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Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Manchester City, Inter Milan, Champions League
Ben McCrum
The reason why Manchester City and Inter Milan players will wear a black armband during their Champions League match has been revealed.
The 2024/25 Champions League got underway on Tuesday night, with several of Europe's best teams all playing their first matches of the brand new format.
Another 12 sides will play their opening fixture tonight, including Premier League champions Manchester City who host Italian giants Inter Milan at the Etihad Stadium.
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During the game, players on both sides will be wearing black armbands, and the reason for it has been revealed.
The two teams will wear black armbands during the match to pay respect to Italian legend Salvatore Schillaci who passed away earlier today.
Schillaci, better known as 'Toto', died at just 59-years-old after a two year battle with colon cancer.
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The striker spent most of his career with Juventus, making 132 appearances for the Italian side.
He also spent two years at Inter Milan, scoring 12 goals in 36 appearances.
However, it was the 1990 World Cup where Toto etched his name into Italian football legend, as he scored six goals to claim the Golden Boot on home soil.
Although Italy were knocked out in the semi-finals of the tournament, Schillaci was also awarded the Golden Ball and in total, he made 16 appearances for his country.
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Reacting to the tragic news, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni said: "A football icon is leaving us, a man who has entered the hearts of Italians and sports fans around the world.
"The striker from the magic nights of Italia '90 with our national team. Thanks for the emotions you gave us, for having made us dream, celebrate, embrace and wave our national flag."
The president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), Gabriele Gravina, also paid respect to Schillaci, saying: "His face was a symbol of shared joy [and] will forever remain a common heritage of Italian football.
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"Toto was a great footballer, a tenacious symbol of will and redemption. He was able to thrill the Azzurri fans because his football was full of passion and it was precisely this indomitable spirit that made him appreciated by everyone and will make him immortal."