Profile: Waiting for Pinturicchio
Sunday 18th February 2001
On March 20, 1994, Juventus met Parma in Serie A at the Stadio Delle Alpi.
The home fans were far from confident. Parma, the Cup Winners' Cup-holders,
were level on points with them and in form, while Juve were without their
talisman Roberto Baggio.
In his place, coach Marcello Lippi opted for Alessandro del Piero. True, he
had scored the previous week against Genoa, but he was only 19, short, and
had only recently signed from Padova, where he managed just one goal in 14
outings.
What followed was astonishing. Del Piero gave a masterclass in playing off a
front man, darting and buzzing around defenders, creating chances and, most
gloriously, scoring goals.
When he made it 4-0 with three minutes remaining, Del Piero completed his
hat-trick. Suddenly, he wasn't just a Juve reserve, he was the future of
Italian football, the man who would, probably sooner rather than later, step
into Baggio's boots for both Juve and the Azzurri.
That was the day when the Del Piero legend was born and, for four years, he
lived up to the hype. On Sunday, the hype returned.
At the end of one of the hardest weeks in his career - it began with the
death of his 61-year-old father from cancer - Del Piero came off the bench
against Bari to score his second goal in two games to keep alive Juve's
title hopes. And the goal may well be a turning point in his career.
Del Piero has had a hard time with injuries over the last two years and,
this season, he has struggled to win a regular place in Ancelotti's first
team. But last week's goal against Napoli, and this latest contribution,
will have gone a long way to staking a claim for a more prominent role in
his manager's plans.
"He scored a decisive goal," admitted Ancelotti. "Not just for Juventus but
also for himself. It shouldn't be said that with this goal Del Piero has
re-emerged, because we already knew he was re-emerging last year when he
came back after his injury.
"His goal against Bari was certainly a great goal, and vital for Juve - but,
above all, decisive for himself. It's Alessandro's second consecutive goal
and long may it continue. We will see whether he will be on the bench again
next week."
Del Piero said: "I'm happy with this goal as it shows that I'm in good form.
The goal obviously came in a particularly difficult week for me. I also read
what our supporters wrote to me. As for my goal, I think the Bari players
were waiting for a cross, but I never thought of doing that. I ran to the
goal-line and I'm happy.
"And now we have to think about the Scudetto. That's all. Next Sunday night
we will meet Milan and we have to be focused. I still believe we can win the
Scudetto."
The season after his explosive debut, Del Piero made a solid, if
unspectacular start to the campaign. But as Christmas approached, Juventus
were beginning to wobble.
At home to Fiorentina, Juve fell two behind before half-time. With league
leaders Parma facing lowly Brescia, things looked bleak indeed. Gianluca
Vialli pulled one back on 73 minutes, and three minutes later he levelled
the match.
And then, three minutes from time, Del Piero scored a goal that will never
be forgotten by those who saw it. As a long ball dropped at the edge of the
box, it seemed he would have to bring it down. With defenders approaching,
though, Del Piero casually lobbed a volley over the keeper and in.
The next week, he scored twice in a 4-3 victory, Parma drew, and Juve went
top. Juventus won the title by ten clear points. Further Scudetti followed
in 1997 and 1998.
And Del Piero was just as influential in Europe, helping the Bianconeri to
three successive Champions' League finals between 1996 and 1998, becoming
the all-time leading scorer in the competition.
That 1997-98 season, Del Piero's form was extraordinary. In 32 games he
bagged 21 goals and earned the nickname Pinturicchio, after the Renaissance
painter noted for his delicate frescoes.
He was an iconic figure, an emblem of the creative verve that Italians felt
had been missing from the national team for too long. And he was only 23.
Then, on November 8, the day before his 24th birthday, Del Piero injured his
knee in an away game at Udinese.
He returned, but the magic had gone. In the 1999-2000 season, Del Piero only
managed three goals from open play, and his place as the inventive focus of
the national side was taken by Francesco Totti.
When Del Piero scored against Sweden in Euro 2000, it was his first goal
from open play for the national side for almost two years. Of course, people
realised it would take time for him to regain his earlier form, but just how
long would it be?
The fans began to turn against their former hero. When Italy only drew 2-2
in a World Cup qualifier in Hungary, Del Piero was held widely responsible.
National coach Giovanni Trapattoni seemed to spend every training session
defending Del Piero, explaining he would be back to his best given time.
So long has everyone been waiting for the old Del Piero, that Juventus owner
Gianni Agnelli began to refer to him as 'Godot'.
Vladimir and Estragon, of course, kept waiting, maintaining their vigil by
the roadside for a Godot who never arrived. We've waited a long time for
Pinturicchio, but it seems that, finally, he might be here.
