A great shot from thirty meters to equalize, the exultation, the father’s illness, the race towards Rome, the wet asphalt: thus Catena, known as “Ercolino”, favorite of San Vito of Cosenza, was taken away from life too soon
The last time Massimiliano Catena certified his presence in the great family album of our football was 27 September 1992. Cosenza-Ternana is played at the San Vito in Cosenza, the hosts are one goal down, ten minutes left before the end. From a distance that a local TV commentator defines as “remarkable” – yes, it is, it’s almost thirty meters – Catena receives the ball, raises his head and charges the shot. The result is a trajectory that first rises and then descends, like the paper airplanes that we threw at school as children, when boredom won and the classroom became a playground. It’s the goal that wins the draw: Catena starts running all over the pitch, until his teammates reach him, push him to the ground and hug him. It’s a party. Actually no. Nobody knows that this is goodbye.