FBC Unione Venezia

Venezia Football Club, commonly referred to as Venezia, is a professional football club based in Venice, Italy, that currently plays in Serie B.

Originally founded as Venezia Foot Ball Club in 1907, the club have spent a large part of their history in Italy's top two divisions.

Venezia's biggest achievement to date was winning the Coppa Italia in the 1940–41 season. They followed this cup success up with their highest Serie A finish of third place in the following season.

Stadium

Venezia's Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo first opened in 1913 and takes its name from World War I pilot Pier Luigi Penzo. Stadio Penzo is the second-oldest stadium in Italy, after Genoa's Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

The stadium, located on the island of Sant'Elena, adjacent to the grounds of the Venice Biennale, is notable for being primarily accessible by boat.

The record attendance of 26,000 was for a 1966 Serie A match against A.C. Milan.

Originally constructed from wood, the stadium was largely upgraded with a concrete main stand in the 1920s and further improvements were made in the decades that followed.

On September 11, 1970 a tornado hit Venice and caused extensive damage to the stadium. The stadium was only partially reinstated, with the capacity reduced to just over 5,000.

When the club rose back up to Serie A in 1998, additional makeshift stands were added, bringing capacity back up to 13,400, but it has since been reduced again to the current capacity of 7,450.

History

Foundation and early years

Venezia Foot Ball Club was founded on 14 December 1907 in Venice by about 20 enthusiasts through the merger of the football sections of two Venetian sports clubs: the ''Martial Gymnastics Society'' and ''Costantino Reyer''. The place chosen by the founders to give life to the new football club was the restaurant "Da Nane in Corte dell'Orso" near Campo San Bortolomio. Among the founders were Davide Fano, the first president; Walter Aemisseger, from Swiss club FC Winterthur, the first coach and captain; Guido Battisti; Antonio Borella; Gerardo Bortoletti; ; Aldo Federici, known as "Baciccia"; Pietro Golzio, known as "Pioppa"; Silvio Lorenzetti, Pietro Piccoli; Primo Pitteri; Alessandro Santi; Marcello Santi; Luigi Vianello; Pietro Visintin; and Mario Vivante.

In its early years, the club's matches were played in the pine forest of Sant'Elena. Venezia's first matches were played against the Veneto teams of Padova, Verona, and Vicenza, as well as against the crews of the ships arriving at the port of Venice. Venezia's first match was played on December 22, 1907 against Vicenza, ending 1–1.

Venezia participated in Italy's top division for the first time in the 1909 Italian Football Championship. As the only Veneto club, Venezia were directly admitted to the semifinals against the winners of the Lombardia group, US Milanese, and lost the first leg 7–1 and the return leg 11–2.

Venezia participated in the Prima Categoria, Italy's top division, from the 1910–11 season through the 1914–15 season, which would be the last season played before Italy entered World War I.

In the 1911–12 season, Venezia won the Veneto-Emilian group and reached the national final against Pro Vercelli, losing 7–0 in the first leg and 6–0 in the second leg.Un Secolo di Calcio Venezia, Il Venezia dalla nascita al girone unico, Michele Gottardi, p. 18.

On 7 September 1913, ''Campo Sportivo Comunale di Sant’Elena'', the Venetian stadium on the island of Sant'Elena, later to be named Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo, was opened, complete with a covered grandstand for more than 500 spectators. Venezia lost the inaugural match to Genoa, 0–7.

In the 1914–15 season, Venezia qualified for the semifinals, and finished fourth in Group A, before the season was suspended due to the war.

1919 to 1939

AC Venezia

In April 1919, at Palazzo Gritti-Faccanon, in the then headquarters of Il Gazzettino, the members of Venezia F.B.C. and the Aurora F.B.C., a minor lagoon club, decided to join forces and rename the club as ''Associazione Calcio Venezia''. On the occasion, the government contributed to the relaunch of the lagoon club with an extraordinary contribution of 40,000 lire, as compensation for having used the sports field as a military base.

In the 1921–22 season, Venezia were relegated to the Seconda Divisione. Venezia returned to the Prima Divisione in the 1926–27 season, however, following the creation of the Divisione Nazionale as the new top flight, the Prima Divisione had become the second level of Italian football.

