OLD STAR GAME 2018, THE RETURN OF THE LEGENDS TO THE LOMBARDY DERBY

An enthralling ‘Derby Triangle’ for the third instalment of the Old Star Game – after the huge success of 6 April, with the ‘Return of the Legends to the Bologna Derby’, which saw 5,000 Bologna fans in the stands of Pala Dozza, and established a charity record of €20,000 in an Italian Basketball commemoration match, the city of Desio will welcome the Basketball Champions Varese Basketball, Olimpia Milano and Basketball Cantù with ‘The Return of the Legends to the Lombardy Derby’.



A true celebration for the leading players of the three ‘Queens of Europe’, who will return to relive the golden splendour of their achievements and will compete again to support the Italian Non-Profit Operation Smile Foundation, presided over by Santo Versace, which is engaged in Italy and worldwide in the care of children with cleft lip / palate abnormalities and other cranio-maxillo-facial malformations. This appointment with history is on Saturday, 24 February at 20.30 at Pala Banco Desio, and the funds that are raised in ticket sales will go towards supporting the Smile House project in Milan.



There will be a large number of participants present – for Cantù, the return to the bench of Arnaldo Taurisano, who put his stamp on Brianza basketball for the ‘70s, assisted by Fabrizio Frates and Pino Sacripanti. To showcase Milan are Dan Peterson and Franco Casalini, leading lights in an unforgettable cycle of achievements with the Olimpia of the ‘80s that were brought back to win the European Cup 20 years after the first victory. Finally, representing Varese, will be Sandro Gamba, one of the three Italian members of the World Hall of Fame and ‘Paron’ Tonino Zorzi with Carlo Recalcati who will guide many former Italians in the ‘Scudetto della Stella’. During the ‘Derby Triangle’ will be Antonello Riva, Gianluca Basile, Denis Marconato, Michele Mian, Corrado Fumagalli, Dan Gay, Alberto Rossini, Beppe Bosa, Andrea Gianolla, Vittorio Gallinari, Franco Boselli, Hugo Sconochini, Gregor Fucka, Nando Gentile, Dejan Bodiroga, Davide Cantarello, Marco Sambugaro , Paolo Alberti, Marco Spangaro, Stefano Attruia, Marco Mordente, Sani Becirovic, Arijian Komazec, Gianmarco Pozzecco, Andrea Meneghin, Giacomo Galanda, Diego Fajardo, Cristiano Zanus Fortes, Roberto Casoli, Massimo Bulleri, Daniele Biganzoli and many others to be announced in the coming weeks. The benches of Varese, Milan and Cantù will be wide enough to host even the historical icons of the Lombardy Derby - from Forst, to Billy and the ‘Great Ignis’.



The event is organised by Ale Nava's, We For You Events & Communication agency with the inclusion of Varese Basketball, Olimpia Milano, Cantù Basketball, All Together Cantù under the auspices of the Municipality of Desio, FIP and Lega Basket.



«It is extremely pleasant to be here -says Claudio Coldebella, general manager of the Red & Whites club, at the press conference during the presentation of the Old Star Game-. As a team, Varese Basketball has made itself available from the outset, given the social and sporting importance of the event. It is important to give weight to history and by whom history was made. Last year, I played a match with Virtus Bologna, and to see PalaDozza with 5,000 spectators was exciting. In the end, a player is always a player. I like the initiative that involves the ‘overs’ and sport is very important for all ages».



Advance ticket sales are available on VivaTicket starting from 24 January. Promotions reserved for groups and low prices are available in all sectors to raise awareness in the public in order to allow inflow of fundraising support.