Rueing Ribas da Cunha

Posted on 29. Aug, 2010 by jacques in Sport

I’m back and normal blogging service will resume shortly. In the meantime we take the first punch of the football season. The real test is not some lost pitch in Ireland or against Sturm Graz but against strong Serie A third tier teams like Bari (10th last season). A machinated Juventus deservedly lost to Bari’s well-oiled passing team. My suspicions were live long before the game – who the hell is going to create the moves? Will this team depend on Chiellini’s angry runs every now and then?

Why, why, why do you sell Diego Ribas da Cunha and buy no replacement. Do not mention Aquilani. Do not even try mentioning high flying wings crossing from the three-quarters pitch. Do not, above all mention Felipe Melo and Sissoko in the same sentence as creativity. So. With two days to go where will Juve go and fish for a regista? We have thrown away such greats as Corini and Pecchia (to mention but two) – is there any creative mind ready to step into the heart of a team that is in search of a new soul?

I’ve said it once. I will say it again. Juventus will rue the decision to sell Diego Ribas da Cunha.

P.S. How can Krasic (not bad) cost 15 million while Alvarez (gigantic) cost 4.5 million for the second half of his cartellino? Look out for Giovinco tonight – who knows he might suddenly grow into a regista himself.

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The Penalty (a suggestion)

Posted on 11. Jul, 2010 by jacques in Sport

The rules of Association Football are over a hundred years old but rarely need a revamp. Of course recent improvements in technology have meant an increase in calls for fairer methods to ensure that the original rules are applied more thoroughly. Some may beg to differ since the original rules envisaged a fallible human as referee and not a robot or techno eye in the sky. Having said that you do often get a hunch that the rules of the game could do with a bit of polishing up – which is why the busybodies behind J’accuse (that’s the Royal We) have come up with an alternative use for penalties within the 90 minutes of the game (and possibly also within the 30 minutes of extra time).

The inspiration behind this audacious suggestion is the hunch that all too often penalties seem too harsh a meter with which to mete out punishment to the team having (a) fouled an opponent; (b) handballed  or (c) committed whatever other outrageous crime within the deisgnated area. We also considered the problem of the “penalty seekers” – those strikers or midfielders who float into the penalty box with the deliberate intent to obtain a penalty in their favour by hook or, as is more often the case, by crook.

As with all suggestions to change a century old way of thinking and applying the rules the J’accuse Penalty Rule will of course be as controversial a suggestion as any other but we urge you to look at this option as objectively as you can. Here goes.

Essentially the rule is as follows. Excepting for penalties in a penalty shoot out, any other penalty awarded in the course of a game and successfully converted does not automatically amount to a score goal. The team having converted a penalty will be awarded the goal if, and only if, the opposing team scores a subsequent goal.

Imagine Red United playing Blue City. The score is 0-0 when at the 15th minute, Oscar, the United attacker is brought to the ground by Hatchet, the City defender and the referee points to the spot. Puntov duly converts the penalty. At that point the score remains 0-0 and United are awarded a ghost goal that will only figure on the score sheet should City score a goal in the next seventy-five minutes of play.

So if for example City did score in the sixtieth minute then the score would automatically be 1-1. Even if the Reds had scored more goals in the meantime, let’s say two goals after the converted penalty and City score when Reds are 2-0 up then the score is transformed to 3-1.

This rule would transform the penalty into a defensive rather than attacking bonus in the sense that the team converting the first penalty has not automatically won the match with the penalty but obliges the other team to attack and cancel out the potential conversion.

In order to avoid the abuse of this rule by defences (fouling to keep the match at 0-0) then we could add that two converted penalties would amount to a score independently of whether the other team manages to score a goal in the interim. I.E. two ghost goals = one normal goal.

I know it sounds complicated but for starters it is far simpler than the offside rule and given the low-scoring nature of todays’ game it has an added incentive:

1) Penalties risk being less decisive on the end result – favouring in game goals.

2) The team conceding a penalty is statistically often the more defensive of the two. The rule obliges it to take on a more attacking mentality and avoid the consequences of the penalty.

