by Luca Caioli
1. Mistake: Pekerman simply got it wrong. He misinterpreted the game, he made a hurried decision and he made the change when he should not have done so.
2. Mystery: Only the manager will ever know the truth and it will go down in Argentine footballing history as one of its many secrets, like Rattín’s sending off in England in ’66, Maradona’s drug-taking in the United States in ’94, or the red card against Ortega in France in ’98.
3. Bad advice: Pekerman let himself be influenced by the heavyweights in the dressing room, who were annoyed by Messi dominating the media spotlight. In other words, Messi says he wants to play and this irritates team leaders like Juan Román Riquelme and the captain, Fabián Ayala, who ensure their feelings do not go unnoticed and call him to order at a press conference. They are the ones who convince the coach to leave Messi out of the starting eleven.
4. Etiquette and values: Pekerman could not erase or ignore etiquette, values and players who had earned their right to be on the pitch over many years.
Whatever happens, no one will ever know which of these theories is correct. José Pekerman remains silent and does not revisit the subject. A year later, in an interview with sports magazine Marca, when they ask: ‘What happened with Messi? Wasn’t there some sort of dispute over him?’ he replies: ‘I am proud of him and I was the one who included him in the Under 20 team when no one knew who he was. In Argentina the problem is that we have so much faith that just a little bit of Messi gets us very excitable. And people were expecting Messi to be the great Maradona of this World Cup. And he was just taking his first steps with Argentina, a great team. I hope this experience will serve him well in the future.’
And Leo Messi? He also stays silent on the topic. That night in Berlin he is one of the few who does not appear before the cameras and microphones. It is not only due to his disappointment over being knocked out of the tournament, but also because he is angry at what some of the press are saying about his behaviour during the penalty shoot-out. ‘They said things like that I didn’t care if we went out – which could not be further from the truth. If anyone had been inside the dressing room,’ he confesses in an interview with Mundo Deportivo five days later, ‘they would have realised what I was feeling at that moment.’ He will not be drawn on the issue of Pekerman giving him so little in the way of opportunities. ‘He decided that was the way it was going to be … He did it that way because it had been working. Players like Saviola and Crespo had been doing really well, and that’s that.’
That’s that. Time to turn the page.
Chapter 24
Positive discrimination
Conversation with Jorge Valdano
When he is asked how he wants to be introduced, he replies, ‘ex-footballer’. This despite the fact that he was the Real Madrid general director; and aside from winning one world championship in an Argentine shirt, he has been many other things in his lifetime: coach, sporting director, writer, commentator. Words are without a doubt among his best weaponry; metaphor is his indispensable tool; he considers analysis a pleasure.
Let’s talk about Messi, a footballer who started out at Newell’s, like you. Let’s begin at the 2006 World Cup. An entire nation had pinned their hopes on him and instead he didn’t even set foot on the pitch in the decisive match. Why?
‘Pekerman is a man who knows talent when he sees it and he has never kept it hidden away. We can try to imagine that there was some problem we don’t know about, probably a physical issue. Maybe he wasn’t at his peak. That said, I’m with those who thought it was a shame that Argentina collapsed without Messi. In the last match many things happened: Abbondanzieri was injured, Riquelme got tired, Argentina were 1-0 up – all factors that penalised Messi. The match seemed under control. Germany were not getting anywhere, but the truth is that in their desperation to equalise Messi could have taken advantage of the opposition’s disorder to score another goal. But these are all speculations, I prefer to deduce that Pekerman’s thoughts are worth more than mine because he was dealing with the facts on the ground.’
And while we’re on the topic, there has been much talk about Messi’s youth, his maturity, the etiquette of Argentine football and the dressing room …
‘Maradona played in his first World Cup when he was 21 and it was not a happy experience. He was not entirely mature enough yet. With Messi there was positive discrimination: we were thinking that if he had played he would have turned the match around …’
Now that we have dealt with that topic, let’s talk about Messi and Maradona.
