Preparations of a Host (or Defending Champion)-Part Two (Italy 1988/90)-Part c (Fall 1989)

III. 1989/90 season (Fall 1989)

Preparatory Friendly match Number 9-Bulgaria (September 20, 1989, Cesena)

Italy started the new season that would culminate with the World Cup on September 20^th vs. Bulgaria at Cesena.

This match has gone down in history as the match that made Italy and the World to take notice of Baggio as an International star. Following his performance, Italy went in a state of Baggio-mania after his two-goal display.

Just days earlier he had scored a brilliant solo goal vs. Napoli that had made the headlines.

For this match, Vicini had maintained his defensive formation. Giannini and De Napoli kept their places in midfield. On September 17, 1989, Donadoni and Berti pulled out through injuries. Their absence allowed Marocchi to start along with Baggio (replacing Donadoni on the right wing, but mostly playing just behind the front two).

Upfront, Carnevale seemed to have Vicini’s confidence as Vialli’s partner as Mancini and Serena remained on the bench.

For the first time, Sampdoria’s young goalkeeper Gianluca Pagliuca was called up. It appeared the position of the third goalkeeper had been settled.

Luca Fusi remained on the bench with his prospects dwindling.

Baggio’s performance and the media clamor forced Vicini a rethink to accommodate such a talent and declare that he is ‘in his plans’.

He was not a striker but also not a midfield playmaker, he was effective just behind the front two and not constrained to the wing like he had been in his earlier selections.

Date: September 20, 1989

Competition: Friendly

Venue: Cesena -Stadio Dino Manuzzi      

Attendance: 25,000

Italy 4-Bulgaria 0 (Roberto Baggio 18 pen, 34, Andrea Carnevale 46, Own Goal (Nikolai Iliev) 53)

Italy: Walter Zenga, Giuseppe Bergomi (captain) (Ciro Ferrara 76), Paolo Maldini (Luigi De Agostini 61), Franco Baresi, Riccardo Ferri, Giancarlo Marocchi (Massimo Crippa 68), Roberto Baggio, Fernando De Napoli, Gianluca Vialli, Giuseppe Giannini, Andrea Carnevale

Photo From: World Soccer, November 1989

(Roberto Baggio scoring, September 20, 1989, Italy 4-Bulgaria 0)

Photo From: (screen capture)

(September 20, 1989, Italy 4-Bulgaria 0)

Photo From: (screen capture)

(September 20, 1989, Italy 4-Bulgaria 0)

Preparatory Friendly match Number 10-Brazil (October 14, 1989, Bologna)

Italy faced their most difficult test in their friendly vs. Brazil in Bologna on October 14^th.

Vicini kept his defensive formation with the exception of Luigi De Agostini starting at left-back ahead of Maldini.

De Napoli and Giannini kept their places in midfield and Berti continued to start in Ancelotti’s continuous absence. Donadoni’s absence allowed Baggio to start once again, while upfront Vicini maintained Vialli with Carnevale.

The Brazilians were superior on the day and won through an Andre Cruz free kick. The press narrative centered on how Brazil played like the Italians of the old and vice versa (They noted how Brazil played with five defenders, four in a flat formation in front of one Libero).

This was Italy’s first loss at home during preparation and the second after their loss in Romania.

This would the last goal conceded by Walter Zenga until the World Cup semifinal vs. Argentina on July 3^rd, 1990.

Conversely, this would also be a start of a goal-drought by Italy, which only added to the continuous debate regarding Vialli’s partner.

For more detail, see:

http://soccernostalgia.blogspot.com/2014/12/october-14-1989-italy-0-brazil-1.html

Date: October 14, 1989

Competition: Friendly

Venue: Bologna -Stadio Renato Dall'Ara

Attendance: 36,000

Italy 0-Brazil 1 (André Alves da Cruz 77)

Italy: Walter Zenga, Giuseppe Bergomi (captain), Luigi De Agostini, Franco Baresi, Riccardo Ferri (Ciro Ferrara 46), Nicola Berti, Roberto Baggio, Fernando De Napoli, Gianluca Vialli, Giuseppe Giannini (Luca Fusi 58), Andrea Carnevale

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 766 (Number 42), October 18-24, 1989

(October 14, 1989, Italy 0-Brazil 1)

Photo From: Onze-Mondial, January 1994

(Roberto Baggio, October 14, 1989, Italy 0-Brazil 1)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 766 (Number 42), October 18-24, 1989

(Gianluca Vialli and Ricardo Rocha, October 14, 1989, Italy 0-Brazil 1)

Photo From: World Soccer, Novem,ber 1989

(Andrea Carnevalle between Mazinho and Andre Cruz, October 14, 1989, Italy 0-Brazil 1)

Photo From: Onze-Mondial, Hors Serie 3, 1990

(Dunga and Baggio, October 14, 1989, Italy 0-Brazil 1)

Preparatory Friendly match Number 11-Algeria (November 11, 1989, Vicenza)

Italy would face two opponents days apart in November (Algeria and England).