What do you think?

Simply über alles

Posted on 04. Jul, 2010 by jacques in Sport

Were they not absolutely fantastic? When they trounced the hapless English team by four goals to one (almost to two) many were those who would have easily subscribed to the “even my vindaloo eating granny could do that” philosophy. In short we were prepared to concede that the merit of the four goal drubbing of the Three Lions had little to do with some kind of footballing superiority of the mannschaft and more to do with the absolute disregard to the notions of basic football exhibited by Postman Pat’s XI.

Here at J’accuse we had been viewing the battle between Good and Evil (it’s a matter of perspective) as a fight for the right to be soundly given a lesson in football by the princes of South American football (there can only be one king and he normally comes from Rio or Pernambuco).

Yet here we are today looking back in awe and disbelief as we contemplate the complete and utter capitulation of the mullet plagued team from the City of Good Winds. It must have been an ill wind that carried Bastian Schweinsteiger’s cross lightly but surely over the rudderless orphans of Javier Zanetti and Walter Samuel as the young Muller soared over the ill-organised ranks of the Argie excuse for a defence  and gave the ball a sufficient twist of momentum and direction to overcome any last ditch attempt from the pony-tailed guardian to keep it out of his nest. There would be more to follow as the young German team refused to be dazzled by the supposèd new kings of entertainment football.

The secret to German success turned out to be no secret at all. You could tell as the game unfolded that they were doing what they could do best – they kept it simple. They passed the ball when a pass was needed, crossed it right when the cross was begging and shot the ball into the net with a beguiling simplicity that left anyone watching the match absolutely gobsmacked. You could not believe it when Klose was busy somersaulting in the air much to the chagrin of  Lionel and Carlos. You rubbed your eyes in disbelief as Schweinsteiger and Lahm ran riddles round the albiceleste men. Like Uruguay before them these men had not read the script. And thank heavens for that.

You gotta love ze germans

For yes, in an ideal world the World Cup final should have been a matter between the two constellations of verdeoro and albiceleste with the supposedly cynical Europeans having packed their bags for home long ago. But that is the ideal world of press, precedent and hype that fails to take account of the truth of the game. The truth is that if it is in the game, it’s in the game. When the ball gets stroked around with such gusto and flair and with an ambition to prove oneself (as against believing that just wearing the yellow or blue and white shirt is enough) with every tackle, with every pressing and with every true ball. When the ball seems to join in the fun fluttering obeyingly from foot to foot to goal with the ease of an alphabet recited then there truly is the secret that opens the doors to the Olympian height of world cup victory.

We have a German team to thank for this revelation. For the truth that football is beyond words and hype and commercialism. It all boils down to the simple rules of the game that dictate that to win a match you have to score more than your opponents, pass the ball at the right time, cross it believing it will get to the feet of your attacker and slip it in with the calm and certainty that this is the most important kick of the ball in your life. Each and every one of them. Calmly executed, perfectly performed, world Class playing.

Simple above all.

Out and About

Posted on 02. Jul, 2010 by jacques in Sport

So the Selecao is out. It was a fifty fifty match but in the end the team with a stronger and deeper reserve of personality won. You would not believe that the Felipe Melo own goal brought the result to a draw. You could see it in the eyes of Snejder, Robben & Co. they could feel the victory coming. Melo, Cesar and Luisao began to practice the sad faces long before the game was jeopardised. In the end Brasil would go out to two set pieces, to their own inabilityy to continue believing that they could outclass the Oranje in the second half as they did in the first and to the crass imbecility and unprofessionalism of Juventus’ 25 million euro star – Felipe Melo. What was he thinking?

Soccer romantics would not mind the Netherlands going all the way now vindicating the near misses of Cruyff’s generation in’74 and ‘78. There’s a few underdogs to reckon with and as I type Africa’s dream and the historic champions face each other for the right to challenge Holland’s cynical XI. J’accuse will throw it’s full support behind the winner of tonights match – the sympathy ratings are high. As the iTV commentator said “a country takes on a continent”. One last comment (call it sour grapes if you like) but when did the Japanese ref plan to book Van Bommel? 4 cardable offences and kicks from behind went unnoticed. No prob. Next stop Brasil ‘2014 and I’m planning to watch that world cup in the host country.

