Garella, goodbye to the goalkeeper of the Naples and Verona championships
Bad news rocking the football world: Claudio Garella died at the age of 67, former goalkeeper of the first, historic Scudetto of Napoli in the 1986-1987 season. As reported by L’Arena, he allegedly died due to heart problems that occurred following surgery. Garella in his career was also the protagonist of the victory of the Verona championship in the 1984-1985 season. In the Gialloblù he played for four years, collecting over one hundred appearances. Then the experiences in Maradona’s Naples. The first day of Serie A will face Verona and NaplesIt is easy to imagine at this point a special tribute for Garella.
The carreer
In the football imaginary the rejected with Garella’s feet. The lawyer Agnelli said of him: “The only goalkeeper who saved without hands”. During his career Garella started in Turin, from then on Juniorcasale, Novara, Lazio, Sampdoria, Verona, Naples, Udinese and Avellino. Once he retired, he was also a coach and manager.
Garella, the memory of Napoli
The Neapolitan club wanted to remember its former goalkeeper with a post on the official website: “The world of football mourns the death of Claudio Garellagoalkeeper who has left an indelible mark in the history of Naples. Garella was among the absolute protagonists of the first blue championship in the 1986/87 season. She had arrived in Naples in the summer of 1985, at the dawn of the radiant Maradonian era. In blue he played 3 seasons, winning the Italian flag and the Italian Cup. Nicknamed “Garellik”, for his unique and unmistakable style, Claudio Garella won 2 league titles in two teams that had never previously won him: Verona in 1985 and Napoli two years later. A sporting record that defines not only the human, emotional and professional contours of a goalkeeper who will always remain in the blue legend. The President Aurelio De Laurentiis, the managers, the technical staff, the team and the whole SSC Napoli express deep condolences for the disappearance of an unforgettable protagonist of our history “, reads on the official page of Napoli.
Garella, the farewell of Verona
The Venetian club also wanted to remember Garella: “Hellas Verona FC mourns the disappearance of an authentic Legend of its over one hundred year history: he left us today, at the age of 67, Claudio Garella. Authentic symbol of the first Verona driven by Osvaldo BagnoliGarella wore the Gialloblù colors from 1981 to 1985, defending the Hellas goal throughout the triumphal ride beginning with the 1981/82 Serie B victory, continued with the qualification for the UEFA Cup in 1982/83 and culminating with the victory of the Scudetto in 1984/85, of which Claudio was undisputed protagonist. His numbers will remain extraordinary and unrepeatable: just 143 goals conceded in 157 appearances4 of which in 1983/84 UEFA Cup and 4 more in the double challenges of Finale di Italian Cup reached from Verona 1982/83 and 1983/84. But what will remain forever in the mind of those who saw him play and in the imagination of those who only later knew – for reasons of age – the sporting deeds, is the absolutely unique style defense of their own goal, with atypical and at the same time very effective parades. A style that earned him the nickname of ‘Garellik’. A real idol for a generation of Veronese fans and, more generally, for all fans of Italian football. The President Setti and the whole Club gather around the family in this moment of mourning “, reads on the official Hellas website.
The memory of the former comrades Bruscolotti, Fanna and Bagni
“Claudio was an excellent traveling companion, with his way of doing and his particular way of parrying he was the protagonist of that Napoli, a shy character, a little shy, a great athlete, one of the architects of the championship”. Talking about the late Garella is his defense partner, Beppe Bruscolotti‘o pal e fierr’, so nicknamed because for the opponents it was a really hard obstacle to overcome. “In the Italo Allodi hotel – remembers Bruscolotti – he said he had specifically wanted it. Because he had won in Verona, because he brought the experience of that championship and also because it would bring us luck. And so it was“. Fanna instead he writes: “It’s a sad day we lose one of the great gears of that perfect watch that Osvaldo Bagnoli built. Claudio is one of us even though he is no longer there. When he didn’t get to parry with his hands he parried with his feet – Fanna says moved to the microphones of Sky Sport -. He was a great professional. Salvatore too Bathrooms wanted to remember the former partner: “” Claudio was a good giant, a humble person who got along well with everyone. Too good a person. I hadn’t heard from him for a while, he had isolated himself, he had a lot of character. But I remember him with great affection, he loved each other and got along well with everyone. The last time I saw him in 2005 at Ciro Ferrara’s farewell match. He was an ideal partner and he won a lot, he was in his heart and helped his teammates at all times. You could not fail to have a positive relationship with him, it was impossible “.