Azeglio Vicini was appointed
as Italy Manager in the aftermath of the 1986 World Cup and the reign of Enzo
Bearzot. Vicini had been in the National Team set-up for many years. He had
been Assistant to Bearzot and the Manager of the Under-21 squad. His task was
to rejuvenate an Italian squad that had stagnated since the 1982 World Cup
triumph. His long-term goal was to prepare a team for the 1990 World Cup that
Italy were to host.
However, the immediate
objective was the 1988 Euros and he would use the qualifiers as well as the
Finals to mold a team in line for the 1990 primary objective.
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Photo From: Soccer International, Volume
1, Issue 2, February 1990
(Azeglio
Vicini)
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Upon taking over he elevated
many of his former Under-21 charges and started phasing out some of the
veterans during the Euro qualifiers as well as the friendlies.
He rebuilt the defense based
on the Inter-AC Milan axis. Since the retirement of Dino Zoff, Italy had no
settled number one and alternated between Franco Tancredi (AS Roma) and
Giovanni Galli in the latter years of Bearzot’s reign. Vicini immediately
installed Inter’s Walter Zenga as his number one and he would remain so for the
rest of his tenure.
He discarded Sampdoria’s
Pietro Vierchowod as his stopper and made Inter’s Riccardo Ferri as his choice.
Inter’s experienced yet still
young veteran Giuseppe Bergomi remained as right-back. In fact he would become
his captain following the eventual International exits of Cabrini and
Altobelli.
For the left-back position,
he maintained Antonio Cabrini late into the qualifiers before (temporarily)
choosing Napoli’s Giovanni Francini. However, he would in turn be eclipsed by
the teenage Paolo Maldini (AC Milan) just months ahead of the Euros.
It would for the position of
Libero that Vicini would make the most significant appointment. Following
Gaetano Scirea’s International retirement following the 1986 World Cup, it had
been assumed that Roberto Tricella was being groomed to be his successor.
Instead, Vicini preferred AC Milan captain Franco Baresi for the task.
In midfield, Vicini installed
AC Milan’s Roberto Donadoni on the right wing. Fernando De Napoli (Napoli)
maintained his place in midfield that he had gained in the run-up to the 1986
World Cup. AS Roma’s young midfielder Giuseppe Giannini was handed the reins of
playmaker in the new Vicini regime.
Napoli’s tough midfielder
Salvatore Bagni had Vicini’s confidence into the qualifiers, but AC Milan’s
Carlo Ancelotti would overtake his position ahead of the 1988 Euros.
Upfront Sampdoria’s Gianluca
Vialli was to be Vicini’s forward and main avenue for goals. Inter veteran
Alessandro Altobelli was kept in the squad, but Vicini’s ultimate goal was to
partner Vialli with his Sampdoria club-mate Roberto Mancini. Bearzot had
blacklisted Mancini after he had broken curfew in New York in 1984 in a Tour of
North America. Upon taking over Vicini ended the exile and ushered the talented
Mancini back into the squad.
The Euros were generally
positive for the Italians and despite being eliminated in the semifinals, the
future looked bright for this young team.
Vicini now had two years of
friendly matches to iron out a team that he had built.
I. 1988/89 season (Fall 1988)
Preparatory
Friendly match Number 1-Norway (October 19, 1988, Pescara)
Italy’s
first friendly of the season was against Norway at Pescara. During the 1988
Euros, Vicini had built a settled squad consisting of Zenga in goal, Bergomi-Baresi-Ferri-Maldini
in defense, Donadoni-Giannini-Ancelloti-De Napoli in midfield and
Vialli-Mancini upfront. For this match, he maintained all the players except
Ancelotti. His injuries and unavailability would be a constant theme in the
run-up for the World Cup and would make his next appearance in 1990 just months
ahead of the World Cup. His absence would allow Vicini give a debut to new
Inter midfielder Nicola Berti, who would have a magnificent season for a
record-breaking Inter side.
Napoli
defender Ciro Ferrara as well as Juventus’ Luigi De Agostini would make
substitute appearance. The pair were dependable cover in defense (though De
Agostini could also cover in midfield).
AS
Roma striker Ruggiero
Rizzitelli would also appear as a substitute.
Napoli’s
Francini was called up but saw no action. Roberto Baggio, having a wonderful
season with Fiorentina, was called up for the first time ever but for this
match he had to contend with being on the bench only.
Italy
were rarely troubled in a rather easy win (2-1) and the highlight was Ferri’s
impressive indirect free kick goal.
Date:
October 19, 1988
Competition:
Friendly
Venue: Pescara
-Stadio Adriatico
Attendance: 15,000
Italy
2-Norway 1 (Giuseppe Giannini 18 pen, Riccardo Ferri 29 / Sverre
Brandhaug 40
pen)
Italy: Walter
Zenga, Giuseppe Bergomi (captain)(Ciro Ferrara 46), Paolo Maldini (Luigi De
Agostini 64), Franco Baresi, Riccardo Ferri, Nicola
Berti, Roberto Donadoni, Fernando De Napoli, Gianluca Vialli, Giuseppe Giannini,
Roberto Mancini (Ruggiero Rizzitelli 46)
Note:
1-In
bold, new caps.
