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The Italian community of Bedford has taken root in their country to beat England in today’s Euro Wembley match.
If it weren’t for the gray skies and the threat of rain while drinking espressos and talking football outside La Piazza Caffe, Luciano Lambiase and his friends could be in Naples or Rome.
A retired factory engineer, 66, and his childhood friends, Pasquale Spadaccino and Franco Bulzis, both 73, are discussing the 2020 European final in English in southern Bedford, home to one of the largest Italian communities in the country.
“He’s coming home to Rome,” Lambias said, announcing that his team would beat England in Sunday’s Wembley final.
“It’s always been a mystery to us what‘ comes home, ’” he said, adding the anthem written by comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner, who sing in England fans at the games.
“It simply came to our notice then [Euro] final, and we have won four world cups, ”he added.
Liberato “Libby” Lionetti, 55, who runs La Piazza in Bedford’s market square and was among the fans in England’s shirts among customers, was more diplomatic in his predictions.
Hoping for a modest 1-0 win for Italy, he said, no matter what, football came “definitely home to Bedford”.
Before the match, the atmosphere in the village was “very tense, everyone was excited,” Lionetti said.
Whatever the match, then “everything will be fine,” he added.
“It’s only 90 minutes, or it’s the long time your team needs to win. And then kitto and the next day is another day. You just keep doing it. “
Elderly people drinking coffee outside the cafeteria said they hoped the match would go smoothly.
But they acknowledged that a final between Italy and England brings back memories of the abuses young people had in international games in the 1960s and 70s.
Italian community of 14,000 inhabitants
Lambiase, Spadaccino and Bulzis arrived in Bedford in 1956, after their father left the southern Campania region of Italy to work in the town’s booming brick-and-mortar industry.
Now 14,000 Italian communities still run the town’s grocery stores, cafes and restaurants.
The three men say that in the poverty of the years following World War II, football connected the Italian community when they had little else.
“We are fortunate to live in one of the most diverse areas of the country and we will always celebrate that diversity and the great Anglo-Italian relationship we have in Bedford,” said Sharn Basra, Bedfordshire’s chief police officer.
“Please enjoy the match responsibly, save the home side and hopefully get the right finish to what has been a great tournament for both teams.”
At Club Italia in the village, the drinks were cold and the tricolor Italian flags adorned the tables and walls.
Bartender Michael Bianco said Sunday night would be “absolutely insane.”
Director Francesco Derrico added that if the national team wins the Italians in Bedford would make it one night.
“If we lose, we’ll stay home, eat pasta. If we win, we go out and celebrate. “
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