EDICOLA NEWS: THE REVIEWS nr. 311
album: Calciatori Celebration 2022-2023 (Panini)
stickers: 144 (1-144)
album + complete set 19,90€
After 8 months we can finally put an end to the Calciatori 2022/23 album. Of course it depends on the points of view, because everyone has their own idea of which of the extra outputs are fundamental. According to Panini obviously all, because the only goal is to sell, in our opinion, in the current state of things, the only extra release that we can define as a real completion of the traditional album is this one.
Real but not fundamental, but if we consider that the fundamental things of life are different, then there is never a definitive answer or rather, everyone has their own personal point of view and they are all legitimate.
The formula is appreciable, which also makes it captivating, with 20 euros you get the album and the complete set of stickers to attach. Considering the increasingly insane prices of products connected to the world of stickers, it may seem like a small turnaround. In reality, due to the format and all the rest, it is certainly not a product made to go into storage, but it is not designed to remain available for long. In the Modena area, once the copies have been distributed, no reprints are foreseen.
The positioning of the teams on the cover is questionable, we would have put Fiorentina in the foreground, protagonist of two finals and not others, more famous, but in reality with a light and dark past season.
In essence, the album is an extended version of the Film of the Championship that until last year we found within the traditional Calciatori. With the addition of the stickers of the 20 teams, not previously present.
The first page dedicated entirely to the Napoli Campione d’Italia is dutiful, it is not the typical training as there are only ten stickers but they are the summary of an extraordinary season with the highlights of the individual Azzurri protagonists. Who knows if the album would have had a different setting if Italian football in the European cups hadn’t done .. the treble in reverse, losing them all.
Following is the page with the basic team-by-team statistics where we find the stickers of the 20 formations as previously reported. Nothing particularly exciting, a necessary filler both to cover a gap in the Calciatori album and not to have a Celebration too poor in pages and stickers.
The advantage of having more space available is certainly an advantage for the Films of the Championship stickers, which despite the little interest aroused previously, on this occasion they are appreciated, each one presenting a day of the championship. In total then 38? No, over 50, as those linked to Serie B and news, Serie C and Serie A for women must also be considered.
The album is filled with stickers that recall the setting of the Adrenalyn collection, with MVPs, rookies and Rising Stars. The presence of a sticker to be attached on the back cover is certainly curious, Panini rarely makes this choice.
The photographic level stickers are of good quality, fortunately light years away from the terrifying “instant cards”. An album which, set up in this way, can be successful due to the relatively low price and because the combination of Panini and Calciatori often sells regardless.
Sure it’s a trial year, the graphics can be greatly improved. From our point of view, the team sticker could be brought back to the main album and make the Celebration a long and adventurous Championship Film, in all its 144 stickers or those that will be.
Remember the special stickers found in the upgrade set that you didn’t understand the use of and thought they were needed in this collection? Nothing more wrong. It is conceivable (probable?) that instead in Modena we have given an indication of what will be, with the arrival of parallel stickers also in the Calciatori, to be found in the classic sachets (as recently seen in the latest Super Mario album) or perhaps in special sachets where the presence of a greater number is guaranteed.
Honestly, we feel like quoting the accountant Ugo Fantozzi and his consideration of a certain Potemkin in a legendary scene from a film. Then everyone is free to spend their money as they see fit, it is important (on the contrary it would be a sacrilege) that there is still the possibility of completing future albums in the traditional way, considering that the traditional hasn’t been traditional for several years.
(EN)