Italian team off the bottom of table after 13 years

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An amateur Italian team have moved off the bottom of the table for the first time in 13 years after winning their second game of the season.

There were scenes of jubilation for Excelsior Bolzano when they beat Colle Isarco 2-1, ending a stunning record of propping up the league table.

The amateur team from the lowest level of football in Alto Adige, north Italy, have been rooted to the foot of the table for more than a decade.

But after a brighter than usual start to the season that saw four draws and one win, Excelsior were finally able to do the unthinkable and move off bottom when they beat Colle Isarco.

The club is for volunteers with a group called La Strada Der Weg that helps disadvantaged people in the region.

Excelsior’s poor record in the past can be attributed to their unusual, almost unique, selection policy that states that players are all treated equally and not selected on merit.

It’s a policy that makes for a friendly atmosphere within the club but has possibly dented their ability to build a winning team.

“The team is based on the principle that everyone is included and the central theme is respect and solidarity within the group,” a club policy states.

“Everybody is a first-choice player, there are no bench warmers and selection isn’t based on technical ability.”