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Seleção – updated

Posted on 28. Jun, 2010 by jacques in Sport

Insofar as support is concerned, this corner of the web has two hearts that beat blindly. One is coloured black and white and the other, more fanatic one, is coloured green and gold. We held back from commenting the early forays of the seleção especially since we rarely believe that the first three matches of a WC offer any verdict other than IN or OUT.

Dunga’s Brasil are light years away from offering the “jogo bonito” that he tough Brasilian supporters expect year in year out. I too have given up on really “watching Brasil play”. Instead we are regaled with fiammate of genius interspersed with solid, pragmatic displays that take the best of what football has to offer with a very pragmatic perspective. Dunga’s Brasil would take a 1-0 victory home any day but time and time again it has offered unexpected goleadas even when the usual suspects where not around.

Forget O Fabuloso and Robinho (who has a magnificent track record vs Chile – 5 games/6 goals) – the man to watch is Juventus’ Felipe Melo. It has become more and more evident that he is the metronome of the team. His presence as a dam infront of the defence allows Kaka and the forwards to weave their magic one-twos and bursts. Melo and Dunga are like man and God… the former has been formed in the shape of the latter and that is probably why the Brasil coach has so much faith in the much maligned Felipe Melo.

Melo plays with a swollen ankle tonight. He has been Brasil’s Dr Jekyll to Juve’s Mr Hyde. Juve fans watched him in desperation as they hoped he would justify his 25 million tag only to be disappointed time and time again. In the first few matches with the seleção he has become an insurmountable figure on which the goal machine falls back when the going gets tough (true there is the not too ignorable presence of Lucio and Juan behind him).

Will Melo & Co overcome Chile with the same ease as the last eight encounters against los Riojas? It remains to be seen. Brasil are normally at their most worrying when they enter a match that seems to be a foregone conclusion. Also it remains to be seen how many Brasililan feet will get kicked about by a desperate second choice Chilean defence. Fingers crossed and lets hope that the ghosts of 1950 and 1982 – when Brasil was meant to be the inevitable victor – do not return to haunt Dunga’s braves.

Go Brazil!

***
UPDATE

So they won. Melo did not play in the end but Ramires replaced him well enough. The early forays into Brasilian territory where not enough for Bielsa’s plucky XI and Brasil built their victory with bloks of European cynicism coupled with moments of individual flair and strokes of magic. Kaka is slowly filling in the shoes of unsung maestro of this team distributing the passes with nonchalant tempo.

Hats off to Chile though. Like the Americans before them, they had the neutrals thrilled with their pluckiness, their enthusiasm and their unwillingness to play to some unwritten script. Well done Chile and it really is a pity that the knock-out round had to come about at some point. We cross our fingers as we wait for the Oranje next Friday.

If you think it’s all over

Posted on 27. Jun, 2010 by jacques in Sport

Well. That’s a bit cliché really and I am not the kind of person to gloat over the losses of most teams (Argentina, Inter and Roma most years being the glaring exceptions) so this is not really intended as a sort of lemon-full post for Enger-land supporters. I could have easily bet a few quid on the three lions going all the way this year right before the world cup started.

The jerky knees they showed during the group round should have been enough to dampen any serious hopes for Capello’s troupe of WAG-less enthusiasts and although the press egged them on for the Germany match as though the freedom of Western Europe depended on it they would not have scared a toddler in a mad house. And so to this afternoon’s match. They played they were seriously ouwitted by the mainsschaft of youngsters and immigrant imports and they are on the next plane to London.

Two questions for the England fans:

1) It is rumoured that Capello promised the players a night with the WAGs should they overcome the Huns. How motivating can that be for all the team bar Terry ? I mean – letting the WAGs loose with Terry around – do you think the rest of the team would lock him in the cupboard till their better halves are back out of sight?

