Chelsea new manager Maurizio Sarri is hoping to stay at Stamford Bridge as Blues' boss for the next ten years for him to become a hero, but he would have to go a long way to catch up with his grandfather Goffredo Sarri.
Goffredo Sarri became a hero during the second World War considering how he saved the lives of two American pilots who were shot down by the Germans.
As at that time in 1944, Italy were under Germany after the overthrow and arrest of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.
Seven men were on a B-25 Mitchell bomber plane in which their mission was to destroy a bridge, but they were hit by the German anti-aircraft fire.
Two men who were on this plane were said to have been captured by the Germans, while others managed to evade the enemies.
Maurizio's grandfather Goffredo Sarri who was an Italian partisan (photo: Sarri Family)
Among those on the flight that escaped from been caught then were Bill Lanza and Todd as these two men were told by a farmer to hide and cover themselves with leaves for the German soldiers not to see them.
The farmer later went to tell Maurizio Sarri's grandfather Goffredo about the two Americans that were hiding under the leaves, and during that time, Goffredo was an Italian partisan.
Goffredo Sarri later went to the place these two Americans pilots were hiding and gave them civilian clothes so as for them to escape from the onslaught of the Germans.
Maurizio Sarri's grandfather would have been shot dead by the Germans if he was caught for helping the enemies.
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Goffredo took Todd to a cave on his land and Bill Lanza lived there for the next 65 days as the family brought them pasta, soup and bread.
The Germans knew the American airmen were being helped by the Italians and flooded the area with troops, but they did not know they were with Maurizio Sarri's grandfather.
US World War II hero Bill Lanza (photo: HANDOUT)
In 2015, Chelsea boss Sarri was asked by Italian newspaper Repubblica about Goffredo's astonishing act of heroism.
He said: "He was called Goffredo, he was very proud of a recognition on a White House letterhead.
"As a partisan, he recovered the pilots of a US plane shot down in Val d'Arno, hid them, and at that time they shot you for less.
"One was called Bill Lanza, I know because his daughter and nephew wrote us a book,''.
Earlier, NAIJ.com had reported how Maurizio Sarri who is the coach of Premier League side Chelsea stated clearly that his target is to be the Blues boss for the next ten years.
Since the creation of Chelsea, and also since Roman Abramovich bought the club in 2003, no manager has spent 10 years at the Stamford Bridge club.
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Source: Naija.ng
