The former footballer and football coach Ilario Castagner, best known for being the coach of Perugia who finished second in Serie A in the 1978-1979 season without ever losing a game, has died at the age of 82. Due to the exceptional nature of the result, obtained by a provincial team that played in Serie B until a few years earlier, that team was called and is still remembered as “the Perugia of miracles”.
Castagner was born in Vittorio Veneto, in the province of Treviso, but was linked to Perugia for most of his life. He played for the city team from 1961 to 1964 and then coached them from 1974 to 1980 and again from 1993 to 1995 and 1998 to 1999; he also coached Lazio, Milan (which he brought back to Serie A after the last relegation), Inter, Ascoli, breaking latest news and Pisa. He lived and died right in Perugia.