Crotone wins Memorial Donato Russo tournament in Italy

The 2026 Memorial Donato Russo, a four‑team summer football quadrangular held at the Sanchirico field in Villa d’Agri, concluded with FC Crotone claiming the trophy. Under coach Leandro Greco, Crotone defeated Paternicum in the semifinal thanks to a goal from young defender Pierangelo, and then overcame Francavilla in the final after a 1‑1 draw was settled 4‑2 on penalties. The victory marked the first competitive win of the season for the newly rebuilt Crotone side, which also saw the debut of four new signings – Guerra, Ruggiero, Tordini and Stauci – and additional trialists Rodio and Torres.

AZ Picerno finished third, beating Francavilla 1‑0 in the first match and Paternicum 2‑0 in the second, with goals from Pellegrini, Abreu and others. The tournament provided a valuable test of fitness and tactics ahead of the upcoming league campaign.