THE STORY OF THE AZZURRI'S LONG AND TORTUOUS ROAD TO BERLIN 2006
Italy not only had to overcome on-field opponents at World Cup 2006 but also deal with off-field issues
Not many Italians held out hope that their national team would make much of an impact at the 2006 World Cup. In fact, many of them hoped they wouldn’t as with just over a month to go to the big kick-off in Germany the game in Italy had been thrown into chaos.
In what soon became known as Calciopoli, leaked wire taps revealed that supposed match manipulation was taking place at the very top of Serie A - with referees possibly being influenced by some of the biggest clubs.
The mightiest of all was Juventus and the key figure was their managing director Luciano Moggi. He was heard supposedly bemoaning the selection of certain referees and assistants for Juventus games and the accusation was that he was attempting to ensure that they were assigned match officials who would be more sympathetic to the Old Lady.
The investigation widened to take in Fiorentina, Lazio, AC Milan and Reggina, and the fallout would be felt by the national team who were now in the media glare in the build-up to Germany.
The players of Juventus in particular were in the firing line as the Turin giants had just won the title.
The papers splashed headlines such as Senza Vergogna - No shame - above a photo of club captain Alessandro Del Piero receiving the Serie A trophy.
Politicians called for the national team to be withdrawn from the World Cup and in the opinion of many the too powerful game had to be reined in.
Azzurri coach Marcello Lippi who investigators were satisfied had nothing to do with the growing scandal had been Juventus coach and had had a close working relationship with Moggi.
He was in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons on the eve of the biggest month of his career and it became too much for the venerable Lippi who was well respected throughout the world of football, as he told a mass scrum of media that whatever happened in Germany he was leaving his post at the end of the tournament.
Against such a depressing backdrop where even fans of the teams involved felt betrayed there was little love for the team that was meant to unite a nation, and the best thing was for them to get away as quickly as possible.
However, it was now open season for the press who hunted down quotes from the ashen-faced players and Del Piero in particular from the moment the party arrived in Germany.
Of course, Italy had faced a similar scenario back in 1982 when Paolo Rossi who had been suspended as part of the Totonero betting scandal was recalled to the national team for the World Cup in Spain after serving a two-year ban.
The striker was under intense scrutiny after a slow start and the team went into a siege mentality which proved successful as the doubters were won over thanks to Rossi’s late goal rush which helped Italy lift the trophy in Madrid.
Could history repeat itself? Hoisting the Cup again would be the only way to reclaim the love of the country. And as in ‘82 under coach Enzo Bearzot, Lippi would need to foster a sense of unity and defiance.
He would be helped by the fact that the squad was jammed packed with experienced, world-class players: Gianluigi Buffon in goal, captain Fabio Cannavaro in the heart of the defence, pulling the strings in midfield Andrea Pirlo, then of course Del Piero and Francesco Totti providing the creativity further forward.
Overseeing this talented group Lippi set out to create an environment where every player felt they would play their part at some stage, and a tactical plan that went against the grain of the tradition Italian defensive approach.
Italy were the last of the big teams to make their bow in the tournament and if they slipped up at the first hurdle then the pressure would be unbearable.
As it turned out, they came out and played expansively to see off Ghana by two goals to nil. It was the unflappable Pirlo who opened the scoring just before half-time to ease the nerves while Vincenzo Iaquinta sealed the outcome late on.
The tension looked to have subsided heading into the second group game against USA who were expected to be seen off easily.
Instead it turned into a frantic first thirty minutes; Alberto Gilardino stooped to head in the opener only for team-mate Cristian Zaccardo to put through his own goal, and it went from bad to worse as Daniele De Rossi thrust an elbow into Brian McBride’s face and was sent off.
The Americans did not do themselves any favours when they had two players sent off either side of half-time, but a draw meant Italy needed to overcome the Czech Republic to be certain of top spot and in doing so avoid Brazil in the last sixteen, and head instead into what on paper was a more manageable side of the draw.
