TORINO’S new kit honours their ‘eternal friendship’ with River Plate after the 1949 Superga tragedy.
The Serie A side unveiled their away strip for the 2021-22 season on Friday.
And it features a white shirt complete with a red sash from the left shoulder to the right hip – just like the iconic River Plate design.
However, rather than the bright, scarlet red of the Argentine giants, Torino’s jersey uses the Granata burgundy shade of their traditional home colours.
The sash features the words ‘eterna amistad’ which translates from Spanish as ‘eternal friendship’ as fans hope to see captain Andrea Belotti line up in the jersey next season.
On the inside of the collar, the Italian version ‘eterna amicizia’ is followed by ‘Torino 26 maggio (May) 1949’.
Three weeks earlier on May 4, the aeroplane carrying the Grande Torino – the greatest side in the club’s history – crashed into the retaining wall of the Basilica of Superga.
The tragedy claimed the lives of the entire first team and reserves, legendary coach Egri Erbstein, another coach, two club officials, three journalists and the four crew members.
More than 500,000 people turned out on the streets of Turin for the funeral two days later.
‘ETERNAL FRIENDSHIP’
On May 29, River Plate flew to Italy to play a friendly match against a team of Serie A players representing Torino and raised money for the grieving families.
And therefore the date references the iconic match 72 years ago which featured legend Alfredo Di Stefano.
Torino tweeted the images of their new Joma kit and wrote: “A celebration of friendship that will forever bind us with @RiverPlate.”
River Plate shared the post and added: “The new t-shirt of the @TorinoFC_1906, the tribute to an eternal friendship.
“Our colours united forever.”
River Plate’s away shirt will also feature the Il Toro maroon as well as the phrase ‘eterna amistad’.
It is not the first time the clubs have featured each others’ colours in their away shirts as their strong bond remains tight.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
