Memory: the U15 Scudetto in 1989
For Bologna, the 1988/89 season was the first year after returning from Serie B, and after a difficult season that began on 9 October and ended on 25 June, they finished in 13th place, which kept them in Serie A. There wasn’t much to shout about, other than the Giovanissimi Championship (nowadays the Under-15s) triumph on 11 June 1989 that was sealed by the class of ’74 thanks to a 2-0 win over Napoli with Pepè Anaclerio scoring both goals.
A very young Davide Ballardini was sat on the bench at the age of 24, and having arrived in Bologna two years earlier he was almost the protagonist of a historic double, because the season before, 1987/88, only Roma were able to stop the class of ’73 from winning the league after a 1-0 defeat. “We were a loose cannon,” Sandro Tiberi, Head of the Youth Sectory from 1985 to 1992 recalled, digging into his memory, “and no longer a surprise.” The Roman directory joined the Rossoblù family because Mazzone, the First Team coach that year, called him: “I had played together with Carlo in the Giallorossi youth sector and when he called me, he said that I’d also be in charge of the Primavera squad.” However, the Youth Sector was going through a dramatic period at the time, given the lack of financial support: “The only solution was to start from the bottom, with the youngsters, with whom we managed to create six teams: I’ve always liked to build, winning a title starting from a situation like that wasn’t easy.”
Traversa and Anaclerio were part of that winning line-up: “We brought the two of them and Campione, who were all kids, to Bologna by spending less than one and a half million lire.” Pepè himself was the protagonist in the final act of the campaign when he scored a penalty in the first half and finished the game off with another goal in the second half that saw the Rossoblù triumph at a regional level and then win the round of 16, quarter-final and semi-final: “I remember they celebrated our success at the Town Hall, and then Corioni took us to the centre of the pitch at the Dall’Ara before the match with spectators cheering in the stands: the boys were 14 or 15 years old, it was an unforgettable experience for them.” On the occasion of his last visit to our training centre, Tiberi wanted to bring the trophy back from his home to ours, showing the great spirit and gratitude he holds for the Rossoblù.
REPORT FROM THE TIME
For the occasion, a local Bologna club, all the Rossoblù technical staff and the regional President of the Youth and School Sector, Giorgio Moro, were present in Lazio’s city. Two weeks later, on 25th June, the Under-15s parade was accompanied not only by the presence of Tazio Roversi’s regional champions, but also by Ballardini’s parting words, who moved to Cesena: “We deserve this feeling of satisfaction. Perhaps there were doubts about the first goal, but we should have had a penalty beforehand in any case. Anyhow, goalkeeper Limone was sent off in Napoli and we took advantage of it with Anaclerio’s goal.”
BOLOGNA 2-0 NAPOLI
BOLOGNA: Cocchi, Traversa, Vicchi, Rachini, Rondelli, Luca Montanari, Lazzari, Lo Russo, Anaclerio, Zamboni (54’ Sabatini), Barbieri (50’ Pellicciari). Substitutes: Carfora, Druidi, Thomas Montanari.
Coach: Ballardini
NAPOLI: : Limone, Longino, Piana, Ambrosino (39’ Esposito), L. Esposito, Cianciulli, Palmieri, Ruocco (50’ Scatti), Baglieri, Elia, Arpaia. Substitutes: Panico, Pelella, Parziane.
Coach: Massa
Referee: Rossi from Ciampino
Goal scorers: 40’ (pen.), 55’ Anaclerio