In the 1927–28 Prima Divisione season, Venezia finished second in Group A behind Atalanta, and were automatically admitted to the Divisione Nazionale by resolution of the Italian Football Federation, which expanded the league to 32 clubs, with two groups of 16 clubs each.

In the 1927–28 Divisione Nazionale season, Venezia finished 11th in Group B and were relegated to Serie B, which began operating in the 1929–30 season. Venezia finished 7th in Serie B that season.

SS Serenissima

In the summer of 1930, Venezia was renamed ''Società Sportiva Serenissima'', and the club colors were also changed with the adoption of the red of the Flag of the Republic of Venice, while the Lion of Saint Mark was placed on the chest.

In May 1931, on the occasion of the International Women's Gymnastic Competition, the Venetian stadium of Sant'Elena was named after World War I pilot Pier Luigi Penzo.Un Secolo di Calcio Venezia, Il Venezia dalla nascita al girone unico, Michele Gottardi, p. 28.

After five consecutive seasons in Serie B since 1929–30, S.S. Serenissima finished last in Group B in the 1933–34 Serie B season and were set for relegation, but they would keep their place in the league as a result of an expansion from 26 to 32 teams for the following season.

AC Venezia and promotion to Serie A

On 1 August 1934, the club returned to its former name ''Associazione Calcio Venezia'' (albeit with the addition, inevitable at the time, of the adjective ''Fascista'') and its traditional ''neroverde'' (black and green) colors.

In the 1934–35 Serie B season, Venezia finished tied for 11th and were relegated to the nascent Serie C. But Venezia's stay in Serie C would be short, as they finished top of the table in the 1935–36 season and earned direct promotion back to Serie B. Venezia also reached the Round of 32 of the 1935–36 Coppa Italia, defeating Padova, Fiumana (now Rijeka), and Pistoiese, before being eliminated by S.S. Lazio, 2–0. The strong point of that team was the ''mediana di ferro'' (iron median) of Armando Varini, Aldo Biffi, and Attilo Kossovel.

The following season, Venezia reached the Round of 16 of the 1936–37 Coppa Italia, losing to A.C. Milan, 2–0, and survived a relegation tie-breaker with Pro Vercelli, Messina, and Catania in the 1936-37 Serie B season to keep their place in the league.

In 1937, with the emergence of Arnaldo Bennati as club president, Venezia began a period of ascent. In the 1937–38 Serie B season, Venezia finished 8th in the table, and Bennati would bring in some important players including Víctor Tortora and Giovanni Alberti.

In the 1938–39 Serie B season, Venezia finished second and earned promotion to Serie A, which was achieved in dramatic fashion by defeating Atalanta in Bergamo, 0–1, on the last day of the season and overtaking them for second place despite being tied on points due to a better goal ratio. The winning goal, coming in front of 5,000 Venezia fans, was scored by Francesco Pernigo, who is still Venezia's all-time leading scorer (45) in Serie A. Venezia's manager was Giuseppe Girani.

Venezia's rise to Serie A prompted a new renovation of Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo, with capacity increased from 10,000 to 22,000 after expansion of the existing stands.Un Secolo di Calcio Venezia, Storia del Penzo, Renato Vidal, p. 29.

1939 to 1968

Golden era

Upon returning to Serie A after a 12-year absence, the Venezia squad was strengthened, with the arrival of players including Luigi Busidoni, Silvio Di Gennaro, Sergio Stefanini, and, most importantly, Valentino Mazzola. Mazzola was in Venice for military service, and after having showcased himself playing with military representatives in Campo dei Bacini, Venezia took him on trial and then bought him from Serie C club Alfa Romeo Milano. In the 1939–40 Serie A season, Venezia finished 10th in the table — highlighted by a win over eventual champions Ambrosiana Inter in Venice — and took a step towards the two most successful seasons in the club's history.

