US Salernitana 1919

Salernitana
Full nameUnione Sportiva Salernitana 1919 S.r.l.
Nickname(s)I Granata (The Maroons)
Founded19 June 1919 (19 June 1919) (as Unione Sportiva Salernitana)
4 May 1927 (4 May 1927) (refounded as US Salernitana)
2005 (2005) (refounded as Salernitana Calcio 1919)
2011 (2011) (refounded as Salerno Calcio)
GroundStadio Arechi[1]
Capacity37,800[2]
CEODanilo Iervolino[3]
Head coachGiuseppe Raffaele
LeagueSerie C
2024–25Serie B, 16th of 20 (relegated)
Websiteussalernitana1919.it

Unione Sportiva Salernitana 1919 is an Italian professional football club based in Salerno, Campania. The original club was founded in 1919 and has been reconstituted three times in the course of its history, most recently in 2011. The current club is the heir of the former Salernitana Calcio 1919,[4] and it restarted from Serie D in the 2011–12 season.[5][6] Salernitana returned to Serie A in 2021, after a break of 23 seasons, having finished second in Serie B. Their tenure at the top level lasted until the 2023–24 season, when they were relegated back to Serie B.[7] In the 2024-25 season, following the defeat against Sampdoria in the relegation playoff, Salernitana is relegated to Serie C. It is an associated member of European Club Association.

History

From Unione Sportiva Salernitana to Salernitana Calcio 1919

Main article: History of U.S. Salernitana 1919

The Salerno-based club was originally founded in 1919 as the Unione Sportiva Salernitana. The club was known as Società Sportiva Salernitanaudax for a time during the 1920s following a merger with Audax Salerno. In 1978, the club was renamed Salernitana Sport. The club has spent the majority of their history at the Serie B and Serie C levels of Italian football.

Salernitana play their home matches at Stadio Arechi. In their early years, Salernitana competed in the regional Italian Football Championship. They played at this level for four seasons during the 1920s. Since that time the club reached the top level of Italian football twice; they played in Serie A during 1947–48 and 1998–99.

In 2005, the club went bankrupt but was restarted by Antonio Lombardi, changing the name from Salernitana Sport to Salernitana Calcio 1919.

In 2011, the club did not appeal against a decision by Commissione di Vigilanza sulle Società di Calcio Professionistiche (Co.Vi.So.C) and was excluded from Italian football.[8]

Club refoundation: from Serie D to the top flight

On 21 July 2011, following the exclusion of the original Salernitana club, Salerno mayor Vincenzo De Luca, in compliance with Article 52 of N.O.I.F., assigned the new title to Marco Mezzaroma, brother-in-law of Lazio owner and chairman Claudio Lotito. The new club was admitted to Serie D under the denomination of Salerno Calcio.[1][9][10]

In the 2011–12 season, Salernitana was immediately promoted to Lega Pro Seconda Divisione after winning Group G of Serie D.

On 12 July 2012, the club was renamed US Salernitana 1919.[4] In the 2012–13 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione season, Salernitana finished first in Girone B, and was promoted to Lega Pro Prima Divisione. This was the second consecutive promotion for the team. Finally Salernitana won Group C of Lega Pro and returned Serie B in 2014–15 season.

After several seasons at Serie B level, Salernitana won promotion to Serie A at the end of the 2020–21 Serie B season under the tenure of head coach Fabrizio Castori, finishing in 2nd place behind champions Empoli. Promotion was secured with a 3–0 victory over Pescara on the final matchday. Salernitana's return to Serie A however required Lotito and Mezzaroma to sell the club, due to Italian football laws not allowing two clubs from the same owner to play in the same league.[11] On 7 July 2021, the FIGC Federal Council approved the trust of Salernitana to take control of the club, meaning it was officially enrolled in Serie A for the first time in 23 years.[12]

Return to Serie A: 2021–present

Salernitana's first match in its return to the top flight was a 3–2 defeat against Bologna on 22 August 2021.[13] After a poor start to the season, earning only one point from the first six matches, the club picked up its first Serie A victory against Genoa on matchday seven, winning 1–0 courtesy of a goal from Milan Đurić.[14] In October, the Salernitana board fired Castori after a 2–1 loss to Spezia had left the club at the bottom of the table, with four points from their opening eight league games. Stefano Colantuono was named as his replacement, returning for a second spell as head coach having previously led Salernitana from December 2017 to December 2018.[15] On 22 May 2022, Salernitana avoided relegation by finishing with the lowest points tally in Serie A history with just 31 points. Salernitana managed to pull off the great escape by securing 18 points from their last 15 matches.[16] In the 2023/2024 Serie A season, Salernitana finished bottom of the table and were relegated back to Serie B.[17]