2) And now a more serious question. I am sure many of you are calling for the introduction of the Eagle Eye and Replay – replays during the match that would have pointed out to the referee that that rebound on the free kick was almost 50cm beyond the line. But if, unlike Blatter, you would like to review the game with hindsight what should stop us? What stops us from a “moralist” revision of past matches? Imagine this one – England’s non-goal today is allowed IF (and only IF) they accept that the 1966 goal was NOT a goal and the match is to be replayed. Would you accept that? Would you be willing to risk  relinquishing a world cup won on a phantom goal to be able to kick off both games (1966 & 2010) again at 2-2? Guess not.

Here’s a dedication to England football fans from their Scottish cousins.

Gufi on Record

Posted on 25. Jun, 2010 by jacques in Sport

Seeing how we have been taken to task on our objective reporting of superstitious elements we will set the record state. We will grant that Intercettati were Champions in 1938 before Mussolini’s XI lifted the cup. (Mussolini’s XI won both 1934 and 1938 so Inter and Juve get an ex aequo in the not too sporty pre-war editions).

1930 – Inter (3) – DNQ

1934 – Juventus (6) – Campione

1938 – Inter (4) – Campione

1950 – Juventus (8) – 1o turno (superga)

1954 – Inter (7) – 1° turno

1958 – Juventus (10 *) – DNQ

1962 – Milan (8) – 1° turno

1966 – Inter (10 *) – 1° turno

1970 – Cagliari (1) – Finalista

1974 – Lazio (1) – 1° turno

1978 – Juventus (18) – 4° posto

1982 – Juventus (20 **) – Campione

1986 – Juventus (22) – Ottavi

1990 – Napoli (2) – 3o posto

1994 – Milan (14) – Finalista

1998 – Juventus (25) – Quarti

2002 – Juventus (26) – Ottavi

2006 – Juventus (29) – Campione

2010 – Inter (17) – 1o turno

The Record.

With Juventus as champions (9 times) Italy performed as follows: 3 times winners, 1 time fourth place, 1 time quarter-finalist, 2 times eighth-finalist, 1 time exited first round, 1 time DNQ.

With Inter-cettati as champions (5 times) Italy performed thusly: 1 time winners, 3 times 1^st round exit, 1 time DNQ.

Other teams have too low a record to compare probabilities. The only other team who won more than one time before a WC is Milan and their record is still too low for probability: 2 times champions before WC and 1 time exit first round, 1 time finalist. A 50% chance of a good WC I’d say (or of a bad one if you saw it from the Intercettati point of view.

The facts are clear. Try as they might Intercettati will attempt to wriggle away the 2006 campionato claiming it as their own. While we still await the further developments on Moratti & il Defunto’s phonefest we will simply remind them that Italy’s 2006 world championship team was built on the team that won the campionato on the pitch. It is a glaring inconsistency to wave the flag for Italy singing Seven Nation Army one minute then claiming that that very same team would not easily have won the campionato without much help.

So back to the issue of objective reporting. First of all we never claim to be (objective). But even if for a second we tried to be so, the facts as shown above are obvious. With Juventus Champions 7 times out of 9 Italy obtained a decent result for a team of its stature. With Inter Champions that same nation got a decent result 1 time out of 5.

We said it once. We say it again.

Inter – Gufi d’Italia.

La realtà dei fatti è che quando la Juventus vinceva, la Nazionale volava. L’ultima volta, appunto, nel 2006. Oggi, che la Juventus ha fatto uno dei campionati peggiori di tutta la sua storia, la Nazionale esce quasi in silenzio, quasi dalla porta di servizio, quasi senza dignità. E forse il “quasi” andrebbe tolto.

