Brescia Cosenza suspended, Balata: “I feel defeated, let’s open a reflection”

Mauro Balata, president of Lega Serie B, intervenes with a letter on what happened yesterday evening at the Rigamonti stadium during Brescia-Cosenza, the second leg of the play-out of the cadet tournament: “What happened in Brescia is unjustifiable from every point of view and must be condemned with strength. However, I am dejected and deeply shaken. In about 6 years of presidency there had never been episodes of violence like the ones we witnessed yesterday evening at the Rigamonti stadium. Indeed, our category has always stood out for the absence of aggression and discrimination” writes Balata, president since 2017.

Score the Cosenza, firecrackers in the field and invasion

The match between Brescia and Cosenza was suspended in the 97th minute and subsequently declared concluded following the launch of firecrackers on the pitch and the invasion of home fans after the Calabrian goal made it 1-1 in the 95th minute. A goal that – after Cosenza’s 1-0 success in the first leg – decreed Brescia’s relegation to B and Cosenza’s salvation: “I feel defeated. situation of such violence on the occasion of a sporting event that should generate joy – continues Balata in the letter -. The players gave everything on the pitch. Defeat is part of sport, it is an essential component. It must be accepted as a moment in the process sportsman of every team, of every athlete, of every club. Everyone must face these situations with courage and respect. Defeat brings with it that need to reflect, to make self-criticism, it is a condition that unites and spurs us to do better and better “It is also and above all through defeats that we become stronger, even in life. Love for one’s team can never be violence because violence is the denial of love”.

Balata: “A dialogue must be opened”

“I want to express my closeness to the winners and losers, to all those who suffered and felt fear and discouragement on Thursday evening, to the two clubs, to the many true fans and enthusiasts – concludes the president Balata -, to the insiders and to the forces of police involved in containing the madness and who risked for their safety, but I also want to understand and address this situation directly with the institutions of the city and with all those who have a sense of respect and true love for sport even when it is lost. In order to open a dialogue so that what happened is not forgotten with the exhaustion of the emotionality of the moment but on the contrary becomes an opportunity for reflection and discussion. Only in this way will we be able to avoid other similar episodes”.