Milan and Inter Champions League semifinalists; Rome and Juventus, from the Europa League; Fiorentina, from the Conference League, Napoli, revelation of the continent… Six star Italian teams this season once again put Calcio at the center of global consideration. And without catenaccio, without hanging from the crossbar, playing forward, taking care of the ball.
No other league can show such brilliance. The incredible thing is that this happens after many gray years for the Tifosi and immediately after Italy staged a resounding failure: being left out of two consecutive World Cups (2018 and 2022). Something that, among the powers, had only happened to England in 1974 and 1978 and to France in 1990 and ’94. But national team football and club football are distant relatives, they don’t have much of a relationship.
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Milan and Inter star in an attractive semifinal in the Champions League.
After the disastrous performance of the Azzurra in the World Cup in England ’66 (eliminated by the debutant and unknown North Korea), the Italian Federation decided to close the borders to foreign footballers. They were dark years. However, the eagerness to see new stars and the country’s economic boom caused them to reopen in 1980. And both factors affected Italy as a soccer mecca.
Milan, in one fell swoop, signed Van Basten Gullit and Rijkaard, Inter signed Brehme, Matthäus and Klinsmann, Juve signed Platini, Boniek, Michael Laudrup, Napoli signed Maradona, Careca, Alemão, Roma signed Falcão, Aldair, Toninho Cerezo… From Brazil there were also Socrates, Junior; from Argentina, Passarella, Bertoni, Ramón Díaz… And they didn’t go any more because there was only room for one non-EU player, later raised to two. It was the total elite. Little Udinese gave himself the pleasure of hiring Zico…! Verona to Preben Elkjær Larsen, the Danish beast.
In 1990 the culmination of that splendor was seen: Milan was European champion (it was not yet called the Champions League), Juventus lifted the UEFA Cup – beating Fiorentina in the final – and Sampdoria the Recopa, which was then disputed by the cup winners. from 33 countries. The three continental crowns for Calcio, which reigned in Europe as in the time of Julius Caesar.
The wave of success advanced towards the ’90s, although it was deflating towards the end of the decade. The economic crisis began in Da Vinci’s homeland. In May 2000, Real Madrid and Valencia reached the Champions League final. There began a broad and almost dictatorial dominance of Spanish football in the Old Continent with 11 championship titles out of 23 tournaments (48%). England scored 5, Italy and Germany 3, Portugal 1. Calcio had given up the throne and the great figures ended up in Spain. The famous Series “A”, that wonderful frigate that led the seas, was fourth behind Spain, England and Germany.
Italy waited 20 years for a semifinal between two clubs from that country in the Champions League
It had been exactly twenty years since two Italian teams had played in a Champions League semifinal. It was precisely Milan and Inter in 2003. Then Milan triumphed, which still had a machine: Dida; Cafu, Stam, Nesta and Maldini; Gattuso, Pirlo, Seedorf and Kaka; Crespo and Schevchenko. In the definition, Carlo Ancelotti’s team tied with Marcello Lippi’s Juventus very Italian: 0 to 0. But they won on penalties. One of the last remnants of greatness. Last Wednesday the two Milanese met again in the same instance and Inter took an important advantage: a 2-0 that should have been wider. Anyway, on Tuesday an Italian will be a Champions League finalist.
Roma beat Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 and Juve miraculously tied Sevilla 1-1 in the 97th minute. La Fiore lost 1-2 to Swiss Basel, but everyone is alive.
Roma hopes to eliminate Bayer Leverkusen and play in the Europa League final.
Alberto Pizzoli. AFP
Calcio had to be updated. “There are new proposals, like Spalletti’s Napoli, which offer open, spectacular football, play and results. A more attractive style than the traditional one, not clinging only to the marker –Says Massimo Tecca, a former journalist for the Sky channel. There are also coaches with modern ideas, such as Italiano, from Fiorentina, Stefano Pioli, from Milan, and Simone Inzaghi, from Inter. In general, the trend towards a more cheerful formula prevails. In that sense, the greatest success is that of Napoli. The thing about Roma is different, Mourinho continues with his conservative system, but they fill the Olympic stadium every game because Mou has a very special charisma among the fans”. The Portuguese coach is loved in the capital of the old Empire because in May of last year he gave the scarlet fans their first international title: the inaugural version of the Conference League. He defeated the very popular Feyenoord from the port of Rotterdam 1-0 in the final, a Feyenoord that this afternoon can once again become Dutch champion.
«There are new proposals, such as Spalletti’s Napoli, which propose an open, spectacular football game and results. A more attractive style than the traditional one, not clinging only to the scoreboard.»
Another essential point is that they have changed the hiring policy. There is a rejuvenation. Until four or five years ago, Italy was a repository for veterans who went to burn their last cartridges on the peninsula. Now they have young people of 20, 21, 22 years. Youth is the key word that explains why the Italian league, which is the fourth most important league in Europe today, put three teams in the quarterfinals while Spain and Germany qualify one and England two. Three Italians and none was Juventus, it is worth pointing out. The country of catenaccio has historically been a lover of mature soccer players, and Milan the standard bearer of sheltering long thirty-somethings. But they have changed, or continue to do so.
Milan eliminated Tottenham with many youngsters on the field: Brahím Díaz, Saelemaekers, Rafael Leão, Tommaso Pobega (all 23 years old), De Katelaere, Sandro Tonali, Pierre Kalulu (22), Malick Thiaw (21), Theo Hernández and Fiyako Tomori (25). Inter have more experienced people, but they lowered their average age a long time ago. Because now they are selling clubs and nobody buys old ones. And because we are in the era of total intensity and those who can handle it are those who have fresh legs. At the speed at which it is played, people of 34 or 35 years of age can only hold out if they have an exceptional talent like Messi, Modric or Benzema, if they have a notable gift for the Lewandowski-type goal, or like Pirlo, who at 36 or 37 still he was an almost cartoonish dealer and passer.
«Likewise, resistance to young people continues in certain sectors,» adds Massimo. Every time Mancini (Roberto, coach of the national team) makes a call, the first one he calls is Pafundi, a boy from Udinese who he made his debut with Italy at the age of 16, but he is almost never put on at his club. Mancini favors giving way to the young, however there are still sources that prefer maturity.
The last of the reasons – mentioned tangentially by the Italian colleague – is the appearance of coaches with a bolder mind. The most painted, and who will surely end up in one of the top clubs, is Roberto De Zerbi, today in charge of Brighton, who is accused of being the next Guardiola. “Brighton played an incredible game against United, chapeau, De Zerbi”, praised Jurgen Klopp. And Guardiola himself went further: «Brighton is the team that best builds the game in the world. There is no better team when it comes to progressing with the ball from the goalkeeper to the last third.»
De Zerbi is perhaps the flag of a new and beautiful Italy.
last tango…
Jorge Barraza
FOR THE TIME
@JorgeBarrazaOK
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