From Baggio & Guardiola To Being Wiped Out - The Downfall Of Brescia

They were laminitis members of Serie A and erstwhile boasted immoderate of Italian football's astir celebrated names, but now Brescia person been wiped retired of beingness aft a financial crisis.

How did specified a historical nine autumn truthful far, truthful quickly? And what happens next?

BBC Sport examines nan Lombardy team's demise and imaginable contiguous revival.

Brescia were founded successful 1911, erstwhile master shot successful Italy was successful its early stages, and earned promotion to nan apical formation 2 years later.

When Serie A was formed successful 1929 to instrumentality a stronger two-tier building passim nan country, they were among nan 18 clubs included.

A coagulated 10th-placed decorativeness successful that debut run was an early motion of nan comparative anonymity to follow. The business municipality of Brescia, organization 200,000, has ever been successful nan shadows of location powerhouse Milan, 50 miles to nan west, and nan aforesaid was existent connected nan shot field.

So, for nan adjacent 9 decades Brescia were remarkably unremarkable: a mid-size provincial nine plodding on betwixt relegations and promotions, ne'er winning thing but ever connected nan scene, pinch nary awesome trophies and their sole 'achievement' was holding Italian football's longest unbroken spell successful Serie B (1947 to 1965).

An exceptional burst into nan spotlight came astatine nan move of nan century, erstwhile divinely pony-tailed brilliant Roberto Baggio - 1 of Italy's top players - ended his injury-hit profession pinch a successful four-season spell astatine Brescia.

The flamboyant guardant was concisely joined by different iconic veteran, Spain's Pep Guardiola, on pinch rising midfield prima Andrea Pirlo, who was calved locally and came done nan club's younker strategy to motorboat his legendary career.

Inspired by Baggio, Brescia flourished. Finishing eighth successful 2001 was nan club's champion play and led to a spot successful that summer's Uefa Intertoto Cup, a now-defunct tourney for Europe's mid-ranking teams.

Stepping onto nan continental shape for nan first time, Baggio's punishment was not capable to debar conclusion by Paris St-Germain connected distant goals successful 1 of 3 finals - nan different 2 'champions' were Aston Villa and Troyes…yes, 3 champions…it was a unusual tournament.

Baggio retired successful 2004, Brescia were relegated a twelvemonth later, and that was that: nan club's little flirtation pinch nan elite was vanished and nan erstwhile regular of relegation-promotion-relegation was resumed.

Until now.

In nan summertime of 2017, nan nine was taken complete by businessman Massimo Cellino.

His first shot nine ownership was Sardinian nine Cagliari, wherever he earned nan nickname 'Manager Eater' aft hiring and firing 36 coaches successful 22 years.

Cellino past turned his attraction to English football, taking complete astatine Leeds United successful 2014. But, a arguable and divisive figure, he sold up successful 2017 aft being banned by nan Football Association for 12 months for breaching nan rules connected shot agents.

Instead he purchased Brescia, who had spent nan past six years successful Serie B.

A promotion and contiguous relegation quickly followed, arsenic good arsenic 24 coaching changes successful 8 years, pinch 13 of nan incumbents lasting less than 100 days successful charge.

Then, successful May, it was revealed an investigation into financial irregularities astatine nan nine had been taking place, including missed payments to players, unit and nan Italian Football Federation (FIGC).

It led to a four-point deduction, sending Brescia - who had vanished 15th - into nan relegation area and handing a reprieve to Sampdoria, who survived via a relegation play-off that was abandoned successful nan 2nd leg because of crowd trouble.

On Thursday, nan FIGC formally upheld its determination connected Brescia, banning Cellino - arsenic good arsenic his son, and committee member, Edoardo - for six months and revoking nan club's licence to run astatine master level.

Brescia had efficaciously been wiped retired of business, apparently near pinch nan only action of reforming nan nine successful nan amateur, regionalised Serie D.

But that is not wherever nan communicative ends.

Even earlier Brescia's destiny was formally announced past week, hopes had been building that resurrection was already astir nan corner.

The municipality is location to Feralpi, a starring alloy manufacturer, whose president Giuseppe Pasini has been moving pinch municipality politician Laura Castelletti and different section company, A2A, to guarantee master shot continues.

They are readying to shape efficaciously a 'new' club, operating arsenic a abstracted ineligible entity from nan aged Brescia that was banished past week by nan FIGC, and akin to nan process that revived different Italian club, Vicenza, successful 2018.

The deadline to complete each nan paperwork and registry for adjacent season's Serie C is 15 July, truthful clip is tight.

The aged club's Rigamonti Stadium is owned by nan municipality council, but they signed a lease until 2028 pinch Cellino, who insisted that statement remains successful spot and has reportedly grounded to return, external nan keys.

But nan assembly countered that by saying missed payments and nan club's disqualification by nan FIGC invalidates nan position of nan lease, and connected Saturday locksmiths were sent successful to reclaim nan site.

At nan moment, things look connected way for Feralpi's takeover.

It will beryllium a caller club, playing successful Serie C, but for fans of Brescia that's acold amended than nan replacement - nothing.