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Yesterday, a day of mourning was declared in Verona for the funeral of Osvaldo Bagnoli, the coach who led Hellas Verona to its sole Scudetto in the 1984-1985 season, with stars such as Elkjaer, Briegel, Fanna, Galderisi, and Di Gennaro. Bagnoli died at the age of 91, and many in the city now share the view of singer-songwriter Massimo Bubola, who previously wrote an anthem for Hellas Verona and believes that "naming Verona's stadium after Bagnoli would be a fitting act of gratitude and recognition, as well as a reminder of the last time David defeated Goliath in Italian soccer". Following Bagnoli's death, Sergio Guidotti, of the Hellas Verona Former Players' Association, also proposed: "Let's name the stadium after him". That was last Friday, and the proposal has sparked a motion that Verona Domani, a political party, will present to the city council. The mayor's perspective, Damiano Tommasi, a former Serie A and national team player who was raised in Verona, will ultimately be the deciding factor. However, many residents want to keep the stadium's name, Bentegodi. The issue is also political, as Bagnoli once declared that he voted socialist, similar to his father. This statement addressed allegations that Silvio Berlusconi did not want him at AC Milan because he was a "communist."
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