A heartwarming gesture from his former Bari colleagues, including Gautieri and Tangorra, brought a sense of closeness to the ex-striker during his ongoing treatment.
Igor Protti celebrating his birthday with former Bari teammates.
The most cherished gift for Igor Protti`s 58th birthday was undoubtedly the embrace of his lifelong friends. He received a truly unexpected and special visit at his home in Marina di Cecina, Livorno. Many former teammates from his time at Bari, such as Lorenzo Amoruso, Emiliano Bigica, Michele Andrisani, Carmine Gautieri, Massimiliano Tangorra, and Francesco Pedone, gathered to celebrate with him. Protti, the former “Biancorosso” forward, shared photos of this touching moment on Instagram, commenting: “For my birthday, I received a fantastic surprise. Many friends traveled hundreds of kilometers to visit me. This was our team, this was our football. And this is us after 30 years.”
The Battle Continues
Igor Protti was deeply moved to find all his friends waiting for him, having not expected their visit. They then shared a lunch, reminiscing about old times. Protti, affectionately known as “the Tsar” in Bari, wore the “Biancorosso” jersey from 1992 to 1996, even achieving a historic promotion to Serie A under coach Giuseppe Materazzi. For several months now, he has been bravely fighting cancer. He recently shared an update on his journey, stating, “An unwelcome guest has been found. It`s a very tough match; I know very well that you can win or lose, but I`ll give it my all as always.” After complicated months following surgery, another setback occurred a few weeks ago: “After stoma surgery and eight chemotherapy sessions,” he wrote on Instagram, “the guest decided to visit my vertebrae. Radiotherapy begins now.”
Video still: Modena-Bari, the moving tribute from Biancorosso fans for Igor Protti.
The Embrace of Family and Friends
Throughout this challenging period, fans have consistently shown their unwavering affection for Igor. During his hospital recovery, Livorno`s “Curva” displayed a banner outside his room. He also received a poignant embrace at the Picchi stadium during the first league match against Ternana, and a tribute from the Bari team and its supporters. In a Gazzetta interview, he reflected, “Illness is an unfair opponent. This match started with at least a 3-0 disadvantage, so it`s complicated. My family gives me strength.” For his birthday, Igor maintained his characteristic humility: “I don`t believe I deserve recovery more than others; I`m just one of many. My only hope remains.” This hope is shared by everyone: family, friends, former teammates, and fans alike. “Bomber” Protti still has many more goals to score.
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