The memory of Igor Protti and the famous “trenino” of Bari which marked an era

On October 16, 1994, Otavio Bianchi's Inter hosted Giuseppe Materazzi's Bari in a Serie A duel that will remain etched in memories. This championship will ultimately see Juventus win while Inter finish sixth and Bari in an honorable twelfth place. This meeting, however, is not just a simple result in a busy exercise: it is especially famous for having seen the birth of the famous "trenino", an original mode of exultation which will mark a generation.

Bari won at San Siro 2-1, a third victory in its history in Lombardy. It was not this success that captured the attention, but rather the moment just before the break, when Sandro Tovalieri headed in the visitors' second goal. At this moment, Miguel Guerrero, Colombian striker from Bari, begins a celebration on his knees, soon imitated by his teammates. The “trenino” has just been born, offering a unique show to the audience at the Meazza stadium.

This original idea, prepared and disseminated by Miguel Guerrero, will be enthusiastically adopted by the bariot attacking trio composed of Tovalieri, Guerrero and Carmine Gautieri. Sandro Tovalieri said a few years ago: "It took us four months to master the rhythm and synchronize our movements, at the beginning it was a total challenge."

Igor Protti, long late for this festive creativity during this match, was on the bench that day. The group's journey to the stadium was more than unusual: the bus supposed to take them to San Siro broke down, forcing the team to split into a dozen improvised taxis.

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Guerrero, a big reinforcement of the summer, would quickly demonstrate his status, notably two days later with a double against Genoa at the San Nicola. From then on, Giuseppe Materazzi assembled the pair of Protti-Tovalieri attackers, a formation which would become the most famous in the history of Bari more than twenty years later.

Now deceased at the age of 58, Igor Protti will forever be associated with this "trenino". He even tried to import it to Rome during the 1996-1997 season, to Lazio, after being top scorer in Serie A during his last year with Bari, who had nevertheless finished relegated. After a fierce Roman derby on May 4, 1997, where Protti scored a late equalizer at 1-1, he attempted to start the celebratory dance with his teammates left perplexed and preferring simply to cheer. This was proof that the “trenino” was a solidly anchored bariot celebration.

Over time, many children of the 90s who had witnessed this moment replicated this exultation in schoolyards, neighborhood fields and football clubs, dreaming of one day being like Sandro Tovalieri or Igor Protti, iconic figures of passionate and authentic football.

An indelible memory once again brought to light with the death of Igor Protti, a true legend of Italian football and heir to a now legendary "trenino".