Football stadium
The Stadio Ettore Giardiniero - Via del mare, known as Stadio Via del mare, is a multi-purpose stadium in 🌜 Lecce, Italy. It is mostly used for football matches and is the home of U.S. Lecce. The stadium was built 🌜 in 1966 and holds 40,670 seats.[3] It takes its name from the street leading to the sea, and from the 🌜 Lecce Mayor at the time of the first renovation of the stadium in 1985.[4]
History [ edit ]
Lecce supporters during a 🌜 match against Roma, April 2012
The Via del mare was inaugurated on 11 September 1966, during a friendly between U.S. Lecce 🌜 and Spartak Moscow. The stadium replaced the old Stadio Carlo Pranzo, which was named after a young soldier from Lecce 🌜 killed in the First World War. On 2 October of that year, the first match between teams from Italy was 🌜 played with Lecce beating local rivals Taranto 1–0. In 1967 Lecce played a friendly against famous Pelé's Santos here.
The initial 🌜 capacity was 16,000 spectators. In 1976, the capacity was increased to 20,500 seats. With the historic first promotion of Lecce 🌜 to Serie A in 1985 the stadium was almost completely rebuilt and capacity greatly increased to 55,000, which made it 🌜 the 6th stadium in Italy by capacity until 1990 FIFA World Cup.[5] Both the Curva Nord, now the terrace of 🌜 the organized fan groups led by the Ultrà Lecce, and Curva Sud, where Gioventù are based were rebuilt. The tribuna 🌜 and Distinti were also upgraded and then, to ensure that all seats were numbered, capacity was reduced to 40,670 seats.
The 🌜 seats are coloured red and yellow (the colours of U.S. Lecce) and on the Tribuna Est is an inscription of 🌜 "U.S. Lecce". After this almost total renovation, the stadium in Lecce, along with the Stadio Friuli in Udine, was the 🌜 only stadium ready for the 1990 FIFA World Cup. However the funding for a venue allocated to the region of 🌜 Apulia went to the Stadio San Nicola in Bari, which caused some controversy.
During the first day of the Serie B 🌜 2007–08 championship, the press room of the stadium was named after the local journalist Sergio Vantaggiato, who died in tragic 🌜 circumstances in August 2007. The plaque was presented by his son, Martino, in the presence of various local authorities, the 🌜 management of U.S. Lecce and some journalists of different newspapers.
On 1 November 2007, during a regular training session, lightning struck 🌜 the ground and killed Antonio De Giorgi, a U.S. Lecce equipment manager.
During the 2009–10 season the stadium hosted the home 🌜 matches of then Serie B club Gallipoli since its stadium was declared unfit as Serie B venue.[6]
On 22 August 2010 🌜 the stadium hosted a friendly between Lecce and Valencia, won by the Spanish side (0–3).
On 12 August 2024 the stadium 🌜 hosted a friendly match between Inter and Real Betis. Inter won 1–0.[7] On 4 August 2024, the stadium hosted a 🌜 2024 International Champions Cup match between Inter and Lyon. Inter won 1–0.
The Stadio Via del mare during a Serie A 🌜 match between Lecce and SPAL in February 2024.
Other events [ edit ]
The stadium hosted a speech by Pope John Paul 🌜 II in 1994.
From 14 to 17 July 2011 the stadium hosted the Italia Wave festival with Lou Reed, Kaiser Chiefs, 🌜 Paolo Nutini and many other artists.
