S.S. Murata

Football club infobox
clubname = Murata


fullname = Società Sportiva Murata
nickname =
founded = 1966
ground =
capacity =
chairman = Libero Casadei
manager = Massimo Agostini
league = Campionato Sammarinese di Calcio – "Girone B"
season = 2007-08
position = "Girone B", 1st
pattern_la1=_borderonblack|pattern_b1=|pattern_ra1=_borderonblack
leftarm1=FFFFFF|body1=FFFFFF|rightarm1=FFFFFF|shorts1=FFFFFF|socks1=FFFFFF
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=_unknown|pattern_ra2=
leftarm2=000000|body2=000000|rightarm2=000000|shorts2=000000|socks2=000000

S.S. Murata is a Sanmarinese football club, based in San Marino. The club was founded in 1966. Murata currently plays in "Girone B" of Campionato Sammarinese di Calcio. The team's colors are black and white.

They won their first Sammarinese national title in 2006, and repeated as champions the next two years. As UEFA decided to include Sammarinese champions in the first preliminary round of the UEFA Champions League starting from the 2007-08 season, Murata were the first Sanmarinese team to take part in the main European competition (see below for details). In order to reinforce the team, in July 2007 the club signed 41-year-old former Brazilian star and 1994 FIFA World Cup champion Aldair, gaining some headlines in the Italian sports news because of the move. [cite news|language=Italian|url=http://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Calciomercato/Primo_Piano/2007/07_Luglio/05/aldairvarie_0507.shtml|publisher=La Gazzetta dello Sport|title=Aldair riparte da San Marino. Miccoli-Palermo, ci siamo|date=2007-07-05|accessdate=2007-07-05] Another former Serie A star, 43-year-old striker Massimo Agostini, currently plays for Murata. In July 2008, Murata announced that they were hoping to sign former Brazil international Romário so he could play in the club's upcoming UEFA Champions League fixtures. [cite news|url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=554015&sec=uefachampionsleague&cc=4716|publisher=ESPNsoccernet|title=San Marino's Murata target Romario for UCL|date=2008-07-07|accessdate=2008-07-07] They also approached the former Formula One champion Michael Schumacher, but both declined Murata’s offer. [cite news|url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=554271&sec=uefachampionsleague&cc=5739|publisher=ESPNsoccernet|title=Romario, Schuey turn down Champs Lge chance|date=2008-07-08|accessdate=2008-07-09]

On July 17, 2007, Murata became the first Sanmarinese team to play in a UEFA Champions League fixture, contesting a First Qualifying Round tie against Tampere United from Finland. The home game of the two-legged tie was played at San Marino Calcio's Olimpico Stadium and resulted in a 2-1 win for Tampere. Murata lost the away leg 2-0 and were eliminated.

Although they have not been successful in European competition, Murata currently hold the record for most goals scored in European competition by a Sammarinese team, two - one in the UEFA Champions League and one in the UEFA Cup.

Honours

*Campionato Sammarinese di Calcio: 3:: 2006, 2007, 2008

*Coppa Titano: 3:: 1997, 2007, 2008

UEFA club competition record

Current squad

"As of August 2008"

References

External links

* [http://www.fsgc.sm/sources/comp_societa.asp?id=1087&id_squadra=11 FSGC page]