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PhrasesAt a Football MatchQuanti minuti di recupero?
A2informal

Quanti minuti di recupero?

How many minutes of injury time?

Pronunciation

KWAN-tee mee-NOO-tee dee reh-KOO-peh-roh.

When to use it

When the fourth official holds up the board showing added time. The number of minutes of recovery time can dramatically change the emotional tone of a match.

What it means

I minuti di recupero is the injury time or stoppage time — literally 'recovery minutes'. In Italian football, this is also called 'i minuti aggiuntivi' or simply 'il recupero'. Five or more minutes of injury time can turn a match completely.

Variations

Cinque minuti di recupero — ancora tutto possibile!

Five minutes of injury time — everything still possible!

Excitement at a long stoppage time while losing.

Basta che non segni nel recupero.

As long as they don't score in injury time.

Anxiety when leading narrowly.

Gol al novantasettesimo!

Goal in the ninety-seventh minute!

Celebrating or lamenting a last-gasp goal.

Mini Dialogue

— Quanti minuti di recupero? — Il quarto uomo mostra il cartello… sei minuti! — Sei minuti?! Ancora in tempo per pareggiare! — Siamo a uno a zero sotto. Dai, attacchiamo! — Tutti in avanti!

— How many minutes of injury time? — The fourth official shows the board… six minutes! — Six minutes?! Still time to draw! — We are one nil down. Come on, let's attack! — Everyone forward!

Cultural Note

Some of Italian football's most dramatic moments have come in injury time (recupero). Francesco Totti's penalty equaliser for Roma in the 93rd minute of the 2001 Derby della Capitale is legendary. Italian fans call dramatic late goals 'gol beffa' when scored against you, or 'gol salvezza' when they rescue a point.