Stadio Leonardo Garilli on a matchday, the stands spelling Piacenza Calcio

A Story Kept Alive by Its People

Since 1919, Piacenza Calcio has carried the colours, ambitions and memory of an entire city. Its history is written not only in promotions and great matches, but in the people who refused to let the club disappear.

More Than a Century in Red and White

Piacenza Football Club was founded in the summer of 1919 by a group of students and workers. From its first matches, the team wore the colours of the city — white and red — and began a journey that would connect generations of players, supporters and families.

The club climbed the Italian football pyramid, reached Serie A for the first time in 1993 and went on to spend eight seasons in the top flight. Along the way, Piacenza built its identity around resilience, local pride and a bond with the city that extends far beyond the pitch. That bond mattered most in 2012. When the club went bankrupt, its supporters protected the name and identity of Piacenza Calcio and helped make a new beginning possible. The story survived because the city chose to carry it forward.

Piacenza team photograph from the club’s early years

Description

Description

Historic photograph of a Piacenza coach

Key moments

A Century of Turning Points

  1. The Beginning

    Piacenza Football Club is founded by a group of students and workers and adopts the city’s red and white colours.

  2. A First Step into Serie B

    Piacenza wins its Serie C group and earns promotion to Serie B for the first time. The achievement establishes the Biancorossi as one of the leading clubs in the region.

  3. The Garilli Era Begins

    Local businessman Leonardo Garilli becomes president and begins rebuilding the club after relegation to Serie C2. His arrival marks the beginning of a new era of growth and sporting ambition.

  4. A Historic Promotion

    A victory away to Cosenza secures Piacenza’s first-ever promotion to Serie A. Thousands of supporters welcome the team home, celebrating one of the greatest achievements in the club’s history.

  5. Hübner Makes History

    Serie A, while Dario Hübner scores 24 league goals. He finishes as the championship’s joint top scorer alongside Juventus forward David Trezeguet.

  6. The Club Is Reborn

    After the original company’s bankruptcy, supporters’ association Salva Piace preserves the club’s name and crest. The reborn team wins the Eccellenza championship and becomes Piacenza Calcio 1919 in June 2013.

Explore the Story by Era

Stadio Leonardo Garilli at night, seen from above

The Journey Through the Leagues

  • Season
    1919/20
    Competition
    Emilian Promotion Championship
    Position
    1st in the qualifying group
    Outcome
    Promoted to the First Category
  • Season
    1921/22
    Competition
    FIGC Emilian Championship
    Position
    1st in the Emilian group; 4th in the final group
    Outcome
    —
  • Season
    1927/28
    Competition
    Second Division, Northern League, Group D
    Position
    1st in Group D; 2nd in the final group
    Outcome
    Qualified for the First Division following the league reform
  • Season
    1937/38
    Competition
    Serie C, Group B
    Position
    Joint 1st
    Outcome
    Lost the promotion play-off against Fanfulla and remained in Serie C
  • Season
    1968/69
    Competition
    Serie C, Group A
    Position
    1st
    Outcome
    Champions · Promoted to Serie B
  • Season
    1992/93
    Competition
    Serie B
    Position
    3rd
    Outcome
    First promotion to Serie A
  • Season
    1996/97
    Competition
    Serie A
    Position
    14th
    Outcome
    Retained Serie A status after winning the survival play-off against Cagliari
  • Season
    2001/02
    Competition
    Serie A
    Position
    12th
    Outcome
    Dario Hübner finished as the league’s joint top scorer with 24 goals
  • Season
    2011/12
    Competition
    Lega Pro First Division, Group A
    Position
    17th
    Outcome
    Relegated to Lega Pro Second Division after losing the play-outs
  • Season
    2018/19
    Competition
    Serie C, Group A
    Position
    2nd
    Outcome
    Qualified for the promotion play-offs and reached the final

Honours

  • Serie B

    1Title

    Season:1994/95

  • Serie C

    4Titles

    Seasons:1968/69 1974/75 1986/87 1990/91

  • Anglo-Italian Cup

    1Trophy

    Season:1985/86

A Home for Red and White Memories

Entrance of the Museo BiancorossoShirts and pennants in the Museo Biancorosso

Located inside Stadio Leonardo Garilli, the Museo Biancorosso preserves shirts, photographs, documents and objects connected with more than a century of Piacenza Calcio. Created by the Salva Piace supporters’ association, it allows new generations to discover the people, matches and emotions that shaped the club.

Official Anthem

I tell you in Piacentine

I remember it as if it were yesterday, leaving for duty, the soldier's duty. I left my beautiful Piacenza, and when I think of it, I'm lost for words; but I am a true Piacentine, and when I walk with a girl, I whisper softly, softly: I love you! I tell you in Piacentine that I've always loved you, from the day I met you I fell in love; and I hope, just as I do, that you'll see a day will come when you, like me, will be the only girl, I tell you in Piacentine. There will be quite a few young lads, all wanting to be called Lilli, Popi Totò; but their baptismal name is another, it's Nicola, Tummäs or something else; but I am a true Piacentine, and when I walk with a girl, I whisper softly, softly: I love you! I tell you in Piacentine that I've always loved you, from the day I met you I fell in love; and I hope, just as I do, that you'll see a day will come when you, like me, will be the only girl, I tell you in Piacentine: I love you!

I'll tell you in Piacenza

I remember it as if it were yesterday, I left for duty, the soldier's duty. I left my beautiful Piacenza, when I think of it I am lost for words; but I am a true Piacentino, when I am with a girl I whisper softly: I love you! I say it to you in Piacentino that I have always loved you, since the moment I met you I fell in love; and hope as much as I do: you will see that a day will come when you will be the only woman for me, I say it to you in Piacentino. There will be quite a few young lads, all of them wanting to be called “Lilli”, “Popi” or “Totò”; but their baptismal name is something else, it's Nicola, Tommaso or some other; but I am a true Piacentino, when I am with a girl I whisper softly: I love you! I say it to you in Piacentino that I have always loved you, since the moment I met you I fell in love; and hope as much as I do: you will see that a day will come when you will be the only woman for me, I say it to you in Piacentino: I love you!

Piacenza supporters waving red and white scarvesListen on YouTube

Today

The Story Continues

Today, Piacenza Calcio carries forward a story that began in 1919 and was protected by its community when the club needed it most.

The club’s history is not treated as something confined to an archive. It lives in every match at the Leonardo Garilli Stadium, in the red and white colours, in the memories shared across generations and in the supporters who continue to stand beside the team through every new challenge. Looking ahead, Piacenza Calcio is working to build a stable and ambitious future for both the first team and the youth sector. The goal is to grow without losing the character that has always defined the club: a deep connection with its city, respect for its heritage and the belief that every new chapter should be written together with its people.

Families of supporters cheering at Stadio Leonardo Garilli