New FC Hollywood: An Italian club attracts the attention of the world
Even if ZDF just revived FC Hollywood in a five -part series: For FC Bayern, the time is when stars like Lothar Matthäus, Jürgen Klinsmann and Mario Basler have been generously supplied with gossip and gossip for years. They are very satisfied in Munich.
A quarter of a century later, another club is in European football to establish itself as a new Hollywood FC: the Italian first division promoted Como 1907. The team from the 85,000-inhabitant city on Lake Como does not consist of more well-known players and has not yet been delivering any intrigue. For this purpose, real Hollywood celebrities regularly sit in the stands at home games.
The Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia is located directly on the lake bank. Photo: dpa
Only a small selection, who was last seen on actors in the VIP area of the Little Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia directly on the lake shore: Hugh Grant, Kate Beckinsale, Keira Knightley, Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch and also Adrien Brody, who recently got his second Oscar for « The Brutalist ».
Grant – Actually known as a fan of the Premier League club FC Fulham – even raised the fist to cheers in a goal from Como in 1907. Beckinsale whispered after visiting the stadium: « What emotions, what adrenaline and energy. I enjoyed every minute. »
Billionaire family from Indonesia finances the association
The interest of the Hollywood stars has less to do with sporting success: Como is currently in 13th place in Serie A table. The team around Spanish coach CESC Fabregas is somewhat distance from the relegation ranks. But the places that entitle a European competition are even further away.
The decisive reason for the prominence in the stands are rather the owners: the Indonesian brothers Michael and Robert Hartono, who were looking for a club with perspective six years ago. With an estimated assets of 45 billion euros, the 83 and 85 -year -old Hartonos are among the richest men in the country in their homeland -crazy homeland. Your empire includes the mixed group Djarum and the Bank BCA. They also invest in sports in Asia, especially badminton and football.
Trainer CESC Fabregas and his team currently take 13th place in Serie A. Photo: Getty Images
When the Indonesians entered Como, the traditional club played with the amateurs in the fourth division. He had his best time in the 1980s. Then it usually went down. In the meantime, the club was even bankrupt. The salaries could no longer be paid, not even the cost of training grounds.
The Hartonos went uphill: in half a decade from Serie D to series A. The most prominent name currently has coach Fabregas, who was under contract as a player in Barcelona, at Arsenal and FC Chelsea and became both European and world champions. But the club has promising talents around the 20 -year -old Argentine international Nico Paz.
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The Indonesians have already cost their commitment many million euros. By 2027, the expansion of the stadium with its so far only about 10,000 places should be completed. One is silent about the exact sums – as well as the « arrival money » that the Hollywood prominence receives for a stadium visit. We are talking about five -digit sums.
For this purpose, Como 1907 is no longer only reported in the sports section of the Italian newspapers, but also internationally on the colorful pages. So far, however, they are still waiting for a star: for George Clooney, who has a villa together with his wife Amal in the town of Laglio, just a few kilometers above the lake. The 64-year-old has never looked at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia.
