Arrigo Sacchi he spoke about Italy’s objectives from the stage of the Milan Football Week organized by La Gazzetta dello Sport: “We are coming from a bad moment, it can happen that a very strong team spirit and a game arrive. If we succeed, as Azzurri we will be able to put anyone in difficulty. Ours is a school that had no school, we don’t all play the same way and today there are many, too many foreigners. Once upon a time you took the block of those who played well, Inter or Juve: today there are no more blocks. But I’m curious: if everyone gives their all, they will be able to hide the limits. It also depends on the press: if we, who haven’t gone to the World Cup for eight years, continue to say that we have to win, then it means being presumptuous. And we don’t have to be.”
Thinking about the next championship, Inter gives the impression of being ahead of everyone.
“Yes, he played well: we are very attentive and therefore I say he could have done more. He won by dominating, but he lost in the Champions League. I think of Italy who will challenge Spain: the Spaniards, if you give them space, will put the ball where they want. When I went to Atletico, I was amazed at their technical qualities.”
The new coach who intrigues you the most?
“Something is happening that has never happened, there is a small group of strategists. Before we were all tactics, this is a step forward.”
The difference?
“The tactician is someone who hopes to exploit the opponent’s space. You need quality players and you have to play with more defensive players than attacking ones: for me you have to attack and defend with eleven players. If there is no courage, it means there is no knowledge. The coach must know what he wants to do and take suitable players, if you want to make a comedy film and not make comical mistakes. Milan bought 14-15 players last year, but did Pioli want him? If so, he’s guilty too. Otherwise no”.
What do you think about Juventus?
“Thiago Motta is part of the strategists, he will try to have players suited to his game. The strategist is someone who has an idea and knows how to get there: I wanted to play football with movement, aggression, done without fear. But is it easy in this country not to be afraid? It’s difficult”.
Conte at Napoli?
“Who counts in Italian football? The club comes before the team, which comes before the individual. Football is a game of eleven, you can’t have one-two who don’t participate. Because if they don’t participate they aren’t good. You need reliable players, you can’t make mistakes with them. But you have to have the support of the club. I’m thinking of Juve: if Giuntoli waged war on Allegri (as Capello always said on stage, ed.), he was wrong. You can have different ideas, but not one person who says the opposite of the other. I was a nobody when he came to Milan. My teams never started strong, because I was trying to do things they didn’t know. Berlusconi made a 27-second speech: he asked me if I needed it, I said yes, he came to Milanello and got everyone on board, saying he had total faith in me. Does he know how many games we lost after that? Zero. We lost one because one of my namesake threw a firecracker: since we are strong in comedies, the opposing goalkeeper threw himself to the ground.”
