The world of Italian football is mourning the passing of Aldo Agroppi. The former footballer, coach and television commentator died this morning in Piombino at the age of 80, having been hospitalized for a few days following pneumonia. Born in the town in the province of Livorno on 14 April 1944, he tied his career above all to Torino and Fiorentina.

A midfielder who grew up in Piombino, Agroppi was bought by Torino in 1961 and after a few loans he made his mark with the Granata, where he played 278 games in all competitions between 1967 and 1975, winning the Coppa Italia in his first season (1967-1968) and in 1970-1971 . Having left Torino in 1975, he ended his career with two years at Perugia. In all, he collected 249 appearances in Serie A and 5 for the national team, with his debut on 17 June 1972 in a friendly against Romania in Bucharest.

After he stopped playing, Agroppi became a coach. He started at Pescara, then in 1981-1982 he obtained promotion to Serie A with Pisa and then moved to Perugia (with whom he lost only one match, a record in the Serie B with twenty teams). In 1985 his first experience at Fiorentina, which lasted one season, he also led the Viola in 1993 for three months in a very stormy period for the Tuscan club which - after his dismissal a few days before the end of the championship - was relegated to Serie B.

During his life, Agroppi was also a popular television commentator. His clashes with Juventus are famous, but also numerous criticisms towards the world of football .

Agroppi, who leaves behind his wife Nadia and his children Nilio and Barbara, had been in intensive care at the hospital in Piombino for 15 days, after being admitted first to the medical ward and then to intensive care in Livorno.

(Unioneonline/r.sp.)

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