Two stadiums, two different concepts of what a stadium should be: a typical football-only venue from early twentieth century and a mixed-use stadium like many others built in late twentieth century...

Stadio Piercesare Tombolato, Cittadella

Located just south of the Cittadella fortified old town, this football-athletic stadium was built in 1981. Initially it received to grandstands: smaller, but covered, in the west and larger open terrace in the east.

Ever since it opened, the stadium was named after Piercesare Tombolato, local player who died prematurely after a game of his team. Hoped to become a great goalkeeper, Tombolato was playing first squad already at 18yo, but suffered a serious hit in the abdomen during one game. After that hit he was hospitalised for 22 days, but died in agony.

Until early twenty-first century the stadium was home to AS Cittadella, but the club had to relocate after promotion to Serie B in 2001. Their home ground was unfit for the league and is only able to host second tier games since 2008, when additional temporary seating was installed in the west and north.

Stadio Silvio Piola, Vercelli

Vercelli is one of few towns, where local stadium is literally meters away from the central square. It has a growing historical value, too. Its main grandstand remembers the opening in 1932 and after the latest 2012 renovation it's a ture showcase of this modest stadium.

There's also a price for the central location – lack of space for redevelopment. All sides apart from the south have uncovered stands of no more than 6 rows of seating. Then again, one might argue this only adds to the “small-town charm”.

Many locals also call it Stadio Leonida Robbiano after the famous aviator, because that's the name given back in 1932 and changed not too long ago, in 1998.