Today is the 72nd anniversary of the Superga tragedy, when probably the greatest Italian team in history – Il Grande Torino – perished in a plane crash.
On this day at 5.03pm in 1949, an accident in the Superga hills took the lives of all 31 passengers on board a plane returning from a friendly game against Benfica in Lisbon.
Today is the 72nd anniversary of the Superga tragedy, when probably the greatest Italian team in history – Il Grande Torino – perished in a plane crash.
On this day at 5.03pm in 1949, an accident in the Superga hills took the lives of all 31 passengers on board a plane returning from a friendly game against Benfica in Lisbon.
The tragic accident killed the 18 Torino players, their coaches, directors and three journalists. The utterly dominant Italian side, who had won five consecutive Serie A titles, are to this day considered one of the best teams in the history of the sport.
Torino President Urbano Cairo read up the names of the victims today.
“It’s a real emotion,” he said, according to Sky Sport Italia. “Every word is superfluous. We must always try to be on their side at the height because they did something special.
“Reading the names of these champions is a real emotion.”
In Superga this morning there were only Cairo, the general manager Antonio Comi, CEO Alberto Marile and sporting director Davide Vagnati.
For the first time since Ferruccio Novo, it was the Granata President who read the names and not the captain of the team.
“It’s a specia day, in which we need to reflect,” Cairo added. “A very important day for everyone and especially for the relatives of the victims.”
At 15.30 UK time, the team will be present at Filadelfia to remember the historic side.