Luca Giudici, 31 years old, captain of Lecco (credit photo Calcio Lecco)
The Bluceleste captain recounts the joys and hardships of the long “ride”
“A great pride to represent the team and my city”
LECCO – Luke Judges, born in 1992, born in Erba but raised in Imberido di Oggionoleft midfielder. He is the captain of the blucelesti with whom he wrote a real page in the history of Calcio Lecco, hitting a promotion to Serie B expected for 50 years e won on Sunday at Rigamonti Ceppi against Foggia.
A life dedicated to football like that of many young people, from the first kicks in the oratory, passing through the youth teams, then the suburban fields in the minor leagues between joys, hardships and disappointments, up to promotion to Serie B.
That dream, cherished for weeks despite the “bookmakers” considering the Blucelesti underdogs, has come true. Captain Giudici’s Lecco did it.
Two days after the victory, the emotion is still strong: “At the beginning of the season, I never thought I would achieve such a result. And yet… we did it. All together we managed to achieve this historic promotion”.
From the home garden to Serie B
A long football journey that accomplished by the Oggionese, moved by an infinite passion for football, which Giudici, like many other young people, he has cultivated since childhood.
The first kicks in the garden of the house with his father, then at the oratory. “At the age of 6-7 I started football school in Oggiono, I did the whole youth sector always among the ranks of Oggiono up to my debut in the first team in Promotion – he recalls – At 17 I moved to Ardor Lazzate making my debut in Championship of Excellence in 2011 I landed at Caronnese in Serie D. The transition to the world of semi-professionalism was difficult. The first two years were tough, a leap in category that can be felt. A passion that becomes work, you have to train all week, twice a day. In short, it was difficult for me, more mentally than physically. At Caronnese, however, I was lucky enough to meet a great coach, Marco Zaffaroni (who coaches Verona in Serie A today, ed) who helped me change mentally and my perception of things. In three years we have done a great job and my improvements have been remarkable”.
Alla Caronnese Giudici was six years, the last with Marco Gaburro trainer. Then the debut in Serie C with Monza. “Another upgrade that I obviously feared, but it went very well. Indeed, the one in red and white has remained one of the most beautiful both on a team and personal level”.
Later Giudici goes on loan to Giana Erminio and then to Lecco, with the blucelesti buying him in 2020, lending him to Carrara for the 2020/2021 season.
“At Carrarese it’s been a difficult six months also due to some injuries – says the captain – Then I went back to Lecco, and that’s what I was hoping for. I wanted to show that I wasn’t the same as last season, because I knew I could give much more”.
In the center with the raised cup Luca Giudici
Team captain
Giudici’s new Bluceleste adventure begins in the best possible way with the trust of mister Foschi who gives him the captain’s armband. “I accepted with great enthusiasm, for me, a Lecco native, playing for Lecco and wearing the armband is a source of great pride but at the same time I knew I had a lot of responsibility. As captain you have to set an example both on and off the pitch and you have to know how to handle every situation even in the most difficult moments. But I’m happy to represent the team, today more than ever.”
On Sunday after the victory against Foggia, Giudici exultantly lifted the Lega Pro Serie C cup surrounded by the team and the club: “We arrived at the very final concentrated despite the controversy to destabilize us – he comments – During the year we learned not to be influenced by chatter and thanks also to the coach we were able to concentrate on ourselves. So it was on Sunday: we closed ourselves in the changing rooms, isolating ourselves from the outside world. We knew we had prepared well for the match. We were ready and the result has arrived”.
A team victory led by coach Luciano Foschi: “When the weather arrived it wasn’t the best, the mood was pretty low. But the Mr he was good at reading the situation. He was able to create a serene environment that allowed us to work well and to regain confidence in ourselves and in our abilities and with him we must not forget all the technical staff who followed and supported him. In short, his work, ours and that of the whole club, which I thank deeply, have been instrumental in achieving this historic promotion to Serie B ”.
Giudici also addresses a thought toformer coach Alessio Tacchinardisacked at the start of the championship after only four days: “I thank him because a coach always leaves something and it should never be forgotten”.
Rigamonti Ceppi: “It’s essential to be able to play in our stadium”
After the feat in the Playoffs, the team is enjoying a well-deserved rest, but looking to next season with the Serie A debut, Cadetta Giudici is not worried. “We are all very excited and there is no apprehension yet for what we will have to face. Personally, my contract is about to expire, however I hope to be reconfirmed in the bluceleste squad. We have earned this promotion and it would be fantastic to be able to live it ”.
Captain Luca Giudici (archive photo)
With regard to the adaptation of the Rigamonti Ceppi stadium to host Serie B matches, Captain Giudici also hopes that those responsible will work so that we can play within the historic friendly walls. “Taking the field at Rigamonti Ceppi is essential. It’s our fort, it gives us an extra boost, so much so that we made most of the stitches at home. Rigamonti Ceppi will be vital to play our chance in Serie B”.
And then there’s the Bluceleste support… “I thank the fans who have always been by our side and were spectacular on Sunday too – added the captain – They are there at every match and in the house I am our twelfth man. Lecco is a demanding ‘square’, but for me this is an incentive to do better and better and I believe that criticism is needed to grow. We are happy to have given them this joy, they really deserve itthe hope now is that they can continue to push us to Rigamonti Ceppi even stronger”.
Not just football
After the playoff race, the Lecco captain looks to another important goal, not a football one: in fact, next July 13 Giudici will take the master’s degree in Motor Sciences with a thesis on the mentality of the footballer. “I should have finished the course at the end of May but I didn’t make it with the games, so I postponed it. I’m getting ready”. Three years ago the footballer had finished his three-year course: “I’ve always thought about the future too – he says – The most beautiful job in the world is football, but at a certain age you have to hang up your boots and then it’s long. So I carried on and graduated in Sports Science, I decided to commit the free time I had to studying”. Chapeau!