The rumours have been around since early November 2016 that Leeds United’s then sole owner Massimo Cellino, now of course co-owner with Andrea Radrizzani, was interested in purchasing Serie B side Brescia and returning to Italian football.
It is safe to say that Cellino is a divisive influence at Leeds United, a club where, up until recently and the 50% investment by Radrizzani, there was still elements of a fan protest against his ‘toxic ownership’ burning away. Whilst some flocked in that direction, others headed the oppositie way as a grouping of fans shows some affinity to the Italian.
The previous two seasons to this one have been somewhat of a car crash when it comes to managerial appointments and dismissals, a merry-go-round of personnel hirings and firings and a plethora of court cases including those brought by rightly disgruntled ex-employees aggrieved at the way they were treated.
However, this season has finally shown that blossom of ‘beautiful football’ that Cellino promised when taking over the club. From disappointing early-season form, the Whites are riding high in fifth place in the Sky Bet Championship table, with 13 games left they are on the verge of bettering the best ever point total achieve by a Cellino-era side; the Whites are definite contenders.
But controversy still lurks in the background as Massimo Cellino is currently on a stay of execution over a 12-month FA ban for his involvement in the use of an unlicensed individual in the July 2014 £11 million transfer of striker Ross McCormack from Leeds to Fulham. Cellino appealed the original £250,000 fine and 18-month ban and had these reduced, but is not contending the entirety of the ban.
Cellino and Brescia: genesis and growth of a rumour
The original rumour from early November last year said that: “the business tycoon’s [Cellino’s] enthusiasm for Brescia might be a sign that he is willing to sell Leeds,” with that being half-right at this time – he’s half sold the club. On the day the news ‘leaked’ through to the English media, a word of caution was put in place according to Italian website Bresciaoggi, who said things may not be as clear-cut as the English press are attempting to make out. They stated that the interest by the Sardinian entrepreneur “dates from a few months ago when he has expressed his intention to sell Leeds and go back to football in Italy.”
It really is a rumour that refuses to go away, bubbling under and resurfacing again in January this year courtesy of Italian publication L’Unione Sarda who said that there was something else eating away at Cellino – a yearning for some sort of return to Italian football. L’Unione Sarda said that for Massimo Cellino “Italian football remains a passion, and that sources in Brescia, “swear that Cellino’s going to get their hands on the majority of Brescia.”
Added intrigue came at the end of that article with the notion that Cellino’s interest might not be something as simple as a majority buy-in. They said that it could be more of a sporting link-up saying that: “Cellino is working on the axis [of]Leeds-Brescia, with the aim of moving players from England to Lombardy.”
Another month later, and today Italian website TUTTOmercatoWEB (TMW) have asserted that a deal between Cellino and Brescia is coming closer. Using a Papal analogy, TMW’s Allessio Alaimo says that there is an agreement that is “one step away” between Cellino and Brescia and that “really close [there is] white smoke.” The article goes on to state that Bresica and Cellino will share “ambitious plans” and a desire to return to Serie A next season. However, in a cautionary note it appears that there will be chopping and changing with sporting director Renzo Castagiani not remaining at the club and “a new profile will be identified in the coming months.”
‘Grez Sez’ – a verdict of sorts
Massimo Cellino is supremely confident that he will beat down the FA ban for an offence that, in its present guise, no longer exists. He’s already seen an initial appeal reap some reward with a big reduction in the punishments levied against him – obviously he is using this as a stepping stone for his full appeal using ‘Rule K’.
Despite all this, like an irritating scratch the rumours of Cellino’s wish to buy back into Italian football just won’t go away. At least the rumours have remained consistent in the fact that it is Brescia mentioned yet again. There could be a myriad of reasons as to why it has come up and resurfaced again. On the most basic level Cellino might have gotten so fed up with FA ban and regulatory body grief that he’s ready to throw the towel in on English football.
For Cellino though, that’s a little too simplistic an outlook. He definitely doesn’t seem to be the sort of person who throws his cards in and storms away from the table in anger. He appears to be like an over-possessive dog with a juicy bone in that he isn’t letting go of it, well not just yet.
Could he be planning to buy in to Brescia as a subsidiary partner to Leeds United? Who knows, the world of Massimo Cellino is both strange and not easily explained.
