La 39esima partita

Sfidando i confini geografici e temporali, la Premier League, campionato inglese, prepara un'idea folle nella sua razionalità.

The 39th game, la partita extra, fuori dal calendario convenzionale e da giocare all'estero. Una sorta di incontro-esibizione da mettere in scena al Giants Stadium di New York, dentro l'immenso Bung Karno di Giakarta o dovunque nel mondo ci siano appassionati di calcio. Tutto pagato profumatamente dagli sponsor, of course, e con buona pace del tifoso domestico.

La proposta, avanzata nel 2008 dal direttore esecutivo della Premier Richard Scudemore e messa prudentemente nel cassetto (Platini la bollò come 'ridicola', salvo poi pochi anni dopo avanzare lui stesso la proposta dell'Europeo di calcio 'itinerante' in 13 paesi diversi), si sta riaffacciando prepotentemente questa estate.

Già perché secondo i piani espansionistici, e fortemente lucrativi, della Premier questo sarebbe dovuto essere l'anno per lanciare ufficialmente la partita extra di un calendario già fittissimo d'impegni. Da giocare in un weekend di Gennaio 2014 in cinque città diverse, dal Nord America all'Asia, senza sovrapposizioni di orari per accontentare non tanto lo spettatore, ma il tele-spettatore e gli investitori stranieri.

I britannici, inventori di questo sport e così attaccati alle tradizioni, sdoganerebbero così anche l'ultima delle consuetudini legate ad un campionato di calcio, cioè che ogni squadra affronti i propri i rivali due volte nel giro di un anno.

Da convincere restano i dirigenti della FA (Football Association) riluttanti a questa commercializzazione estrema del prodotto calcio. Innovazione e investimenti contro tradizione e attenzione al tifoso.

Un contrasto che un paio di stagioni fa si è tradotto in scontro aperto quanto proprio i massimi dirigenti della Premier League non dettero un appoggio incondizionato alla candidatura dell'Inghilterra per ospitare i Mondiali del 2018, che vennero assegnati alla Russia. La materia del contendere si sospetta sia stata proprio il mancato accordo sulla fatidica partita numero 39.

Conti alla mano il movimento calcistico inglese ha scoperto che per competere con la concorrenza tedesca, spagnola e dei 'nuovi ricchi' francesi, rappresentati dal PSG e dal Monaco, bisogna puntare sul mercato extra europeo.

La vendita fuori dai confini Europei dei diritti Tv fino al 2016 frutterà circa 5 miliardi di sterline contribuendo a rafforzare il predominio economico dei club inglesi, che, secondo la ultima indagine pubblicata da Deloitte, nel 2012 sono risultati i più ricchi del pianeta, con un profitto di circa 2,36 miliardi di sterline.

E se è vero che in questa estate già 12 delle 20 squadre che parteciperanno al prossimo campionato sono in tour in diverse parti del mondo (il Manchester United tra Thailandia, Australia e Giappone, il Tottenham è negli Stati Uniti mentre Mourinho e il Chelsea gireranno e giocheranno in Malesia e Indonesia) l'idea del 39th game è stata rilanciata con forza.

Supportata anche dai bagni di folla che accolgono le stelle e persino i comprimari delle squadre inglesi. In Asia è vera Premier League mania, tanto che un quindicenne di Saigon tifoso del Arsenal ha inseguito il bus dei suoi campioni preferiti per circa 15 minuti, non riuscendo a trattenere l'emozione per il fatto che i Gunners saranno la prima squadra inglese nella storia a giocare una partita in Vietnam questo weekend.

Il calcio inglese spopola già da tempo a migliaia di chilometri di distanza da dove è nato.


Per la soddisfazione dei club che si vedono corrisposti contratti di sponsor onerosi e per buona pace dei tifosi britannici, ormai abituati a sincronizzare gli orologi sul fuso orario di Tokyo per seguire le amichevoli dei propri idoli.

Presto, per la stagione 2013-2014 non se ne fa nulla perché i calendari sono già usciti ma la prossima chissà, però potrebbero dover farlo anche per una giornata ufficiale della Premier League.

Accontentandosi di andare allo stadio, sempre che possano permettersi il biglietto, il cui prezzo ha raggiunto lo scorso anno vette esorbitanti (62 sterline era il prezzo minimo per assistere ad un Arsenal - Manchester City), per le 'altre' 38 partite.

Laddove ci sono i soldi non c'è tradizione che tenga. Gli inglesi sono (diventati) maestri anche in questo.


Per saperne di più: 
1. Deloitte Annual Review of Football Finance (2013)
2. The 39th Game: Premier League plays at imperialism (libro del 2008)

Giaccherini, the finest factotum for the Premier League

Good wine come in small packages. No other popular saying could suit more Emanuele Giaccherini, the 28 years old italian international who is reported to be signing for Sunderland in the next hours.

If the Black Cats will complete the deal paying Juventus around £7M they could make of the mini Giaccherini (hes is just 1.67 cm tall) one the icon of the future Premier League.

Not only for his small stature, which by the way is not a weakness in a footballer (Maradona was not a giant), but for his extreme adaptability and spirit of sacrifice, Emanuele Giaccherini could really be a great deal for Paolo Di Canio's squad.


The italian manager must have been following Giaccherini since long time and the recent good performances he put on at the Confederations Cup (where he scored against Brazil, set up Italy's equalizer against Japan and hit the post against Spain during the extra time) can only have confirmed the quality of this player, whose perhaps most striking peculiarity is to not have a preferred role. Because he can play in many positions, always delivering solid and full of sacrifice performances.