I politici del calcio hanno voluto distruggere la Juventus e innalzare l’Inter a bandiera nazionale; l’Inter ha ripagato i politici del calcio perseverando nella sua politica esterofila, e abbandonando i suoi benefattori al loro destino. C’è della giustizia, in tutto questo; la Juventus non ha mai tradito l’Italia. Vinceva e proponeva blocchi vincenti. Però si sa che tutti i nodi, prima o poi, vengono al pettine, e oggi, con la questione Calciopoli 2, c’è la possibilità di ricostruire la storia, prima di svegliarsi un mattino e scoprirsi irrimediabilmente calvi.

Quella odierna, difatti, è solo l’ultima delle umiliazioni subite; quelle precedenti sono storia recente. Se dico “Blatter e la Coppa del Mondo 2006″, se dico “Europei 2016″, se dico “coppa del mondo restituita da un giocatore francese” penso che possa bastare.

source

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Inter – Gufi d’Italia

Posted on 24. Jun, 2010 by jacques in Sport

It’s the words we like so much at J’accuse (the Banana Republic)… “We told you so”. Do you remember this post way back on the 6th of May? We warned the superstitious among you that Italy might be in for a bad time. The only two previous world cup tournaments in which Italy walked out at the first hurdle were 1954 and 1966. The league winners in the pre-WC season? Internazionale FC (now known as Inter-cettati).

Four years ago Inter fans were among those celebrating the Campioni del Mondo charade at the same moment that the World Champion team were “relegated” to serie B. This year they celebrated their Champions league “triumph” and other victories they have enjoyed thanks to their having escaped the long arm of the law (until now). Somehow, somewhere there is a little bit of poetic justice. They hang on to the reputation of eternal losers and harbingers of bad luck for the national team. Italy is out of the World Cup in another Inter campionato year. Who knows… maybe Moratti will buy Vittek now.

This is the original 6th May post entitled Superstition:

If you’re an England supporter and ever so slightly superstitious then you should be rooting for Labour. The general election of March 1966 elected Harold Wilson’s Labour vindicating his early call in order to increase his then slender majority of seats. Four months later England’s football team would lift the world cup for the first and only time.

There’s all sorts of superstitions or quirks related to elections. One has to do with rain. Apparently Labour voters are supposed to be more likely deterred by bad weather – though this theory has been rubbished in practice.

For Italy supporters there’s another interesting coincidence. Three times out of four the team winning the campionato before an Italy world cup success has been Juventus: 1934, 1982, 2006. The odd one out has been Bologna (1938). Inter won a pre-WC league in 1954 and 1966. In 1954 Italy were eliminated in the first round by Switzerland (4-1 in playoff). In 1966 they also failed to pass the first round hurdle when they were eliminated by the memorable Pak Doo Ik goal (North Korea).

I’d hate to be an Italy supporter this year!

Image by rofanator via Flickr

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Proper Priorities

Posted on 09. Jun, 2010 by jacques in Sport

Joseph might still be trying to get Dolores to resign, Tonio might have woken up and sniffed the coffee regarding VAT and vehicles but hey there is only one country that gets its priorities right. They may form part of the world economic slump and many financial eyes may be pointed at developments in their electoral back yard but hey the nation of the pentacampeon cannot really be so bothered with this political and economic nonsense.

J’accuse’s man in Brasil reports the following news from Brasilia:

Comunque qui sono tutti impazziti per la Coppa. Ad esempio:
1-Banche e uffici pubblici resteranno CHIUSI nei giorni delle partite del Brasile
2-I produttori di birra sono in crisi; non riescono a trovare abbastanza lattine e bottiglie per soddisfare la domanda dei torceadores brasileiros
3-Hanno montato un palco di mezzo chilometro sulla spiaggia di Copacabana
4-La campagna elettorale é sospesa fino al giorno della finale

That translates basically to: (1) shops close on the day of Brasil’s matches (and presumably no €700 payment to open); (2) the most worrying crisis at thsi time is the beer shortage; (3) Copacabana will be the place to dance samba in June (nothing changes there) and finally (4) NO ELECTION CAMPAIGN TILL AFTER THE FINAL. This is the country whose greatest depression was NOT economically related. It was that damnèd day back in 1950 where Varela’s Uruguay sent a whole nation in mourning.

