Milan and Inter semi-finalists of the Champions League; Rome and Juventus, from the Europa League; Fiorentina, from the Conference League, Napoli, the revelation of the continent… The six Italian teams that are the stars of this season are once again putting Calcio at the center of global considerations. And without catenaccio, without hanging on the crossbar, plays forward, takes care of the ball. No other league can show such brilliance. It is incredible that this is happening after many gray years for tifoda and right after that Italy suffered a major setback: being left out of two consecutive World Cups (2018 and 2022). Something that only happened to England in 1974 and 1978 and France in 1990 and ’94 among the powers. But representative football and club football are distant cousins, they don’t really have a relationship.

The collapse of clubs

After the disastrous performance of the Azzurri at the World Cup in England in ’66 (eliminated by debutants and unknown North Korea), the Italian federation decided to close the borders to foreign footballers. Those were dark years. However, the desire to see new stars and the country’s economic boom led to the reopening in 1980. Both factors made Italy a soccer mecca. In one move, Milan signed Van Basten Gullit and Rijkaard, Inter Brehme, Matthäus and Klinsmann, Juve Platini, Boniek, Michael Laudrup, Napoli Maradona, Careca, Alemão, Roma Falcão, Aldair, Toninho Cerezo… From Brazil there was also Socrates, Junior; from Argentina, Passarella, Bertoni, Ramón Díaz… And they didn’t go anymore because there was only room for one non-EU player, later it was increased to two. It was a total elite. Little Udinese had the pleasure of hiring Zico…! Verona to Preben Elkjær Larsen, the Danish beast.

Cup before and now

The year 1990 saw the culmination of that glory: Milan was the European champion (it was not yet called the Champions League), Juventus lifted the UEFA Cup – beating Fiorentina in the final – and Sampdoria won the Recopa, which was contested by cup winners from 33 countries at the time. Three continental crowns for Calcio, which ruled Europe as in the time of Julius Caesar.

Fan pride, unbreakable love

The wave of success lasted until the 1990s, although it faded 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. The wide and almost dictatorial dominance of Spanish football on the Old Continent began with 11 championship titles from 23 tournaments (48%). England scored 5, Italy and Germany 3, Portugal 1. Calcio gave up the throne and the big figures ended up in Spain. The famous “A” Series, that wonderful frigate that led the seas, was fourth behind Spain, England and Germany.

It has been exactly twenty years since two Italian teams have not played in the semi-finals of the Champions League. It was exactly 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 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 case and Inter gained an important advantage: 2-0, which should have been bigger. In any case, the Italian will be a Champions League finalist on Tuesday.

Roma beat Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen 1-0, Juve miraculously leveled Sevilla at 1-1 in the 97th minute, La Fiore lost 1-2 to Switzerland’s Basel, but everyone is alive.

Calcium had to Update. “There are new proposals, like Spalletti’s Napoli, which propose an open, spectacular football game and results. A more attractive style than the traditional one, it doesn’t just stick to markers, says Massimo Tecca, a former Sky journalist. There are also coaches with modern ideas such as Italians from Fiorentina, Stefano Pioli from Milan and Simone Inzaghi from Inter. In general, there is a prevailing trend towards a more cheerful formula. In this sense, the greatest success is that of Napoli. With Roma it’s a different thing, 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 crimson fans their first international title: the inaugural version of the Conference League. In the final, they defeated the very popular Feyenoord from the port of Rotterdam with 1:0, Feyenoord who can become the champion of the Netherlands again this afternoon.

Another important thing is that they changed their employment policy. Rejuvenation occurs. Until four or five years ago, Italy was a dumping ground for veterans who went to the peninsula to burn their last cartridges. Now they have young people of 20, 21, 22 years old. Youth is the key word that explains why the Italian league, which is now the fourth most important league in Europe, has put three teams in the quarter-finals, while Spain and Germany have qualified one each and England two. Three Italians, and no Juventus, is worth noting. The land of catenaccia has historically been a lover of mature footballers, while Milan, the standard-bearer, has been a haven for long thirty-year-olds. 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), De Katelaere, Sandro Tonali, Pierre Kalulu (22), Malick Thiaw (21), Theo Hernández and Fiyako Tomori ( 25). Inter has more experienced people, but they lowered the average age a long time ago. Because now they sell bats, and no one buys the old ones. And because we are in an era of total intensity and those with fresh legs can handle it. At the speed at which the game is played, people aged 34 or 35 can only survive if they have an exceptional talent like Messi, Modric or Benzema, if they have a notable gift for scoring a goal like Lewandowski or like Pirlo, who at 36 or 37 was still an almost caricatured shopkeeper and passerby.

Likewise, in certain sectors, resistance to young people continues, adds Massimo. Every time Mancini (Roberto, the coach of the national team) calls, the first to call is Pafundi, a boy from Udinese who made his debut for Italy at the age of 16, but he is almost never put on his club. Mancini prefers to give way to youth, but there are still sources who prefer maturity.

The last of the reasons – tangentially mentioned by an Italian colleague – is the emergence of coaches with a braver mind. The most painted, who will surely end up in one of the top clubs, is Roberto De Zerbi, today the leader 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 builds the game the best in the world.” There is no better team when it comes to progressing with the ball from the goalkeeper to the final third”.

De Zerbi is perhaps the flag of the new and beautiful Italy.

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