AC Perugia Calcio
Italian football club, unbeaten Serie A runners-up in 1979.
Associazione Calcistica Perugia Calcio, commonly known as Perugia, is a professional football club based in Perugia, Umbria, Italy, currently competing in the third division of Italian football. Founded in 1905, the club has played 13 seasons in Serie A, notably finishing as unbeaten runners-up in the 1978–79 season, the first team under the round-robin format to achieve a season without defeat. Perugia also won the 2003 UEFA Intertoto Cup and made two UEFA Cup appearances.
Quick Facts
- Club
- Perugia
- Full name
- Associazione Calcistica Perugia Calcio S.r.l.
- Nickname
- I Grifoni (The Griffins)
- Founded
- 1905; 1935 (refounded); 1940 (refounded); 2005 (refounded); 2010 (refounded)
- Ground
- Stadio Renato Curi; Perugia, Italy
- Capacity
- 23,625
- Chairman
- Javier Faroni
- Manager
- Aimo Diana
Facts from the source article.
History
A.C. Perugia was formed on 9 June 1905 through the merger of U.S. Fortebraccio and Libertas, initially competing in regional competitions. The club gained its first promotion to Serie B in 1933 and built its first official stadium, Santa Giuliana, in 1937. After another promotion to Serie B in 1945–46, Perugia spent most of the 1950s in lower divisions. Perugia remained in Serie B for eight years before reaching Serie A for the first time in 1975.
With new president Franco D'Attoma, coach Ilario Castagner, and sporting director Silvano Ramaccioni, the squad added defender Pierluigi Frosio, midfielders Franco Vannini and Renato Curi, and forward Paolo Sollier, who became known for using a clenched fist salute. Perugia secured promotion with a three-point lead over Como and four over Verona. The newly promoted team played its first Serie A match against Milan on October 5, 1975, at the new Comunale di Pian di Massiano stadium.
On May 16, 1976, Renato Curi scored the decisive goal against Juventus, securing Torino's championship win over Juventus; Perugia also debuted in the Mitropa Cup that season. Curi's goals helped Perugia finish sixth the following season, the highest-placed team excluded from UEFA qualification. Curi died on October 30, 1977, from a heart attack during a home match against Juventus, leading to the stadium being renamed in his honor.
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