With values like these I’d love to be able to cry out: Eu também sou brasileiro!
(two brazil drink ads: Skol & Guarana Antartica)

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Inter-cettati : Ridimensionati (Liar, Liar)

Posted on 25. May, 2010 by jacques in Sport

Il processo Calciopoli 2 continua oggi. Mancini ridimensiona le sue allegazioni del 2006… toh ne esce fuori un bel niente. Si continua però a scoprire i rapporti stretti di Giacintone con le terne arbitrali. Celebrate anche questa? All-night a Milano forse? Ma fateci il piacere. Vigliacchi e imbroglioni – questo si che è un record!

Calciopoli, Mancini ridimensiona le accuse del 2006

È durata poco più di 10 minuti l’attesa deposizione di Rioberto Mancini al processo di Napoli, anche perché gli avvocati della difesa hanno rinunciato a porgli domande. Con l’allenatore del Manchester City ed ex allenatore dell’Inter ha interloquito invece il pm Capuano, che si è soffermato anche sull’ormai celebre telefonata tra Facchetti e Bergamo, per ironia della sorte scovata dai difensori, segno che ormai anche l’accusa si avvale del lavoro della controparte.

Ma sono state soprattutto le proteste per i presunti torti arbitrali quando era alla guida dell’Inter in alcune partite del campionato 2004-2005 l’argomento al centro della deposizione. In particolare, Mancini si è soffermato su Roma-Inter arbitrata da Rosetti e finita 3-3. «Io spesso ho avuto episodi di liti con arbitri – ha detto fra l’altro Mancini – ma a fine gara, presi dalla foga, se ne dicono tante. Nella foga della partita a Rosetti ho detto “pagherete tutto, tu e i tuoi amici di Torino” e alludevo a Moggi, perché pensavo che, essendo lui (Rosetti, ndr) di Torino, avesse a che fare con quelli della sua città. Ma non so niente di particolare a riguardo. Ho fatto un collegamento facile perché pensavo fossero amici. Conosco Moggi da sempre, ma nello specifico il collegamento con Rosetti era dovuto al fatto che l’arbitro è di Torino». Una delle accuse più pesanti rivolte da Mancini a Moggi nel maggio 2006 era quella di avere più volte visto il dg della Juventus negli spogliatoi degli arbitri.

Ora il tecnico jesino fornisce una versione più morbida: «Ho visto Moggi più di una volta nello spogliatoio degli arbitri, ma quiesta era una prassi anche di altri dirigenti di società. Era una cosa che capitava. Magari negli altri casi si poteva trattare di dirigenti addetti agli arbitri, ma non so fornire il nome degli altri dirigenti che mi è capitato di vedere nella mia carriera».

Altro match preso in esame dal pm, la finale di Supercoppa italiana Inter-Juve. In quell’occasione, disse Mancini quattro anni fa, Moggi scese quasi in campo, posizionandosi tra le due panchine durante i supplementari. Adesso il tecnico marchigiano specifica meglio: «Di sicuro era fuori dal terreno di gioco. Ricordo che è successo in quella occasione, non so se è successo in altre, non venne allontanato dall’arbitro». Il pm Capuano a questo punto contesta a Mancini la diversa versione fornita nel 2006: «Lei aveva detto di ricordarlo in altre circostanze. E poi aveva anche detto di non avere mai visto altri dirigenti entrare negli spogliatoi degli arbitri».

Alla fine il pm pone un’altra domanda: «Ricorda di problemi con Bertini su Inter-Perugia? (in realtà si trattava di Perugia-Inter 4-1 con un gol segnato da Rapajc di mano, ndr)». Mancini questa volta proprio non può rispondere, perché all’epoca dei fatti era impegnato altrove: «Non ero l’allenatore dell’Inter in quella stagione e non ricordo comunque problemi particolari con Bertini». Eppure dalle telefonate Bergamo-Facchetti e Bergamo-Bertini, pubblicate in questi giorni, i lamentii per le designazioni dell’arbitro aretino da parte interista sono sotto gli occhi di tutti.