In 2010, at the beginning of his career in Serie A with the nearly promoted Cesena, Giaccherini played as right winger in an attacking 4-3-3 where his runs and attacking attitude were instrumental to achieve the team's historic salvation, to whom Giaccherini contributed with 7 goals and 4 assists.

His skills attraced the interest of Juventus who was then chasing an italian title missing from the Calciopoli scandal dated 2006. Antonio Conte, Bianconeri's manager, saw in Giaccherini the prototipe of a player who will give it all for the cause either in training or during the match and made him, amongst others, the icon of his working (and football) philosophy.

So in the summer of 2011 the club from Turin paied €3M, on co-ownership with Cesena, for Giaccherini (the Bianconeri will pay the remaining 4.25€ the following year) who under Conte started his pilgrimage in different position on the field, playing on both flanks on a 4-4-2, as a wing back of a 5 men midfield or even behind the striker as a 'false 10'.


In less then six months Giaccherini became a real factotum learning how to sacrifice himself for the team's sake. Something very rare indeed for a top side player. His scoring ratio drastically declined (only 4 goals in 40 apperances) but he earned his coach confidence who praised his strong temperament without forgetting of his qualities with the ball.

'If his name would be Giaccherinho he'd be considered much more', said Conte hinting at the great (and sometimes undeserved) attention given to foreign stars playing in Serie A.

After two consecutive league titles won with Juventus it did not took long for Giaccherini to get some international recognition as he regularly featured for the national team under Cesare Prandelli who called him for the European Champions and recently for the Confederations Cup.

In Brazil Giaccherini has been one of the most in form amongst the Azzurri confirming his quality but mainly his tactic usefulness and finally muting even some of his most tenacious critics.

'Giaccherini can't change a match', 'He's not a winger, he's not a striker either...where does he play?', 'he's too short, and he's not a top player' (a very used form for many this last one), are some of the negative comments you could have heard about Giaccherini just some weeks ago.

But Sunderland interest in him can only confirm two things. Firstly the value of this 28 years old player, and, the fact that nowadays is almost impossible for any italian club to keep not only its best players (like Cavani or Ibrahimovic) but any player at all.

The times where Serie A could afford any player in the planet are far away, everybody knows it. Nowadays a middle table club of the Premier League can buy an italian international from a twice time domestic champion like Juventus just like they are shopping in the lower leagues.

Money rules and despite Antonio Conte's disappointment ('I'm really sorry I have to lose him', he said in his first press conference this year), the £7M Sunderland will pay for Giaccherini are vital to help Juventus's finances after the signings of Carlos Tevez (£10M) and Angelo Ogbonna (£12.5M paid to Torino).

However good news are coming for Sunderland supporters as Giaccherini will add spark, talent and spirit of sacrifice to a team that lacked all of those elements during the last disastrous and turbolent season.

And the Premier League could have found another very own icon in this small, flexible and talented factotum.

Gomez, Serie A beating the competition at last

Gomez won 3 Geman League and 1 CL with Bayern

Mario Gomez recent signing made by Fiorentina has restored amongst Italy's football fans a sensation that seemed to be lost in time. A Serie A club had evenutally signed a player that other big european sides would have very much liked to buy. In other words, to use a very common (and perhaps abused) tag, this summer La Viola has bought a top player.

It is hard to deny that Gomez, recently crowned champion of Europe with Bayern, would not feature in any of the teams that made into the last eight of the Champions League this year. Not only for his scoring skills (he netted 75 times in his 125 appearances with Bayern, plus other 27 goals with the German national teams at all levels) but most importanly for his ability to create spaces for the team mates using his technique and physical strenght.

But yet Gomez was not going to find space under the new project lead by Pep Guardiola, who (after the bad experience he had with Ibrahimovic in 2010 at Barcelona) relies almost undoubtley on quicker and pacier forwards.
Gomez choice to join Fiorentina might raise more than one observers' eyebrows. Why such a top striker would be intrigued by the offer of a club that won't play in the next Champions League after missing the 3rd spot for just two points in AC Milan favour? As a matter of fact Fiorentina is not a title contender in Serie A and it is probably set to lose one (or maybe both) of its rising stars: Stevan Jovetic and Adem Ljajic.

Vincenzo Monella coached Roma, Catania and Fiorentina

However, as it has been unanimously recognised, Fiorentina has proposed the most attractive football of the entire Serie A last year, thanks to the input of the young coach Vincenzo Montella (former Roma striker) who sets his teams on an attacking minded 4-3-3 with great attention given to the possession and the movements without the ball. 
As a result, Fiorentina has been the second best attack of last year's Serie A (72 goals scored, just one less than Napoli) and, under this perspective, represents an ideal destination for a striker who makes the most in a team that can create many clear chances during a game.

Playing against organised defences, as only the Italian teams can build, and having to fight for a place in the next Champions could only benefit Gomez's development and make him stronger for the 2014 WC in Brasil.

Moreover Mario Gomez signing (20 millions euro) restores enthusiasm in a very passionate fan base like the Fiorentina one that dreams the big german guy will follow the trajectory of two of the greatest strikers who wore the purple shirt in the past : Gabriel Batistuta and Luca Toni.

Perhaps it is still early to say but for sure, with or withour Jovetic in this case, Serie A has found a new protagonist and a team that is willing to confirm itself, aiming for quality and entertaining football.