Former Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino has experienced just about every emotion it is possible to experience in professional football.
But this may be a new one.
Say what you want about a man who has gone through more managers than many of us have tasted hot dinners, seldom has a man with fire burning in his soul ever felt his blood run colder.
Massimo Cellino’s Brescia outfit suffered a 2-1 defeat at Frosinone on Saturday afternoon despite mustering more shots, more passes and more possession.
In fact, they won the game on just about every metric. Apart from the one that mattered, of course.
A man who led Leeds United through one of the most dramatic periods in their modern history – and that is saying something – Cellino went to war with Sky Sports, sacked no fewer than six managers, and had more fallings out than Sawyer in the entire six-season stretch of Lost.
To quote former defender Scott Wootton, Leeds under Massimo Cellino was ‘absolute chaos’.
Yet, back in Italy with Brescia, one of the most controversial and complex figures in European football is facing perhaps his toughest test yet.
Former Leeds United chairman Massimo Cellino opens up on Brescia struggles
Taking over back in 2017, the Cellino era started strongly. Brescia were promoted to Serie A just two years later, returning to the top flight after nearly a decade away.
It has been pretty much solely bad news since then, however.
An immediate relegation. Two successive defeats in the play-offs. Only the insolvency of Reggina saved Brescia from dropping down to the third tier a few years ago. This time, they might not be so fortunate.
That Frosinone reverse means Brescia have won just one of their last 18 Serie B matches. A dreadful run which has seen the club plummet to 17th. Just one place and one point above the relegation play-offs.
They say a captain never leaves a sinking ship, and Cellino is sticking around at the wheel. But, by his own admission, the lifeboats are looking pretty tempting right about now.
“I don’t want to be here anymore,” Cellino sighs, speaking to Giornale di Brescia. “I accept my responsibilities and we have to get out of this situation with those who got into it.”
Brescia boss Ronaldo Maran was once keen on Leeds job
The man currently at the helm of Brescia, Rolando Maran, admitted back in 2014 that he was interested in working for Cellino at Leeds United. A decade later, he is discovering what life under Cellino can be like.
Sacked in December and reinstated in January. His points per game average – 0.86 – is actually lower than it was in his first spell. Do not put it past Cellino, known in Italy as the ‘Manager Eater’, firing Maran for the third time in the same season.
“Our players are divided between those who are scared and those who are furious,” Cellino adds, begging the supporters to keep the faith and throw their weight behind a team in freefall.
“If the fans give us a hand, I’m sure we’ll get out of it. Salvation must be achieved together. It’s a shame that the players don’t have the tough skin of the ultras!
“I own the club, but the only true owners are the fans. I am aware of this and I feel the weight that is crushing me.”
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