LA TELEFONATA – La sera del 12 maggio 2005, al termine della partita Cagliari-Inter (1­1), l’arbitro Paolo Bertini chiama il designatore Paolo Bergamo per lamentarsi delle pressioni di Giacinto Facchetti prima dell’inizio dell’incontro. «Sa, questa è la tredicesima partita, eh? – dice all’arbitro negli spogliatoi il presidente dell’Inter -. Per ora siamo in perfetta parità: quattro perse, quattro vinte e quattro pareggiate. Eh, sa, per l’Inter non è che sia un grande score». «Non è stato piacevole – commenta Bertini con Bergamo -. A volte è imbarazzante una premessa del genere». Si discute del mani fuori area di Carini, portiere interista, poi si va sulla visita di Facchetti a Bertini, evidentemente all’oscuro del tema della telefonata Bergamo­Facchetti sul 4-4-4 (ma Bergamo faceva così: la dava calda a molti, forse a tutti).

L’INTERCETTAZIONE
BERGAMO- Pronto?
BERTINI – Sei a letto, Paolo eh?
BERGAMO – No, se. Allora?
BERTINI – Com’è andata, che mi dici?
BERGAMO – Mah, ho visto l’ultima mezz’ora perché m’avevano avvertito di questo fallo di mano che. No, non è mica espulsione comunque.
BERTINI – Quella non è espulsione.
BERGAMO- No, non è mica una chiara occasione da rete.
BERTINI – Ma poi si può fare una disposizione di carattere tecnico su tutto ma non c’ha? Forse la mancata percezione di dove fosse come posizione ma non può essere ritenuta una occasione di?
BERGAMO- No, assolutamente.
BERTINI – È stato quello l’unica cosa.
BERGAMO- Protestavano un po’ quelli dell’Inter, so’ un po’ insofferenti, quando?
BERTINI – Eh, me ne so’ accorto. È stata una remata dal primo minuto, poi, eh? Non capisco, non capisco perché. Tra l’altro c’è stato Facchetti a inizio partita, è venuto dentro lo spogliatoio a salutare con quel fare di sempre. “Ah, sa questa è la tredicesima partita, eh? Per ora siamo in perfetta parità: quattro perse, quattro vinte e quattro pareggiate. Eh, sa, per l’Inter non è che sia un grande score”, ha detto. Quindi l’abbiamo preparata in questo modo la partita.
BERGAMO- Mh, mh.
BERTINI- Eh, non è stato piacevole, non è stato piacevole.
BERGAMO – E bisogna che ci parli, sì. (incomprensibile) .più tranquillo in campo. C’avevo già parlato, gliel’avevo già detto, ma questo non capisce un cazzo.
BERTINI – No, ma ho l’impressione. non so nemmeno l’interlocuzione più giusta quale possa essere perché questa veramente… A volte è imbarazzante. Una premessa del genere. Ci siamo guardati tutti, ci siamo guardati tutti prima della partita.
BERGAMO – Ascoltami, quando avrai buttato giù con me, dopo chiama Gigi (probabilmente Pairetto, ndr) che si è accorto che m’hai chiamato.
BERTINI – Dici? Sì, sì certo.
BERGAMO- Capiscimi.
BERTINI – E quindi, niente, insomma, questa situazione te l’ho detta appunto.
BERGAMO – Grazie, comunque la partita, a parte il clima.
BERTINI – Al di là di questo, insomma la partita è poi andata bene.
BERGAMO- Per quella parte lì che ti diceva, ti ci penso io, dai…
BERTINI – Sì, perché tra l’altro non ha neanche senso. Non mi sembra di avere fatto. Anzi, anzi. Vabbuò.
BERGAMO- Buonanotte, ci sentiamo.
BERTINI – Ci sentiamo domani, va.
BERGAMO- Vabbè grazie, ciao.
BERTINI – Ciao.

Afine gara il presidente Cellino dirà: «Si vede che devono far vincere qualcosa all’Inter. A questo punto non so se serva andare a San Siro la prossima settimana».