The Sala Giorgio Pisano, in the headquarters of L’Unione Sarda, hosted the official presentation of the second edition of the Gigi Riva Trophy, the event dedicated to the memory of the unforgettable rossobl\u00f9 champion, symbol of an entire island and point of reference for generations of fans. Saturday 8 August at 8.30 pm, appointment at the Unipol Domus with Cagliari-Nice, the last friendly match for the rossobl\u00f9 before the start of official commitments. <\/p>\n\n
The event opened with the screening of a celebratory video dedicated to Rombo di Tuono: intense images, including his exploits wearing the Cagliari shirt and those with the national team, accompanied the memory of a man who, even today, represents a heritage of values \u200b\u200band belonging. Present to represent the Club were the CEO Stefano Melis, the Club Ambassador Nicola Riva, the member of the scouting area Roberto Muzzi and the captain Alessandro Deiola. Also in the room are some of the protagonists of the historic Scudetto of 1970 and Riva’s former team-mates in the rossobl\u00f9, such as Renato Copparoni, Beppe Tomasini and Mario Brugnera. <\/p>\n\n
The guests were welcomed by the general manager of the L’Unione Sarda group, <\/strong>Lia Serreli. \u201cFor us it is an honor to participate in this second trophy,\u201d he declared. \u00abThis event represents sportsmanship, one of the cornerstones and values \u200b\u200bof Gigi Riva. It was an extraordinary example and we have the duty to continue to tell it, especially to the younger ones.” Stefano Melis: \u00abFor us Gigi was much more than a champion and a legend\u00bb, he explained. \u00abHe was a point of reference on and off the pitch, a man capable of embodying the values \u200b\u200bof the Club and the entire football movement. We thought of this trophy to find the best way to celebrate him and pass on his example to the new generations.” Speaking about the bond between Cagliari and its fans, Melis added: \u00abWe are very clear about the values \u200b\u200bhe left us. The passion of our people is something extraordinary and represents a heritage to be preserved. If we manage to keep them alive, we will have done our duty. It would be the best way to close the circle: to see a stadium dedicated to Gigi Riva and give our fans a place worthy of his history. We are proceeding with pragmatism and confidence: the path is still long, but the hope is to start work in the first months of 2027″. As always, the speeches by former Rossoblu players Renato Copparoni, Mario Brugnera, and Beppe Tomasini were touching. “Gigi was like a big brother to me,” Copparoni said. “He helped me from the very beginning and gave me the opportunity to grow alongside extraordinary champions.” Mario Brugnera: “We were a close-knit group. At first, we were looked upon with suspicion, but that Scudetto changed everything.” Tomasini, on the other hand, emphasized the uniqueness of that achievement: “Winning a Scudetto in Sardinia is incredibly meaningful. No one thought we could do it, but we always believed in our dream.” Nicola Riva concluded the remembrance: “They were a family. If the legend of Gigi Riva exists today, it’s also thanks to them.”