Hellas Verona

The Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi is the atmospheric home of Hellas Verona FC, located at Piazzale Olimpia in the western Borgo Trento district of Verona, Veneto. The stadium holds 39,045 spectators and was inaugurated in 1963, built on the western edge of the city in a residential area adjacent to the Adige river. Named after a local nobleman and patron of sport who contributed to the ground's development, the Bentegodi is one of the larger provincial stadiums in Italian football and was a venue for the 1990 FIFA World Cup, hosting group stage matches including England's games against the Republic of Ireland and Netherlands.

Hellas Verona's most celebrated achievement remains their extraordinary Serie A title victory in 1984-85, the only team to win the Italian championship who have never won a European trophy. Under coach Osvaldo Bagnoli, a Verona squad that included Preben Elkjaer, Hans-Peter Briegel, and Luciano Bruni defied all expectations to win the Scudetto ahead of Juventus, Torino, and Inter. The title was celebrated in the streets of Verona and at the Bentegodi with scenes of extraordinary joy. That season represented the peak of Italian provincial football's ability to challenge the established powers, and the stadium carries this legacy with great pride.

The Bentegodi was renovated for the 1990 World Cup with new stands and roof coverage improvements, bringing it to its current form. The stadium is shared on occasion with Chievo Verona, the city's second club, which played in Serie A for many years. Hellas Verona have been regular Serie A participants in recent decades, drawing passionate support from the Veneto region. The ground's Curva Sud generates intense atmosphere for local derbies and top-flight fixtures. Verona's extraordinary historical setting - the Roman amphitheatre, Juliet's balcony, Shakespeare's immortal play - gives football in this city a particularly romantic and culturally resonant backdrop.