World Cup winner Luca Toni is working to ensure Modena has a football team to restart in Serie D – “I can’t bear to see my city without Modena Calcio”.
The Canarini were declared bankrupt earlier this season and thrown out of the Lega Pro, with the mayor of the city, Gian Carlo Muzzarelli, given eight months to find new owners to lead a phoenix club.
World Cup winner Luca Toni is working to ensure Modena has a football team to restart in Serie D – “I can’t bear to see my city without Modena Calcio”.
The Canarini were declared bankrupt earlier this season and thrown out of the Lega Pro, with the mayor of the city, Gian Carlo Muzzarelli, given eight months to find new owners to lead a phoenix club.
Under Italian football rules, the successor club appointed by the mayor can start again in Serie D, the highest amateur league, as Parma did after their bankruptcy in 2015.
While all the assets of the club will be sold to try and reclaim money for creditors, the history of the bankrupt Modena can be passed to a new club.
This week Toni attended an event to support Caritas Baby Hospital in Bethlehem and he spoke to Gazzetta di Modena after the charity football match.
“What is Luca Toni doing in Modena?” the former striker was asked.
“Luca Toni is working hard to try and restart football in Modena. It’s not easy, because I’ve already talked to a lot of people, local entrepreneurs and not just them, but I’m giving my all.
“I’m from Modena and, having played for Modena, I can’t bear to see my city without Modena Calcio, even more so when in our province there are teams like Sassuolo and Carpi in Serie A and Serie B.
“I won’t give up, I’ll do everything possible to do something important for this city.
“My own future? At this point I still feel more like a director than a Coach.”
Toni was born in Pavullo nel Frignano just 40km outside of Modena, and began his career with the Canarini.
After 34 games and eight goals for his local club, the big striker went on to score 306 club goals in 658 games, as well as helping Italy win the World Cup in 2006.