Colours, badge and nicknames

Salernitana's original kit

Salernitana originally wore light blue and white striped shirts, known in Italy as biancocelesti.[18] The blue on the shirt was chosen to represent the sea, as Salerno lies right next to the Gulf of Salerno and has a long tradition as a port city. In the 1940s, the club changed to garnet coloured shirts, which has gained them the nickname granata in their homeland.

During the 2011–12 season their kit colours were striped blue and deep red, resembling F.C. Barcelona. The symbol of St. Matthew, patron saint of Salerno, was also a part of the redesigned kit.[19]

Since renaming the club US Salernitana 1919, however, their home colours have again been the traditional garnet.[4]

The 100th anniversary logo was announced on 24 June 2019, and appeared on their 2019–20 season kits.[20]

Honours

League

Winners: 1946–47 (Group C), 1997–98
Winners: 1937–38, 1965–66, 2007–08, 2014–15
Winners: 2012–13
Winners: 2011–12 (as Salerno Calcio)

Cups

Winners: 2013–14
Winners: 2012–13

Internationally

Quarter Finalist: 1994-1995

Divisional movements

Series Years Last Promotions Relegations
A 5 2023–24 – 3 (1948, 1999, 2024)
B 31 2024–25 3 (1947, 1998, 2021) 6 (1939, 1956, 1967, 1991, 2005✟, 2010)
C
+C2 		55
+1		 2014–15 7 (1938, 1943, 1966, 1990, 1994, 2008, 2015)
1 (2013 C2)		 1 (2011✟)
92 out of 93 years of professional football in Italy since 1929
D 1 2011–12 1 (2012) never

Players

Current squad

As of 13 July 2025[21]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
7 MF  ITA Franco Tongya
12 GK  ITA Francesco Corriere
17 DF  FRA Lilian Njoh
29 DF  ITA Paolo Ghiglione
45 MF  ITA Rocco Di Vico
55 GK  ITA Luigi Sepe (captain)
— GK  ITA Vincenzo Fiorillo
— DF  ITA Armando Anastasio
— DF  CRO Domagoj Bradarić
— DF  ITA Mauro Coppolaro
— DF  AUT Flavius Daniliuc
— DF  ITA Eddy Cabianca
No. Pos. Nation Player
— DF  ITA Luca Villa
— DF  ITA Matteo Lovato
— DF  ITA Emmanuele Matino
— MF  NED Kees de Boer
— MF  ITA Nicola Dalmonte
— MF  ITA Antonio Pio Iervolino
— MF  POL Mateusz Łęgowski
— MF  ITA Giulio Maggiore
— MF  ITA Ivan Varone
— FW  MAR Ismail Achik
— FW  ARG Franco Ferrari
— FW  ITA Roberto Inglese

Out on loan

As of 30 June 2025

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— FW  SEN Boulaye Dia (at Lazio until 30 June 2026)

Non-playing staff

As of 7 April 2025[22]
Position Staff
Sporting director Marco Valentini
Head coach Pasquale Marino
Assistant coach Massimo Mezzini
Goalkeeping coach Paolo Di Sarno
Athletic coach Donatello Matarangolo
Marco Celia
Vincenzo Laurino
Match analyst Sandro Antonini
Collaborator interpreter Pietro Marchesano
Team manager Salvatore Avallone
Referee officer Antonio Iannone
Kit manager Rosario Fiorillo
Mario Gaeta
Pasquale Gaeta
Head of medical staff Dott.Vincenzo Rosciano
Medical area coordinator Dott.Gennaro Alfano
Team doctor Dott.Catello Di Somma
Nutritionist Dott.Stefano Gallo
Physiotherapist - Osteopath Giuseppe Magliano
Massophysiotherapist Davide Bisogno
Physiotherapist Francesco Minieri
Francesco Smargiassi
Scientific consultant Prof.Marcello Zappia
Dott.Antonio Lambiase
Dott.Daniele Masarone
Dott.Luca Bardi
Podiatrist Sergio Di Palma
Goalkeeping co-ordinator Luigi Genovese

National team players

These current and former players have recorded starts for their respective national teams.

