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 20th
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
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Photo From:
World Soccer, November 1989
(Roberto
Baggio scoring, September 20, 1989, Italy 4-Bulgaria 0)
|
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Photo From: (screen
capture)
(September
20, 1989, Italy
4-Bulgaria 0)
|
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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 14th.
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 3rd, 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:
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)
|
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Photo From: Onze-Mondial,
January 1994
(Roberto Baggio, October 14,
1989, Italy 0-Brazil 1)
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Photo From: Guerin Sportivo,
Issue 766 (Number 42), October 18-24, 1989
(Gianluca Vialli and Ricardo
Rocha, October 14, 1989, Italy 0-Brazil 1)
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Photo From: World Soccer,
Novem,ber 1989
(Andrea Carnevalle between
Mazinho and Andre Cruz, October 14, 1989, Italy 0-Brazil 1)
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Photo From: Onze-Mondial,
Hors Serie 3, 1990
(Dunga and Baggio, October 14,
1989, Italy 0-Brazil 1)
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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 11th 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)
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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)
|
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Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 771
(Number 47), November 22-28, 1989
(Peter Shilton and Walter
Zenga, November 15, 1989, England 0-Italy 0)
|
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Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 771
(Number 47), November 22-28, 1989
(November 15, 1989, England
0-Italy 0)
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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 21st. 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
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Photo
From: World Soccer, June 1990
(Diego
Maradona and Nicola Berti, December 21, 1989, Italy 0-Argentina 0)
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Photo
From: Soccer International, Volume 1, Issue 2, February 1990
(Diego
Maradona in an Italian Jersey, December 21, 1989, Italy 0-Argentina 0)
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Photo
From: El Grafico Number 3664, 1989
(Giuseppe
Giannini and Jorge Burruchaga, December 21, 1989, Italy 0-Argentina 0)
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