Sampdoria and the world of Calcio are mourning the loss of President Riccardo Garrone, who died aged 77 on Monday evening.
The former Sampdoria striker Francesco Flachi told Radio Sportiva : “Italian football lost a great man, transparent, fair and simple. For us it was a family man. was a great person who will be missed. loved not appear due to its simplicity, however, had great values and hardly said a word wrong. Tale a story: after my problem in Genoa, for two years was felt as a punishment from parents to children. Then, spent time I came to embrace, as made me realize that I was wrong but that he forgave me. Mantovani He made the history of Sampdoria. ”
Mayor of Genoa, Marco Doria spoke about Garrone : “I had, as mayor, the pleasure of knowing Riccardo Garrone so that I could appreciate his great willingness to work together for the good of the city, the courtesy and the desire to do with imagination and without prejudices. He has led a large family business that has played and plays a significant role in the history and reality of Genoa. He has contributed to the sporting life of the city and through the Foundation Garrone, the promotion of culture. I give my condolences of the Civic Administration and myself joining in pain of the families. ”
Antonio Cassano spoke of Garrone, a man who was a father figure to the Italian during his time at Sampdoria. “It’s an excruciating pain. Today is one of the most ugly and sad days of my life. He’ll Be forever in my heart and I will love you forever.”
Gianluigi Buffon, Juventus goalkeeper wrote on Facebook; “Football unfortunately loses a positive figure, really one of the few characters in the football scene I admired, despite not knowing. He was very similar to Mantovani for education and fairness, the aristocrat in the noble sense of the word. His family have my most sincere condolences. “
The Fiorentina Vincenzo Montella said over the phone with Sky Sport 24 : “In the first part of my career I played at Sampdoria when there were Mantovani, then when I came back there was the Garrone family and the president expressed his enthusiasm. I remember him with great affection and sympathy and I echo the condolences and I hope to be present for the final farewell. “
The coach of Siena, Beppe Iachini said: “I have a great memory of the President, was an extraordinary person and a president and I am happy to have given him the satisfaction of reviewing Sampdoria in Serie A, where he wanted to be. Garrone came to the training ground and I said, ‘Mister, we are in your hands.’ The first five months were very hard, but he was always with us, always to the field. then we did it, and I remember his words during dinner promotion. I was moved and touched too. ”
The president of Torino, Urbano Cairo said: “I am very sorry for his death, even though I knew he was ill for some time. With him, I’ve always had very positive reports, both before and after he became president of Torino. Garrone gave very much for Sampdoria and also for Italian football. I remember him as a great person, a great entrepreneur who created a large oil company. ”
The President of Serie A, Maurizio Beretta said to ‘ Ansa : “I’m very sorry. I was lucky enough to get close Riccardo Garrone in the 1980’s, when I worked for Confindustria. Without rhetoric, I must say that it is a waste for our country. Riccardo Garrone has had important insights and was very positive for the economy of Italy, he has created jobs in the North and in the South. He was also a person always alive with great passion for civil issues, as he demonstrated in his social commitment.”
