Serie C side loses 20-0 fielding a team of just seven

Serie C’s bottom club Pro Piacenza have endured a tough season, resulting in point deductions and forfeiting matches, but their latest setback was almost beyond belief as they were able to field only seven players in a 20-0 defeat at mid-table Cuneo.

Before Sunday Pro Piacenza had forfeited four games and faced being thrown out of the league if they had failed to complete another match. To avoid that fate, they scraped together seven teenagers – the minimum number of players required – who were willing to be lambs to the slaughter for the unenviable task of taking on 11 professionals. In addition to a lack of players, there were no coaching staff on hand for Pro Piacenza, meaning their teenage captain also had to take on the role of manager.

Their previous four fixtures have resulted in the opposition being awarded 3-0 wins due to the club’s inability to field a team. In the last match they were able to compete in they lost 3-0 with two of their players sent off in injury-time.

Pro Piacenza’s squad and staff have reportedly not been paid since August last year, causing them to rip up their contracts. It is thought employees are owed around €500,000 by the club and face an Italian Football Federation hearing to decide their fate on 11 March, which might see this game wiped from the history books anyway.

Cuneo scored 15 goals in the first-half, an impressive feat for a side who had managed only 18 in their previous 24 outings in the Italian third tier. Hicham Kanis achieved a hollow double hat-trick within 36 minutes, while Edoardo Defendi scored five, including a hat-trick inside 16 minutes. Not to be left out, Francesco De Stefano completed another in the second half.

Pity was taken by the hosts after the break, scoring only five more as the match finished 20-0.