It was just before 8 a.m. on a Sunday morning in April 1987. I entered  the ‘Maroons Soccer Club,’ officially known as the ‘Italo-American Soccer Club – Maroons,’ through the back door. A handful of older men sipping on their morning cappuccinos greeted me. Some looked inquisitively at this stranger while most nodded a polite good morning.

I took a seat at one of the empty tables and stared at the giant projector screen in front of me in amazement. The screen showed a panoramic view of Naples’ Stadio San Paolo. Full to the brim and moments away from kickoff between Napoli and AC Milan. My only thought was: “Oh my god, I’m really about to watch this match.”