Pisa, Fiorentina and unsalted bread

In Florence, the most prideful have been heard saying: “Better to have a dead man at home than a Pisan at the door.” The response to that proverb in Pisa is: “May God grant your wish.”

So it’s great that Pisa and Fiorentina meet for the first time in a generation this weekend. Claudio Ranieri was Fiorentina manager the last time they travelled to Arena Garibaldi for a 0-0 draw in March 1994 on their way to winning Serie B. For Pisa, it felt like a crucial point but they ended up relegated and bankrupt at the end of that season. Still, it was better than the 4-1 thrashing in Florence, with a young Gabriel Batistuta scoring a hat-trick.

This latest derby encounter finds both sides in comparatively rude health. It’s almost 35 years since this was a Serie A match and the ending of that run is largely down to Pippo Inzaghi, who took Pisa back to the top flight before returning to Serie B and coaching Palermo, with whom he will quite likely repeat last season’s exploits.

What makes this derby most interesting is the centuries of history and its almost entirely non-footballing genesis. There is also no exact flashpoint that can be defined as the reason for Pisa and Florence’s rivalry, unlike say Reggio Emilia and Parma. Instead, it’s built upon a series of myths, each almost comically folkloric and uniquely Italian.

The most basic theory is that it boils to the traditional provincial rivalries, that Pisans agree with their Livornese and Siennese cousins when it comes to the city of Florence. It can f*** off as far as they’re concerned. Parma and Reggio Emilia feel the same about Bologna, and so on, and so forth.

But that sounds all too simple, right? I prefer to believe that Pisa and Florence’s beef comes down to one thing: salt. Like all good Italian derbies, this story begins in the 12th century. The Republic of Pisa, a maritime power on the west coast of Italy, controlled the flow of trade along the Arno river to Florence.

During a dispute with the Florentine republic, the Pisans were said to have blocked all shipments of salt up the river to Florence, a crucial ingredient in making bread. Rather than bend to the will of Pisa, the obstinate Florentines fought back by making their bread without salt.

To this day, ‘Tuscan’ bread, or more specifically Florentine bread, is made without salt. Is it good? Not really, but that doesn’t matter. The point is that they don’t forget, even if they say they’ve forgiven.

Florence and Pisa fought at the Battle of Cascia in 1364, where Florentine forces won and took control of territories surrounding Pisa, which set up the 1406 conquest of the city when Florence bribed a Pisan official to open the city gates. Trickery!

Pisa remained under control by the Florentine Republic for more than a century until its own demise and even quashed a rebellion towards the end of the 15th century.

Pisans often think Florence is an arrogant city. Even the famous Florentine poet Dante Aligheri said as much in his Divine Comedy, before his own city exiled him for supporting the Ghibellines, the faction who lost the war with the Guelfs for control of Florence at the end of the 13th century.

A statue of Dante stands in Piazza Santa Croce in Florence, despite the fact he died and was buried in Ravenna, which the Pisans consider another mark against their ‘arrogant’ neighbours.

The Florentines would argue their arrogance is, in fact, a sense of superiority, one borne from the fact that their city was the epicentre of the Renaissance and their great people contributed to some of history’s finest moments. It’s just a shame that their football team can’t win a final, they’d say.

Since the Italian people stopped killing each other in the name of their feudal lords, we’re forced to save provincial beef for a Sunday afternoon in the arena, when 22 millionaires do battle with a football to secure the bragging rights of their people. This is what we have left, so it’s no wonder that Sunday’s derby in Pisa is expected to be particularly strongly felt by those in the home end, having been starved of it for a generation.

Both sides are winless in Serie A so far and a negative result for Fiorentina could mean accelerate an end to Stefano Pioli’s second reign at Artemio Franchi much earlier than anticipated.

Pisa have lost all three matches since their opening day 1-1 draw away to Atalanta, all narrow defeats to Roma, Udinese and Napoli; by no means a disgraceful start but the points need to start coming soon.

Alberto Gilardino must be confident his team can put it up to Fiorentina, whose underperforming attack and overly fragile defence look more vulnerable than anyone might have expected this season.

Set pieces could make the difference as Pisa’s physicality and the atmosphere in Arena Garibaldi combine to make for a difficult afternoon for Fiorentina. Pisa have looked dangerous from dead ball situations, something carried over from Pippo Inzaghi’s promotion winning team last season.

However, it’s just as likely that the away team’s considerable attacking firepower proves too much, provided they turn up.

Eight centuries may have passed with unsalted bread and Florentine exceptionalism, but Pisa-Fiorentina takes place this weekend in the shadow of Bonanno Pisano’s Leaning Tower, and it might take a towering header to give the home team a famous victory. A cringe pun, I know.

Whatever the outcome at Arena Garibaldi, it’s safe to assume the result won’t lead to another war, or any new bland bread products.