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Confident Italians upset with early exit
Posted: Saturday September 19, 1998 04:33 PM
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Baggio (left) had his chances, but was unable to produce the big goal when Italy needed it the most Stu Forster/Allsport |
PARIS (CNN/SI) -- The Italian team returns home upset with its
performance and a little lighter in the wallet. The soccer power had
been to the semifinals three times since 1982, so Italy's players
negotiated their World Cup bonus money contingent on them reaching that
round. Alas, no semifinals, no money. Italy's quarterfinal
elimination on penalties to France not only
left the Azzurri stunned, but disappointed the millions of fans who look
forward every quadrennium to their nation's chance to win the title and
prove that their domestic league is the best in the world.
More than that, Italy's elimination came at the end of an overly defensive
match, a game in which tournament co-leading scorer Christian Vieri and
orwards Alessandro Del Piero and Roberto Baggio rarely threatened French
keeper Fabien Barthez's net. The blame was quick to be doled
out. Coach Cesare Maldini, rated the most popular man in Italy
following the second-round victory against Norway, was
bitterly criticized as the champion of old-fashioned soccer, mostly
intended to destroy the opponents' play without creating offense.
Maldini defended himself saying he fielded the best team available,
representing a league by now dominated by the presence of foreign players
in key midfield roles -- Italy's weakest element in France.
The rotation between Del Piero and Baggio, initially considered the best
possible solution to the questionable form of the younger star, did not
work in the quarterfinals with both players failing to produce the winning
spark. Del Piero, dubbed as the potential star after he scored
10 goals with Juventus in the European Champions League and 21 more in
Italian first-division matches this year, was the biggest disappointment.
After being hampered in his preparation by a thigh strain
suffered before traveling to France, Del Piero never produced for Maldini,
who placed him among the starting 11 in four matches instead of Baggio.
Having placed his faith in the youngster, Maldini was expected
to pay for the "brutta figura" suffered on French soil, although it came
without a loss. His contract with the Italian federation
expires on December 31, and its seems unlikely he would be granted a new
one with some already suggesting possible successors, including former AC
Milan and Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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