Fàbregas happy to answer country’s call
June 24, 2008 at 9:27 am | In Spain | Leave a CommentTags: Arsene Wenger, Catalan, Cesc Fabregas, Gianluigi Buffon, Luis Aragones, Spain
As Cesc Fàbregas walked up to face Gianluigi Buffon – and strike the penalty that would put Spain into their first senior semi-final for 24 years – what was running through his head was the fact he had not taken a proper spot-kick since he was 15.
Mental obstacle
If only Buffon had known. Eventually the ball went one way and Italy’s goalkeeper the other. Spain had defeated the world champions and rid themselves of many of their notorious mental obstacles to success. But that was not the whole story, not by a long way. Firstly, the midfielder almost missed. “It’s true this was the first senior competitive penalty of my career,” he grinned. “But when I practise, I have a tendency to put it to the keeper’s left. However, this time, and I don’t know why, I just hesitated a split-second longer than usual before pulling the trigger and I sensed Buffon moving to his left. I changed my mind, struck it to his right and the fact he’d just moved, momentarily, did the job. I just wanted to score, to finish them off. Life sometimes presents you with the challenge of your country needing you and that was mine.”
Chiellini wary of French firepower
June 16, 2008 at 8:11 pm | In Italy | Leave a CommentTags: Adrian Mutu, Franck Ribery, Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini, Italy, Roberto Donadoni, Thierry Henry
After overcoming “high emotions” when making his UEFA European Championship debut against Romania on Friday, Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini is preparing for another stiff challenge, in the form of France danger men Franck Ribéry and Thierry Henry.
Promising pair
Chiellini was given his first taste of action in a major senior tournament when he was drafted into Roberto Donadoni’s Azzurri lineup for the 1-1 draw against Romania on Friday. One of five changes to the side which lost 3-0 against the Netherlands, Chiellini confessed the tension was high before the match at the Letzigrund Stadion in Zurich, but he forged a promising partnership in central defence alongside Christian Panucci, for whom he even set up the equalising goal. “Before the match I felt very emotional to be playing but then when I got on the pitch I just tried to concentrate on the match,” Chiellini said. “However, there’s no doubt the emotions were high. It takes a little while to get to know one another [in a new partnership] but Christian and I both went out of our way to help each other out and in the end it went pretty well for us.”
Del Piero relishes added responsibility
June 13, 2008 at 11:51 pm | In Italy | Leave a CommentTags: Alessandro Del Piero, Gianluigi Buffon, Italy, Roberto Donadoni
A veil of secrecy hung over the Italy camp on Thursday evening as they prepared for their crucial Group C tie with Romania at the Letzigrund Stadion.
Great form
Roberto Donadoni spoke of making major changes to the side that had lost 3-0 to the Netherlands on Monday, but was giving little away as he fielded questions from the massed ranks of Italian journalists. All he would confirm was that Giorgio Chiellini would start in defence and that Alessandro Del Piero would indeed be captaining the side. Del Piero’s inclusion has been an open secret since he brought Italy to life after coming on as a substitute against the Netherlands. He showed enough to keep his place in the side and now Italy’s most-capped player, with 87 appearances, will take over from goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon as skipper. It is a remarkable turnaround for a player who was only on the fringe of coach Donadoni’s plans at the turn of the year, but whose superb form since for Juventus has forced the Azzurri coach’s hand.
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