That’s it folks, every carnival has its end!
Ash Wednesday traditionally marks the beginning of Lent for religious people and the end of Carnival for those who like to party!
Taking advantage of the symbolic meaning of dates, a football Help you remember the stories of clubs that literally “rose from the ashes”.
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Whether it’s starting over in the amateur leagues, being saved by the passion of their fans, or even getting unexpected help from their opponents, these institutions have proven that there is life after bankruptcy.
Naples
Those who view Napoli as a strong team today may not be able to imagine the ordeal that the Neapolitans have gone through. In 2004, the club went bankrupt due to heavy debts and was forced to start over in Serie A (third tier), re-founding “Naples Football” by film producer Aurelio De Laurentiis.
The rise was rapid: promotion to the Second Division and return to the top flight in the 2006/07 season. The club returned to its traditional name – Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli – and returned to glory with a Coppa Italia title and consistent performances in the Champions League.
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In the 2022/23 season, Napoli made history by winning the long-dreamed Serie A title, ending a 33-year championship drought and proving that the club is absolutely back to the top of Italy.
It was no accident that the club won the Serie A title again in the 24/25 season.
Borussia Dortmund
The German giant has not officially declared bankruptcy, but it is on the verge of bankruptcy. After winning the Bundesliga title in 2002, reckless spending and costs during the renovation of the Westfalenstadion triggered an unprecedented financial crisis between 2002 and 2005.
In order to survive, the club needs to take drastic measures: selling key players, cutting salaries by 20%, and even obtaining a 2 million euro loan from rival Bayern Munich to pay wages. The sale of the stadium naming rights (Signal Iduna Park) in 2006 was crucial to alleviating financial difficulties.
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The rebuilding on the pitch reached its peak in the “Klopp era”, with a German championship double (2011 and 2012).
Today, the club remains a powerhouse on the continent, consistently participating in the UEFA Champions League, including the final, but has yet to win the tournament again.
This season, Dortmund defeated Atalanta 2-0 in the first round of the playoffs on Tuesday (17th), locking in a place in the top 16 and a chance to continue competing for Europe’s most coveted trophy.
rangers
In 2012, one of Scotland’s giants experienced a nightmare. Due to huge debts, the club went bankrupt and was forced to start over in the fourth tier when it was re-established as “Rangers”.
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The road was long: the club won every lower league title before returning to the top flight in 2016/17.
After watching rivals Celtic lift the trophy during their absence, Rangers completed their resurrection by winning the league title unbeaten in 2020/21, extending their lead at the time as national champions (55 titles).
Today, Celtic have equaled the number of titles, but Rangers are still a force in Scottish football, which is not bad for a club that was once on the verge of disappearing!
parma
Parma captivated the world in the 1990s with stars such as Adriano, Buffon, Cannavaro and Thuram, but fell victim to Parmalat’s downfall.
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After initially going bankrupt, the club eventually went bankrupt in 2015 with debts of €218 million.
In 1913, the team was re-established as Parma Calcio, but had to start over in Serie D (amateur). The club achieved an unprecedented feat in Italian football: returning to Serie A for three consecutive promotions.
The great symbol of this journey was captain Alessandro Lucarelli, who promised to stay at the club until a return to the top flight and fulfilled his promise by retiring at the age of 40, mission accomplished.
World football legend and goalkeeper Buffon also returned to play for the club for two seasons before retiring at the age of 45.
Florence
Traditional Viola also knows hell. In 2002, Fiorentina was relegated and bankrupt due to heavy debts, and was forced to compete in Serie A C2 (fourth level) under the name Fiorentina Viola.
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After the team was acquired by the Della Valle family, it rose rapidly, restored its original name, and returned to Serie A in 2004.
Since then, it has stabilized as one of the forces in Italian football again, but this season, it is fighting for relegation.
In 17th place, Viola and Lecce share 21 points, opening the Serie A relegation zone.
racing
“Racing Fans’ Day.” That’s how March 7, 1999 became famous.
An Argentinian judge declared the club bankrupt due to debts that could not be repaid. The team would be banned from playing, but even without a game, 30,000 fans packed the Peron Presidential Stadium, preventing the institution from shutting down.
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Due to mass mobilization, the judiciary allowed the club to continue operating under judicial management.
The team not only survived but returned to become Argentina’s champions, proving that the passion of its fans is its greatest asset.
The Argentine giants’ recent achievements include winning the Copa Sudamericana against Cruzeiro and beating Botafogo to win the Copa Recopa.
This article was translated into English by artificial intelligence. You can read the original version at 🇧🇷.
