Newsgroup: it.sport.calcio.milan
Titolo: Franco Baresi

http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/players/player=174375/index.html?cid=newsletter_en_20110915_newsid1510474
 
 
n Italy, the birthplace of catenaccio, Franco Baresi figuratively stood 
head and shoulders above his defensive peers. A robust sweeper who 
revolutionised the position a good ten years after Franz Beckenbauer 
had made it his own, the Italian was one of football’s great leaders, a 
player who kept talk to the minimum, tackled hard and launched many a 
counter-attack with his long forays from the back.
 
From 1977 to 1997, he represented the last line of defence for AC 
Milan, the only club of his 20-year career, with whom he demonstrated 
the same loyalty and professionalism in trophy-laden seasons as he did 
during barren years. Between 1982 and 1994, his effectiveness, 
ball-winning ability and leadership qualities also saw him awarded no 
fewer than 81 caps for Italy, and he played a key role in some of La 
Nazionale’s most memorable achievements during that time.
 
Not a particularly tall footballer, and as uncomfortable during 
interviews as he was at ease performing on the field, Baresi outlasted 
and outperformed high-profile team-mates and rivals alike for two 
decades.
 
One city, two destinies
Born in Travagliato, in the province of Brescia in Northern Italy, 
Baresi lost his parents by the tender age of 16, both deaths coming 
within two years of each other. In 1976, along with his brother 
Giuseppe, two years his elder, he decided to try his luck at a career 
in professional football. The siblings’ first port of call was Inter 
Milan, at which point fate would send them down different paths.
 
Giuseppe, a solid defensive midfielder, was retained by Inter, and 
would go on to make 559 appearances for the club, before becoming part 
of their backroom staff. Franco, on the other hand, was rejected by I 
Nerazzurri, who were unconvinced by his slender frame. He promptly 
offered his services to rivals AC Milan, who snapped up the future 
international.
 
The two brothers moved to Milan, where Franco would spend four years 
enrolled in a sport-study programme at the club’s Milanello training 
centre. Silent and reserved, the teenager quickly became known for his 
strong work ethic and unrelenting focus. “At 18, he already had the 
knowledge of a veteran,” commented the late Nils Liedholm, who gave 
Baresi his Serie A debut away to Verona on 23 April 1978.
 
Before the start of the following season, the Swedish coach took the 
young defender aside during the team’s first training session and 
informed him that he now regarded him as his first-choice libero. That 
decision sowed the seeds of the legendary Rossoneri back four of Paolo 
Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta, Mauro Tassotti and Baresi.
 
Training, hard work and an excellent relationship with supporters are 
guiding principles that should never be taken lightly.
Franco Baresi
With Baresi the cornerstone of their defence, AC Milan dominated the 
championship in his first full season. Strong in the tackle, skilled at 
intercepting wayward passes and constantly mindful of his team-mates’ 
positioning, he never hesitated to push forward when necessary, leading 
by example throughout the 90 minutes.
 
Team-mates – household names included – admired Baresi more for his 
perfectionist's approach to the game rather than his outstanding ball 
skills. The man himself said recently: “For people to look up to you, 
your behaviour needs to be beyond reproach. Training, hard work and an 
excellent relationship with supporters are guiding principles that 
should never be taken lightly."
 
When AC Milan were relegated to Serie B for their involvement in an 
illegal betting controversy the following year, one player remained 
above suspicion, and stuck with the club during that difficult period. 
Handed the captain’s armband at the age of 22, Baresi would remain 
loyal to the red and black jersey for the rest of his career.
 
He explained: “Today things are different. A player rarely stays with 
the same team for 15 or 20 years now. The market changed all that – 
there are a lot more opportunities these days, and they’re tough to 
resist.”
 
AC Milan would enter a new era with the arrival of Silvio Berlusconi as 
club president in 1986. Under the guidance of Arrigo Sacchi, Baresi was 
the lynchpin of the all-conquering side that starred the Dutch trio of 
Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten. During Fabio 
Capello’s tenure, he was a key member of the team that won four further 
Italian league titles and lifted the European Cup, in a line-up that 
included Marcel Desailly, Zvonimir Boban and Dejan Savicevic.
 
In 1997, after 20 years of faithful service, Baresi finally chose to 
hang up his boots. “The season before that had been quite difficult, 
due to problems I’d been having with my body," he said. "I was finding 
it harder and harder to recover from matches. At 37, I was no spring 
chicken, and after all those years in the game, it was simply time to 
call it a day.” Two years after his retirement, Milan fans voted him 
their player of the century.
 
Penalties in Pasadena
Initially frozen out of Italy’s starting XI by the fine form of Gaetano 
Scirea, another giant of the Italian game, Baresi nevertheless earned a 
winner’s medal at the 1982 FIFA World Cup Spain™, even though he saw no 
actual playing time. His international debut did not come until 4 
December of that same year, in a qualifying match for UEFA EURO 1984 
against Romania in Florence.
 
But the confident defender’s relationship with then Italy coach Enzo 
Bearzot subsequently deteriorated, due to the latter’s habit of playing 
Baresi in a defensive midfield role. Bearzot would eventually select 
Baresi’s brother for that position ahead of Mexico 1986, a tournament 
in which Gli Azzurri failed to impress.
 
The arrival of Azeglio Vicini at the Italy helm signalled the beginning 
of Baresi’s gradual transformation into a stalwart of the team, at his 
natural position of sweeper. The first to slot home his penalty during 
the shoot-out in the semi-final of the 1990 FIFA World Cup on home 
soil, he was still powerless to prevent the host nation’s elimination 
at the hands of Argentina.
 
Four years later at USA 1994, he was faced with the same test of nerve, 
but this time in the Final against Brazil. His presence as captain that 
day already constituted a victory against the odds. Having suffered an 
injury during a group-stage match with Norway on 23 June, he was 
operated on immediately and set himself a seemingly unattainable goal 
of playing in the decider. On 17 July in Pasadena he was named in the 
starting line-up. After putting in an outstanding performance in a 0-0 
draw, he again made the long walk from the centre circle to take 
Italy’s first spot-kick.
 
This time, however, luck was against him, as he sent the ball high over 
the bar. Daniele Massaro’s penalty was saved by Taffarel, before 
Roberto Baggio then missed in a similar fashion to his captain, thereby 
handing the trophy to Brazil. For the first time in his long and 
successful career, tears could be seen flowing down Baresi’s cheeks.
 
 

 seen flowing down Baresi’s cheeks.
 
Cazzo, ho pianto con lui quel giorno.
 
-- 
Henry The Mole.
"I can't believe I ate the whole thing!" 
 

 Nerazzurri, who were unconvinced by his slender frame.
 
Ma lol

 Ma lol
 
FIXED
 
 

 
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