Translated automatically by AI from the Italian original.
CATANIA / SPORT – The world of Sicilian football is mourning the death of Melo Russo, a historic coach from Mount Etna who passed away yesterday evening at the age of 87. A figure who made his Catania roots a point of pride, even achieving the dream of managing his hometown team among the professionals.
Russo was a deep connoisseur of football on the island, having coached numerous historic local clubs, including Juventina Gela, Acireale, Giarre and Caltagirone, leaving everywhere the memory of a courteous, passionate man from a bygone era.
The spell in the blue and red dugout
The high point of his career came in the 1988–89 Serie C1 season. Under president Angelo Attaguile, Russo was brought in at the 13th matchday to replace Bruno Pace, leading the Catania side to a final 10th place.
That Catania team featured illustrious names of the era such as Onorati, Cuicchi, Garzieri, Mattei, Picone, Polenta, Tarantino, Tesser, Marini, Mastalli, Puzone, Borghi, Maddaloni, Scienza and D’Ottavio.
Russo was also kept on at the start of the following season (1989–90), staying in charge of the Etna side for the first 18 matchdays before a change in the dugout with Angelo Benedicto Sormani, in a campaign marked by the debut of numerous young players from the Primavera youth team alongside experienced players such as Cipriani, Schio, Sciuto, Ghezzi and Manieri.
The memories and the final farewell
Those who knew him remember his extraordinary dignity, his human warmth and his unmistakable availability: even in the years after his retirement, when you met him at the stadium or at sporting events, he loved to share anecdotes and untold stories of a football world he had always experienced as a proud protagonist.
The funeral of Melo Russo will be held on Monday 9 November at 4.30pm at the church of Sant’Euplio in piazza Montessori, Catania. The editorial staff extend their deepest condolences to the family.