The Czechs were dispatched with little trouble two-nil, but it came seemingly at the time at a cost when Alessandro Nesta limped off to be replaced by the more robust Marco Materazzi who would become a key protagonist for varying reasons as the tournament wore on. On his introduction though he used his height and power to good effect to head in the opening goal.
Lippi was staying true to his word by rotating his outfield players and substitute Filippo Inzaghi wrapped the result up late on.
Italy were top and with a clearer path forward though the legal process around Calciopoli was moving on regardless, with the accused clubs set to face trial immediately, and there was genuine concern that they would face severe sanctions including relegation.
In the meantime, Italy prepared to meet Australia in the first knock-out round. On any other day it wouldn’t have raised many eyebrows that progress was almost certain, but the Socceroos were coached by Guus Hiddink.
The Dutchman had led South Korea past Italy at the same stage in the 2002 World Cup - a match that would forever live in infamy for Italians due to some of the refereeing decisions and one in particular, where Totti had been sent off.
The AS Roma star had suffered a serious ankle injury in February but Lippi believed he could recover and had left his home in Tuscany in the early hours of the morning to drive to Rome to visit the player after his operation and gave him a confidence boost that he could make it, now was the time to repay that faith.
Short of match fitness, he had been used sparingly but on a torridly hot afternoon Lippi would need the player he claimed was better to have at 60 percent fit than someone else at 90 per cent.
Italy had dug themselves into a hole when Materazzi received a straight red card for a last-man challenge and it looked as if it would be Daejeon all over again as Australia pressed for the winner. If it went to extra-time the man disadvantage would be a factor in the unrelenting heat.
With 15 minutes remaining Lippi played the Totti card for the tiring Del Piero and with three minutes to go the new arrival sent an arching ball into the path of Fabio Grosso who turned into the area before tumbling over a clumsy challenge.
Ninety minutes were on the clock when Totti finally stepped up to take the penalty kick and there would be no wilting in the sun as he slammed the ball home.
The road had become easier or so it seemed with Ukraine in the quarter-finals but if the players thought they had found a much-needed respite another bombshell rocked the camp.
In the middle of a press conference attended by Cannavaro the captain was informed that former Juventus and Italy team-mate, now a Juve sporting director, Gianluca Pessotto had fallen from a terrace at the club’s headquarters.
Visibly shaken, the defender immediately left as speculation grew that the popular former full-back had actually jumped though that was later denied.
Zambrotta and Del Piero flew back to Italy to visit the hospital where Pessotto was recovering from multiple fractures and when they returned they brought with them the added impetus of winning for their stricken ex-team-mate.
And it was the unlikely figure of Zambrotta marauding from full-back who opened the scoring. Luca Toni who had been Serie A top scorer that season had been up until then more miss than hit but the big forward helped himself to a brace as Italy ran rampant.
Events back home again contrived to unsettle the squad as a relegation sentence was passed on the accused clubs - in the end only Juventus went down.
On top of that, there would be no easy passage past the semi-final stage as home favourites Germany awaited in their lion’s den of Dortmund.
Confidence was at least growing back home, a sure sign being the appearance of more giant screens in squares up and down the country all to the beat of the unofficial fan anthem Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes.
It was an evening where Italy would earn their stripes in the cauldron of the Westfalenstadion when the match of the tournament went into extra-time.
And it was there that the ever more influential Grosso broke the deadlock before wheeling away in similar iconic fashion to Marco Tardelli after he had scored against the same opposition in the ‘82 final.
Del Piero was also to have his moment of glory after falling behind Totti in the pecking order but when he got his chance off the bench he took it with some aplomb curing in an exquisite second to settle it.
It was left to renowned Sky Italia commentator Fabio Caressa to sound the battle-cry for all Italians when he turned to his colour analyst Beppe Bergomi who had been in the ‘82 team, and yelled, “Andiamo a Berlino, Beppe …” - Let’s go to Berlin, Beppe.
So after all the trials and tribulations it was off to the German capital where another old foe would be waiting.
To be continued …