Maturio Fabbi
Maturio Fabbi was born in São Paulo, Brazil, on December 11, 1894. An Italian-Brazilian, he came from a family originally from Parma. His older brother Luigi was also a footballer and was born in Parma.
Fabbi began his playing career with Corinthians before joining Palestra Italia of São Paulo, now Palmeiras, in 1915 alongside his brother. He remained with the club until 1925, when he ended his playing career.
He subsequently moved into coaching and in 1928 took charge of Palestra Italia of Belo Horizonte, now Cruzeiro. Fabbi spent four years with the club, establishing himself as one of the leading coaches in Brazilian football. His approach was based on strict training schedules, tactical discipline, physical preparation and, importantly, maintaining a settled team in order to develop understanding between the players.
His methods produced striking results. Palestra became a dominant force in Minas Gerais football, with Fabbi eventually recording 201 matches on the bench, the highest total of any coach in the history of the Belo Horizonte club.
In 1932 Fabbi travelled to Italy with Amílcar Barbuy, following his compatriot to Lazio. Rather than taking over as first-team coach, he worked alongside Barbuy while also being entrusted with the club's reserve and youth teams. He temporarily coached the reserves for eight matches and was involved with eight different categories at the Roman club.
His arrival formed part of Lazio's remarkable Brazilian connection of the early 1930s. The club had assembled a group of players with Brazilian links that became known as the Brasilazio, and Fabbi was one of the figures working behind the scenes during this unusual chapter in Lazio's history.
Fabbi returned to Brazil in 1932 and resumed his work with Palestra Italia of Belo Horizonte, remaining there until 1935. He subsequently coached the Seleção Mineira, Palestra Italia of São Paulo and América Mineiro before returning once again to Palestra Italia Belo Horizonte in 1938.
His second spell in Belo Horizonte was interrupted in August 1938, when, suffering from an undisclosed illness and following medical advice, he resigned from his position. By then he had spent nine seasons in total as Palestra's coach, overseeing 190 matches, with 105 victories, 29 draws and 56 defeats.
Fabbi's career bridged two very different football cultures. A product of the formative years of Brazilian football, he brought to Lazio his experience of a rapidly modernising game in Brazil before returning home and continuing to influence football in Minas Gerais. His brief spell in Rome was an important part of the Brazilian chapter of Lazio's history and of the Brasilazio of the early 1930s.
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