In 1940, Venezia hired Giovanni Battista Rebuffo as manager and further strengthened the squad with the arrival of Ezio Loik from A.C. Milan, who would form a famous partnership with Valentino Mazzola in Venice. Although they would finish a modest 12th in the 1940–41 Serie A season, Venezia would go on to win the 1940–41 Coppa Italia — the club's first major trophy. Venezia defeated MU Borzacchini in the Round of 32, Udinese in the Round of 16, Bologna in the quarterfinals, and S.S. Lazio in the semifinals, meeting A.S. Roma in the final. After a 3–3 draw in Rome, Venezia won the return leg at Stadio Penzo, 1–0, on a goal from Loik.

The following year, Venezia would make a run for the Scudetto. In the 1941–42 Serie A season, the Loik-Mazzola duo was outstanding, while Francesco Pernigo would score 12 league goals. A few rounds from the end of the season, Venezia faced Roma in a critical match at Stadio Penzo, but Venezia would lose after missing a penalty, and Roma would go on to win the championship on 42 points, with Torino second on 39 points and Venezia third on 38 points. The third-place finish remains Venezia's best-ever result in Serie A. In the 1941–42 Coppa Italia, Venezia defeated Torino in the Round of 32, Pisa in the Round of 16, and Bologna in the quarterfinals, but would lose to A.C. Milan in the semifinals, 2–1.

In the summer of 1942, Venezia sold Loik and Mazzola to Torino, for the then exorbitant figure of 1,200,000 lira. Venezia would struggle in the 1942–43 Serie A season, finishing 14th in the table and needing to defeat Bari in a relegation tie-breaker to remain in Serie A. But in the 1942–43 Coppa Italia, Venezia would reach their second final in three years. In the final, Venezia would lose to Torino, 4–0, with Mazzola scoring against his former club.

After the 1942–43 season, football competitions in Italy were suspended due to World War II.

Postwar period

After World War II, Venezia reestablished its name as ''Associazione Calcio Venezia''.

In Italy, national football resumed with the 1945–46 Italian Football Championship, and Venezia struggled, finishing 13th in the table. Serie A was restored in the 1946–47 season, and despite the 13 goals by Valeriano Ottino (the most goals in a Serie A season by a Venezia player) Venezia were relegated to Serie B. At the same time, Arnaldo Bennati would leave the presidency. Following the highest point in the club's history, a period of uncertainty began.

After finishing in fourth in Serie B in the 1947–48 season, sporting director Giuseppe Girani and manager Mario Villini led Venezia to promotion back to Serie A in the 1948–49 season, finishing second, just one point ahead of Vicenza.

But Venezia faced serious financial uncertainty, to the point that in the 1949–50 Serie A season the club was chaired by a local council. Venezia were forced to sell goalscorer Adriano Zecca to Roma, and did not have the quality to compete in the top flight, finishing last with only 16 points. In the summer of 1950, Mario Renosto was sold to A.C. Milan, and he immediately won the Scudetto with the ''rossoneri'' the following season.

Upon falling back to Serie B, Venezia would finish a modest sixth in the table in the 1950–51 season despite 20 goals from Pietro Broccini, who would leave for Inter Milan in the summer.

In the 1951–52 season, Venezia would be relegated to Serie C, and they would spend four seasons in the third tier, before earning promotion back to Serie B in the 1956–57 season under manager Carlo Alberto Quario.

Despite still playing in Serie B, Venezia would make an impressive run in the 1958–59 Coppa Italia, eliminating Roma and Torino on their way to the semifinals, where they would lose to Inter, and then lose a third place match with Genoa. At the end of the season, manager Carlo Alberto Quario would leave the bench, and Venezia would narrowly avoid another relegation to Serie C in the 1959-60 season, surviving a relegation tie-breaker with Monza and Taranto.

In the 1960–61 Serie B season, entrepreneur Anacleto Ligabue took over as extraordinary commissioner of the club, and he immediately recalled Carlo Alberto Quario to the bench. It would be a winning move, as Venezia finished top of the table, and returned to Serie A after an 11-year absence. The promotion-winning team featured the young Venetian Gianni Rossi plus new arrivals Virginio De Paoli, Sergio Frascoli, Gianni Grossi, and striker Luigi Raffin

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