Monza’s only victory in Florence on the day of Antognoni’s debut in viola

In 1972 Monza obtained its first and only victory in Florence in an Italian Cup match

Most Viola fans know that Giancarlo Antognoni made his debut in the lily shirt in Serie A at the “Bentegodi” in Verona October 15, 1972 on the occasion of Hellas Verona-Fiorentina 1-2 valid for the 3rd day of the 1972/73 championship, when the Viola coach Liedholm fielded the young midfielder born in Papiano (a small fraction of the municipality of Marsciano) in the starting eleven with the number 8 shirt.

Few, indeed very few, know, on the other hand, that the absolute debut of the “captain par excellence” in the history of Fiorentina took place in Florence on the occasion of a match with the Monza il August 27, 1972. It was the 1st day of the elimination round of Italian Cup and the result, unfortunately, was largely negative for Fiorentina which, however, was the protagonist of a good championship in that year.

The Brianza players, who were then relegated to Serie C at the end of that season, managed that evening to conquer the “municipal” of Campo di Marte with a round 3-0, led in midfield by the ex number 10 viola Lucius Dell’Angelo, nicknamed the “Suarez of the poor”. With that defeat, Fiorentina totally jeopardized their chances of accessing the next stage of the Italian Cup, but they thought about “saving” the memory of that match, which saw Fiorentina lose for the first and only time at home against Monza. LGiancarlo Antognoni’s debut, which took place exactly in the 20th minute of the second half (immediately after the second goal scored by Monza), when the Swedish coach decided to let the eighteen-year-old leave the field “Mimmo” Case to give the promising Umbrian midfielder of the same age (“snatched” from Turin to the tune of millions) his first appearance in the purple shirt which he would then wear for 15 consecutive years.