The match vs. Algeria was on November 11^th at Vicenza.

Vicini kept his defensive formation with the exception of Luigi De Agostini starting at left-back ahead of Maldini for the second match running. Ferrara made his customary second half substitute appearance.

De Napoli and Giannini kept their places in midfield with Marocchi and Baggio starting in midfield ahead of Donadoni and Berti.

For the fourth match running, Carnevale partnered Vialli upfront. Serena would come in the second half and volley in the winner as Italy continued to struggle upfront. Fusi, Crippa and Mancini remained on the bench.

Date: November 11, 1989

Competition: Friendly

Venue: Vicenza-Stadio Romeo Menti

Attendance: 26,000

Italy 1-Algeria 0 (Aldo Serena 74)

Italy: Walter Zenga, Giuseppe Bergomi (captain) (Ciro Ferrara 46), Luigi De Agostini, Franco Baresi, Riccardo Ferri, Giancarlo Marocchi, Roberto Baggio,  Fernando De Napoli (Roberto Donadoni 51), Gianluca Vialli, Giuseppe Giannini, Andrea Carnevale (Aldo Serena 70)

Photo From: WC 90 - CORRIERE DELLO SPORT - GUIDA

(November 11, 1989, Italy 1-Algeria 0)

Photo From: kicker_WM-Sonderheft_1990

(Italy squad, November 11, 1989, Italy 1-Algeria 0)

Preparatory Friendly match Number 12-England (November 15, 1989, London)

For their second match in November, Italy traveled to Wembley to face a potential rival, England.

It was yet another tight affair that ended scoreless giving no indication of Italy’s strengths, but its continuous struggles upfront.

Vicini started his standard defensive formation with Maldini back in. The midfield was also the settled one as Doandoni, Berti, Giannini and De Napoli took their positions. Donadoni most notably had an excellent match.

Maldini took some criticism, as he was unable to control Waddle in the wing. Years later in an interview he described Waddle as his toughest adversary.

For the fifth match in a row, Vialli and Carnevale played together upfront.

Baggio and Serena would be introduced in the second half to no avail.

Crippa remained on the bench and would not be called up again and his World Cup prospects were over.

Date: November 15, 1989

Competition: Friendly

Venue: London –Wembley Stadium

Attendance: 80,000

England 0-Italy 0

Italy: Walter Zenga, Giuseppe Bergomi (captain), Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi, Riccardo Ferri, Nicola Berti, Roberto Donadoni, Fernando De Napoli,

Gianluca Vialli (Roberto Baggio 82), Giuseppe Giannini, Andrea Carnevale (Aldo Serena 76)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 771 (Number 47), November 22-28, 1989

(Nicola Berti and John Barnes, November 15, 1989, England 0-Italy 0)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 771 (Number 47), November 22-28, 1989

(Peter Shilton and Walter Zenga, November 15, 1989, England 0-Italy 0)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 771 (Number 47), November 22-28, 1989

(November 15, 1989, England 0-Italy 0)

Preparatory Friendly match Number 13-Argentina (December 21, 1989, Cagliari)

The year ended with perhaps the most dour and aesthetically unpleasing match of the year. Italy faced Diego Maradona’s Argentina in Calgliari on December 21^st.  Any match vs. a Bilardo managed Argentina was bound to be defensive, but the display witnessed (that predictably included a multitude of fouls (63 in total awarded)) was roundly criticized.

Vicini warned that this was to be expected at the upcoming World Cup and the audience should get used to it (unfortunately a true prediction).

From Italy’s customary defensive set-up, Ferri was missing, which allowed the dependable Ferrara to start.

Vicini maintained his strongest midfield: Donadoni, De Napoli, Giannini and Berti.

Upfront, Vicini started Vialli with Serena upfront (instead of Carnevale).

Mancini made his first appearance of the season as a substitute, while Fusi made his last (he would be called up once more in the new year but not play).

Date: December 21, 1989

Competition: Friendly

Venue: Cagliari -Stadio Sant'Elia

Attendance: 29,635

Italy 0-Argentina 0

Italy: Walter Zenga (Stefano Tacconi 46), Giuseppe Bergomi (captain), Paolo Maldini (Luigi De Agostini 46), Franco Baresi, Ciro Ferrara, Nicola Berti, Roberto Donadoni (Roberto Mancini 46), Fernando De Napoli, Gianluca Vialli (Luca Fusi 69), Giuseppe Giannini, Aldo Serena

Photo From: World Soccer, June 1990

(Diego Maradona and Nicola Berti, December 21, 1989, Italy 0-Argentina 0)

Photo From: Soccer International, Volume 1, Issue 2, February 1990

(Diego Maradona in an Italian Jersey, December 21, 1989, Italy 0-Argentina 0)

Photo From: El Grafico Number 3664, 1989

(Giuseppe Giannini and Jorge Burruchaga, December 21, 1989, Italy 0-Argentina 0)