What you see above is the precise moment Amato Ciciretti realised he played for the one of the worst teams (statistically, at least) in the history of European association football.
Going into Sunday’s Serie A match against Sassuolo, newly-promoted Benevento Calcio were poised on the brink of breaking a record that had stood for nigh-on 90 years.
The record belonged to the Manchester United side of 1930/31, who transpired to lose all 12 of their opening fixtures that season before going on to get relegated from the old English First Division.
Benevento equalled United’s dirty dozen with an away defeat against Juventus on 5th November, meaning that another loss in their next match, a home tie against Sassuolo, would see them set a new record in one of Europe’s top five leagues by going 13 games without amassing a single point.
Alas, after the intervening international break prolonged the agony by a fortnight, Sassuolo duly came and went – taking with them a 2-1 win and all three points, hence consigning the hosts to their miserable, record-setting fate…
Image: ESPN.co.uk
That’s 13 games played, 13 games lost and 33 goals conceded in the process.
As previously mentioned, United’s 1930/31 side went on to be unceremoniously jettisoned from the top tier despite ultimately breaking their hoo-doo at the 13th attempt.
Benevento’s club president Oreste Vigorito can blame local witches all he wants, but his team now have it all on to avoid surrendering to the exact same fate.