The ninth episode of “11 volte Cornaredo” is now online; this is the series through which FC Lugano continues to look back at some of the most significant stories to have unfolded at the club’s historic stadium.
The new episode is dedicated to Mauro Galvão, as seen through the eyes of Daniele Penzavalli, his team-mate, strike partner and close friend. This episode is different from the others, centred on the memory of one of the most important players to have graced Cornaredo and the deep bond forged during those years within the bianconeri dressing room.
The story begins on 25 July 1990, the day of the home league debut against St. Gallen. The match ended 0–0, but that evening marked Galvão’s debut at Cornaredo – the Brazilian international who had arrived in Lugano following the 1990 World Cup in Italy. For a Ticino-based club, welcoming a player of that calibre was something truly extraordinary.
Penzavalli recalls the amazement of those days, but above all the human impact Galvão made. Even more than his talent on the pitch, it was his charisma, his modesty and his ability to fit in naturally with a young squad – one deeply rooted in the local community and destined, in the years that followed, to play a key part in the club’s history – that made such an impression.
The episode also features a video message from Galvão himself, in which he fondly recalls the six years he spent in Lugano and sends a special greeting to Penzavalli, thanking him for always being there for him. That partnership gave rise to a strong defensive duo, but above all a friendship that has endured even after so many years.
In the background stands Cornaredo, now consigned to FC Lugano’s history, whilst the club has already begun a new chapter at the AIL Arena. For Penzavalli, that stadium will remain a symbol of a life spent amidst passion, football and a sense of belonging.
Watch the full episode of “11 volte Cornaredo” featuring Daniele Penzavalli and Mauro Galvão below.