmatullin ( rus, Русла́н Кари́мович Нигмату́ллин, p=rʊˈslan kɐˈrʲiməvʲɪtɕ nʲɪɡmɐˈtulʲɪn, tt-Cyrl, Руслан Кәрим улы Нигъмәтуллин; born 7 October 1974 in K ...

* Siyabonga Nomvethe *

Rigobert Song Rigobert Song Bahanag (born 1 July 1976) is a Cameroonian former professional footballer who is the manager of the Cameroon national team. Known for his defensive skills, Song usually played as a centre-back but could also operate at right-back ...

Danny Tiatto Daniele Amadeo Tiatto (born 22 May 1973) is an Australian former soccer player who played as a winger and left back, He notably played for Manchester City joining the club in 1998 whilst the club were playing in the third level of English foo ...

* Marco Zoro * Diego Valencia *

Guillermo Ochoa Francisco Guillermo Ochoa Magaña (; born 13 July 1985), commonly referred to as Memo, is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Serie A club Salernitana and the Mexico national team. Ochoa made his senior-level prof ...

World Cup players

The following players have been selected by their country in the

World Cup A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the concept i ...

Finals, while playing for Salernitana. * Krzysztof Piątek (

2022 File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretariat; The global monkeypo ...

) * Boulaye Dia (

)

Managers

* Géza Kertész (1929–31) * Pietro Leone (1931–32) *

Ferenc Hirzer Ferenc Hirzer (21 November 1902 – 28 April 1957) known in Hungarian as Ferenc Híres was a Hungarian football player and manager, who played as a forward during the 1910s and 1920s; he is perhaps best known for his time with Italian side Juven ...

(1936–38) *

Attila Sallustro Attila Sallustro (; 15 December 1908 – 28 May 1983) was a professional Italian–Paraguayan footballer who played as a striker. He is considered an important player in S.S.C. Napoli's history, and became extremely popular with the fans durin ...

(1939) *

(1940–41) * Géza Kertész (1943–44) *

Giuseppe Viani Giuseppe "Gipo" Viani (13 September 1909 – 6 January 1969) was an Italian football player and manager from the Province of Treviso who played as a midfielder. Playing career Viani was born Treviso. He played his entire career in the Italia ...

(1946–48) * Arnaldo Sentimenti (1950) *

Rodolphe Hiden Rudolf "Rudi" Hiden (9 March 1909 – 11 September 1973) was an Austrian-French footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Grazer AK, Wiener AC and RC Paris. He was capped internationally by the Austria and France national teams. In later life, Hi ...

(1951–52) * Paolo Todeschini (1956–57) * Nicolò Nicolosi (1958–59) *

Ettore Puricelli Héctor "Ettore" Puricelli (; 15 September 1916 – 14 May 2001) was a football player and manager who played as a striker. Born in Uruguay, he represented Italy at international level. As a player, he is most famous for his time with Italian clu ...

(1960–61) * Gyula Zsengellér (1961–62) *

(1963–64) * Pietro Magni (1969) * Lucio Mujesan (1977) * Enea Masiero (1977–78) * Lucio Mujesan (1978) * Lamberto Leonardi (1980–81) * Romano Mattè (1981–82) * Francisco Lojacono (1982–83) *

Mario Facco Mario Facco (23 January 1946 – 31 August 2018) was an Italian professional Association football, football coach and player. Honours

* Serie A champion: 1965/66, 1973/74. * Coppa delle Alpi winner: 1971. 1946 births 2018 deaths Italian me ...

(1983–84) * Gian Piero Ghio (1984–86) * Lamberto Leonardi (1989) * Giovanni Simonelli (1991–92) *

Tarcisio Burgnich Tarcisio Burgnich (; 25 April 1939 – 26 May 2021) was an Italian football manager and player, who played as a defender. Throughout his career, Burgnich played for Udinese, Juventus, Palermo, Internazionale, and Napoli; although he won title ...

(1991–92) *

Giuliano Sonzogni Giuliano Sonzogni (born 2 February 1949) is an Italian football manager. Previously he managed the Bulgarian football club Botev Vratsa Botev ( bg, Ботев) is a Bulgarian professional football club based in Vratsa, that competes in the ...

(1992–93) *

Delio Rossi Delio Rossi (born 26 January 1960) is an Italian football manager and former footballer who played as a midfielder. He was most recently in charge as head coach of Serie B club Ascoli. Playing career Rossi was born in Rimini. His playing career ...

(1993–95) * Franco Colomba (1995–97) *

(1997–99) * Luigi Cagni (1999–2000) *

Nedo Sonetti Nedo Sonetti (born 25 February 1941) is an Italian football manager and former player, who played as a defender. Biography Sonetti was born in Piombino, southern Tuscany and lives now in Gorle. Playing career As a defender, Sonetti played in ...

(2000–01) * Zdeněk Zeman (2001–02) * Stefano Pioli (2003–04) * Angelo Gregucci (2004–05) * Stefano Cuoghi (2005–06) * Gianfranco Bellotto (2006–07) * Andrea Agostinelli (2007) * Fabio Brini (2008) * Fabrizio Castori (2008) *

Bortolo Mutti Bortolo Mutti (born 11 August 1954 in Trescore Balneario, Bergamo) is an Italian football manager and a former player, who was most recently manager of Livorno. His older brother Tiziano Mutti also played football professionally. To distinguish ...

(2008–09) * Fabrizio Castori (2009) * Fabio Brini (2009) * Marco Cari (2009) * Gianluca Grassadonia (2010) * Roberto Breda (2010–11) * Carlo Perrone (2011–12) * Giuseppe Galderisi (2012) * Carlo Perrone (2012–13) * Stefano Sanderra (2013) * Carlo Perrone (2013) * Angelo Gregucci (2014) *

Mario Somma Mario Somma (born 17 September 1963) is an Italian football manager. Career Player Somma, who was born in Latina, Lazio, started his career with Genoa and then spent his later years mostly at the Serie C1 and Serie C2 level, playing for seve ...

(2014) * Leonardo Menichini (2014–15) * Vincenzo Torrente (2015–16) * Leonardo Menichini (2016) * Giuseppe Sannino (2016) *

Alberto Bollini Alberto Bollini (born 16 June 1966) is an Italian football manager, who is in charge of the Italy national under-20 football team. Career On 3 February 2015 he replaced Dino Pagliari as manager of Lecce. From to 2016 to 2017 he was in charge of ...

(2016–17) * Stefano Colantuono (2017–18) * Angelo Gregucci (2018–19) * Leonardo Menichini (2019) * Gian Piero Ventura (2019–20) * Fabrizio Castori (2020–21) * Stefano Colantuono (2021–22) *

Davide Nicola Davide Nicola (born 5 March 1973) is an Italian professional football manager and former player. He was most recently head coach of Serie A club Salernitana. Club career Nicola was born in Luserna San Giovanni. During his time in Genoa C.F ...

(2022)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Salernitana Football clubs in Italy Football clubs in Campania Association football clubs established in 1919 2005 establishments in Italy 2011 establishments in Italy Serie A clubs Serie B clubs Serie C clubs Serie D clubs 1919 establishments in Italy Phoenix clubs (association football) Coppa Italia Serie C winning clubs