From "persona non grata" to season ticket holder: peace made between former president Zangrillo and Genoa

"On a knife's edge." And then two rossoblù hearts. Alberto Zangrillo, former president of the Grifone and a true Genoan, proudly and relievedly shows off his season ticket for the new Genoa season on social media. And so, Silvio Berlusconi's longtime personal doctor is among the record 28,101 season ticket holders, a conclusion that until a few days ago was anything but certain.

Genoa denied him his membership last week, branding him "persona non grata." He and his son were denied season tickets, causing some embarrassment at the Porto Antico ticket office, the building housing the club store, the Grifone museum, and the offices where annual tickets were issued. "Inappropriate and inelegant behavior, even if it was within the rules. Everything I've done in the past was directed toward one thing: the good of Genoa. I even cried for the club," Zangrillo bitterly vented, after having even turned to the Guardia di Finanza to report the incident. Dan Sucu's club responded with a calming tone: "We've always applied the correct procedures according to current regulations."

Internal disagreements related to the change of ownership and the capital increase with which Sucu saved Genoa from default were reportedly at the root of the case. Zangrillo, still a member of Genoa's board of directors, later commented: " I just wish this matter would never be discussed again. I apologize to the fans ." The low profile evidently set the stage for clarification, thawing out an unpleasant situation from whatever angle one might look at it. Or, to quote one fan's post on Zangrillo's season-ticket photo: thank goodness it was all bullshit.