Players from the Italy national football team:

Italy

Players from other national football teams:

Albania
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Chile
Croatia
Cyprus
France
Ivory Coast
Jamaica
Mali
Mexico
Netherlands
Nigeria
Norway
Peru
Poland
Romania
Russia
Senegal
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
Sweden
Switzerland
Tunisia
Turkey
Uruguay

World Cup players

The following players have been selected by their country in a World Cup Final Squad, while playing for Salernitana.

Managers

References

  1. ^ a b "Codice promozione SNAI Maggio 2021 - "SNAIMAX17" | Tutte le promo". Codice promozione SNAI. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Biglietteria – US Salernitana 1919 | Sito ufficiale della U.S. Salernitana 1919". Archived from the original on 2 May 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  3. ^ "Salernitana, Danilo Iervolino nuovo proprietario: Conferma dalla FIGC". 31 December 2021. Archived from the original on 1 January 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "UFFICIALE. Da adesso chiamatela U.S. SALERNITANA 1919 – Salernitana – Resport". Resport.it. Archived from the original on 18 February 2013.
  5. ^ "Salerno Calcio, c'č l'iscrizione Oggi la presentazione dello staff – Corriere del Mezzogiorno". Corrieredelmezzogiorno.corriere.it. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  6. ^ "Modifica dell'art. 52 delle Norme Organizzative Interne della FIGC (Titolo sportivo)". Civile.it. Archived from the original on 31 March 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  7. ^ "Serie a 2023-24: Salernitana Relegated After 0-3 Loss to Frosinone in Italian Football League - in Pics". 27 April 2024. Archived from the original on 2 May 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  8. ^ Cianfanelli, Marco (9 March 2017). "UNIONE SPORTIVA SALERNITANA 1919 - Collezione di Marco Cianfanelli". PennantsMuseum (in Italian). Archived from the original on 7 July 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  9. ^ "Lotito, show a Salerno "Torneremo in alto"". Repubblica.it. 26 July 2011. Archived from the original on 13 December 2022. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  10. ^ "E' nata la nuova Salernitana Il Salerno calcio sarà "blau-grana" Lotito: non è un satellite della Lazio" (in Italian). Ilmattino.it. Archived from the original on 7 February 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  11. ^ "Il paradosso della Salernitana" (in Italian). Il Post. 11 May 2021. Archived from the original on 13 December 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  12. ^ "Official: Salernitana are officially returning to Serie A after 23 years". Football Italia. 7 July 2021. Archived from the original on 25 June 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  13. ^ "Bologna 3-2 Salernitana: De Silvestri double rescues Rossoblu". Football Italia. 22 August 2021. Archived from the original on 25 June 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  14. ^ "Salernitana 1-0 Genoa: Granata finally get first win". Football Italia. 2 October 2021. Archived from the original on 25 June 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  15. ^ "Salernitana appoint Colantuono after Castori sacking". Reuters.com. 17 October 2021. Archived from the original on 13 December 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  16. ^ "Salernitana avoid relegation with record low points total". forzaitalianfootball.com. 23 May 2022. Archived from the original on 13 December 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  17. ^ "Salernitana relegated from Serie A after defeat". www.northerndailyleader.com.au. 26 April 2024. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  18. ^ "La Storia: 1910–1919" (in Italian). Salernitana.it. 24 June 2007. Archived from the original on 27 February 2008.
  19. ^ "Sarà "Salerno Calcio" il nome della nuova società calcistica della città. Lotito e Mezzaroma hanno presentato i loro progetti" (in Italian). 12mesi.it. 26 July 2011. Archived from the original on 10 May 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  20. ^ Il logo ufficiale della Salernitana per la stagione numero 100 Archived 13 December 2022 at the Wayback Machine (in Italian)
  21. ^ "PRIMA SQUADRA" (in Italian). Salernitana. 28 August 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  22. ^ "Staff Tecnico" (in Italian). U.S. Salernitana 1919. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  23. ^ "Francesco Di Jorio". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 31 July 2012.

Further reading

  • Giovanni Vitale (2010). Salernitana storia di gol sorrisi e affanni. International printing. ISBN 978-88-7868-094-4.
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