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Photo
From: Guerin Sportivo, No. 43 (Issue 717), October 26-November 1, 1988
(October
19, 1988, Italy 2-Norway 1)
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Photo
From: Guerin Sportivo, No. 43 (Issue 717), October 26-November 1, 1988
(October
19, 1988, Italy 2-Norway 1)
|
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Photo
From: (Screen capture)
(October
19, 1988, Italy 2-Norway 1)
|
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Photo
From: (Screen capture)
(October
19, 1988, Italy 2-Norway 1)
|
Preparatory Friendly match Number 2-Holland (November 16, 1988,
Roma)
Italy’s next match was against the recent 1988 Euro
winners Holland for the occasion of the Italian Federation (F.I.G.C.)’s 90th
Anniversary at Rome.
Italy’s AC Milan
contingent were facing their club-mates Frank Rijkaard and Marco van Basten
(soon to be Ballon d’Or) on the opposing side.
This match is mostly
remembered as Roberto Baggio’s debut for the National Team. He was chosen to
partner Vialli upfront as Vicini appeared to be having doubts about Mancini. A
dependable partner for Vialli would be the main doubt and worry for Vicini for
the rest of the preparation phase and into the World Cup.
Juventus goalkeeper
veteran Stefano Tacconi earned a rare start with an unchanged defensive four.
Ancelotti had to once again withdraw due to injury and Luigi De Agostini
stepped in his place. Donadoni also missed this match, allowing Rizzitelli to
start. It would be his last match and would be out of contention for the World
Cup (though he would make a comeback in the tail end of Vicini’s reign in
1991).
Vialli, set up by Baggio,
settled the match with a solitary strike.
Conclusions could not be
drawn from a dour match against an opposition containing many inexperienced
players and missing many regulars, most notably AC Milan’s own Ruud Gullit.
Zenga’s absence earned the
late Napoli goalkeeper Giulliano Giuliani a call-up (his one and only). While
Tacconi was firmly set as Zenga’s back-up, the position of third goalkeeper was
still up for grabs.
Giovanni Francini was once again called up, but ignored.
The other newcomer call-up was that of Fiorentina striker Stefano Borgonovo
(also sadly passed on since). He was having a wonderful partnership with Baggio
at Fiorentina (on-loan from AC Milan) and knocking in the goals. He would have
to wait a bit longer for his debut.
Date:
November 16, 1988
Competition:
Friendly (F.I.G.C. 90th Anniversary match)
Venue: Roma
– Lo Stadio Olimpico
Attendance: 27,878
Italy
1-Holland 0 (Gianluca Vialli 44)
Italy: Stefano
Tacconi, Giuseppe Bergomi (captain), Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi, Riccardo
Ferri, Luigi De Agostini (Nicola Berti 81), Ruggiero Rizzitelli (Ciro Ferrara 52), Fernando De
Napoli, Gianluca Vialli, Giuseppe Giannini, Roberto Baggio
Note:
1-In bold, new caps.
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Photo
From: France Football, Issue 2231, January 10, 1989
(Giuseppe
Giannini and Frank Rijkaard, November 16, 1988, Italy 1-Holland 0)
|
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Photo
From: World Soccer, February 1990
(Gianluca
Vialli, November 16, 1988, Italy 1-Holland 0)
|
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Photo
From: Guerin Sportivo
(November
16, 1988, Italy 1-Holland 0)
|
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Photo
From: World Soccer, February 1990
(Giuseppe
Bergomi, November 16, 1988, Italy 1-Holland 0)
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Preparatory Friendly match Number 3-Scotland (December 22, 1988,
Perugia)
Italy’s last friendly of 1988 was at Perugia vs.
Scotland. Vicini maintained his settled defensive formation (along with another
substitute appearance by Ferrara). He experimented in midfield, as Donadoni, De
Napoli and Ancelotti were unavailable with Giannini as his only regular
starting. Nicola Berti earned a second start, while Giancarlo Marocchi
(Juventus) and Massimo Crippa (Napoli) earned their debuts. The pair would also
struggle to make a lasting impact in the National Team and would generally
remain as alternates.
Vialli naturally started upfront, but once again
Vicni would try out a new partner for him upfront. Inter’s Aldo Serena (on his
way to be Capocannoniere) earned a well deserved recall to the National Team.
At this point Mancini’s starting prospects seemed bleak and he had to contend
as a non-playing substitute for this match, along with Baggio.
Napoli’s Luca Fusi earned a recall as well, but he
would also struggle to make a lasting impression and settle for minutes here
and there.
Giovanni Francini earned a call-up for the last
time, as he would be out of contention and no longer under consideration.
Italy would win comfortably against a
non-threatening Scottish side. Giannini would once again score from the spot.
Berti, thus far, the only successful newcomer would increase his prospects by
scoring for the first time for the National side.
Date:
December 22, 1988
Competition:
Friendly
Venue: Perugia
-Stadio Renato Curi
Attendance: 27,600
Italy
2-Scotland 0 (Giuseppe Giannini 48 pen, Nicola Berti 70)
Italy: Walter Zenga (Stefano Tacconi 50), Giuseppe Bergomi (captain) (Ciro Ferrara 50), Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi, Riccardo Ferri, Giancarlo
Marocchi, Massimo Crippa,
Nicola Berti, Gianluca
Vialli, Giuseppe Giannini, Aldo Serena
Note:
1-In bold, new caps.
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Photo
From: France Football, Issue 2229, December 27, 1988
(Franco
Baresi, December 22, 1988, Italy 2-Scotland 0)
|
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Photo
From: (Screen capture)
(December
22, 1988, Italy 2-Scotland 0)
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