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| Full name | Bassano Virtus 55 Soccer Team | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | Giallorossi (yellow-reds) | ||
| Founded | 31 May 1920; 105 years ago (1920-05-31) asU.S. Bassano 1968; 57 years ago (1968) (refounded) | ||
| Dissolved | 2018 (merged withVicenza) | ||
| Ground | Stadio Rino Mercante | ||
| Capacity | 2,952 | ||
| Owner | Renzo Rosso | ||
| Chairman | Stefano Rosso | ||
| 2017–18 | Serie C (group B), 8th | ||
| Website | http://www.bassanovirtus.com/ | ||
Bassano Virtus 55 Soccer TeamS.p.A., commonly known asBassano Virtus or justBassano is afootball club based inBassano del Grappa, Veneto. The first team of the club was relocated to Vicenza in 2018 asL.R. Vicenza Virtus, while the youth system of Bassano Virtus was retained in Bassano del Grappa along withVicenza Calcio's was retained in Vicenza.
Bassano Virtus 55 Soccer Team was founded in 1920 asU.S. Bassano (Unione Sportiva Bassano) and merged with cross-city rivalsA.C. Virtus in 1968. In 1996 the club took its current name: thenumber 55 stands for 1955, ownerRenzo Rosso's birthyear. Nowadays, Bassano Virtus is also the onlyItalian professionalfootball club to usesoccer instead offootball in its full name.[original research?]
In the2005–06 season the club debuted inSerie C2, but after suffering a defeat inMontichiari in the last match, they finished only 12th.
In the2006–07 Serie C2 season the club reached theplayoffs, but was defeated byCalcio Lecco 1912, which was later promoted toSerie C1.
In their third consecutive season inSerie C2 (now renamedLega Pro Seconda Divisione), Bassano had an excellent start: the club peaked the league after 5 days and kept the position in isolation until the 23rd day, thanks to a series of eight consecutive wins. The attacking tactics of coach Ezio Gelerean led the team a step away from promotion: with only 4 matches left, the club is first, 3 points ahead of runners-upReggiana. In the end of the season Bassano Virtus was surpassed by Reggiana and later lost the promotion play-off final withPortogruaro (2–3 inPortogruaro and 1–2 inBassano del Grappa) also due to a penalty not granted to Bassano, that could have changed the outcame of the match. However, the club was able to winCoppa Italia Lega Pro by defeatingBenevento Calcio with the overwhelming result of 5–0.
At the end of2009–10 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione season, the club obtained the repechage inLega Pro Prima Divisione, given the number of teams in financial difficulty.
Bassano in the season 2011–12 was relegated fromLega Pro Prima Divisione toLega Pro Seconda Divisione. In 2013–14 season the club promoted as champions of Group A of Seconda Divisione. At the end of season also saw the merger of the two divisions of Lega Pro, as well as reduction of 69 to 60 teams. In 2013–14 Seconda Divisione season already saw re-admission of 2 teams that originally relegated, as well as 4 additional teams from Serie D.
Bassano was among the original 60 teams in Serie C since its reestablishment in 2014. On 24 May 2018, after the bankruptcy of the main football team of the province of Vicenza,Vicenza Calcio, Stefano Rosso, the chairman of Bassano Virtus, announced that the first team of Bassano Virtus would started to play in Vicenza in2018–19 Serie C in the color of Vicenza, asL.R. Vicenza Virtus, while keeping both the youth systems of Bassano and Vicenza.[1]
It was reported that another club,Football Club Bassano 1903, was founded in 2018 as a phoenix club, after the original club Bassano Virtus 55 Soccer Team had moved to Vicenza.[2]
The team was owned byRenzo Rosso, the president ofOTB Group (the parent company ofDiesel,Maison Margiela,Marni, Paula Cademartori,Viktor & Rolf, Staff International and Brave Kid).[citation needed]
| Type | Competition | Titles | Seasons/Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic | Serie D | 1 | 2004–05 |
| Coppa Italia Lega Pro | 2007–08 |
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach |  Giuseppe Magi |
| Goalkeeping coach | Marco Zuccher |