‘Maradona’s game was more nuanced. Diego could finish but he could also be the strategist. Messi is more intense than that. With his assets, his physical, mental and technical speed, he is always tempted to go for the goal. Diego sometimes used to put his foot on the accelerator, whereas Messi lives with the pedal to the floor. It’s a youthful sin. As Menotti used to say, he needs to learn to be Joe Bloggs, a “Jack of all trades”. He can’t always be Messi, because if you’re continually explosive then the opposition will have their guard up constantly and it’s more difficult to surprise them. Their similarities? The same thing happens with Leo that used to happen with Maradona, he’s an individual who carries such weight that he can manage without the team. He’s not like Zidane or Platini, who need the team around them in order to display their collective intelligence. Messi needs his teammates to pass him the ball, after that he does the rest on his own. Their differences? Physicality. Diego came to Napoli eight kilos heavier and he was still a decisive influence. Messi’s game requires him to be explosive, so it is imperative he stays in perfect shape. Look at the injuries he has sustained: it seems like his muscles break him because of the amount they require of him.’
What do you think of Messi today?
‘He has matured. He has a natural ability to deal with the competition. He gives the impression of being happy whenever he has the ball at his feet – he is not conditioned by context, nor by the expectation he has generated. And that is the mark of a great player, not getting stage fright. At the crossroads of his career, where you can really measure the limits of his personality, he has given us some astounding performances. We’re dealing with someone who plays incredibly attractive football, and who, even with three men marking him, with his back to the goal and hemmed in at the corner flag, can be dangerous.’
What will his future hold?
‘I would have liked to have had his future … he has every reason to become the first great player of the twenty-first century. The twentieth century was carved out by Pelé, Maradona, Cruyff, Di Stéfano. He could dominate this decade, along with Cristiano Ronaldo. He’s in the best possible position. Mother Nature has given him all the tools he needs. Now, he must take charge of that talent. He has an advantage: he looks at himself with a certain sense of distance. In addition, the off-pitch Leo doesn’t make the headlines – that only happens when the ball is at his feet. That’s another difference between him and Maradona. Diego was doubly attractive: on the one hand as a footballer and on the other as the rebel, the provocateur. He was always a volcano on the edge of erupting.’
Chapter 25
The devil
10 March 2007
Barcelona – This time, Don Fabio’s nightmare is about a nineteen-year-old boy, Leo Messi. An Argentine flea who ruins his party. Capello had never won on Barça territory (not with Juve, nor with Roma, nor with Madrid), he was getting there, against all predictions. And then along came the little guy, once, twice, bringing the scores level each time and, just when it looked like it was going their way, in the 90th minute he pulls the most beautiful sequence out of his hat, the speediest dribbling, a cross into the centre: 3-3. Capello and his men are like children who have had their lollipop snatched from their mouths.
What is indisputable is that the Spanish derby has been strange, exciting, volatile, full of goals. It begins with the two captains, Puyol and Raúl, who take to the pitch and make the sign of the cross. They need it: Bar
ça must wipe the expulsion from the Eden of Europe from the memories of the Nou Camp’s 98,000 spectators, while Real Madrid is playing a game of survival – their last chance to stay in the running for the league title. The standard prediction is that the ball will be controlled by the Blaugrana, the favourites, spread across the pitch in a daring 3-4-3 formation, so that Madrid are even less marked than usual. Very few are prepared to wager a bet because Capello’s men like to get their own way against their eternal rivals. And, against predictions, within five minutes they are already dominating the scoreboard. The blond Guti passes to Higuaín along the left wing. The young Argentine plays an apparently innocuous ball: it is Thuram who turns it into a lethal one, with an incredible clearance that lands at Van Nistelrooy’s feet. The Dutchman takes a shot from outside the box. Pathetic diving from Puyol and Valdés. It’s in – 1-0. Now it’s Rijkaard’s turn to be nervous. Leo Messi comes on after just five minutes. Xavi sends him a deep pass, leaving only Casillas between the Argentine and the goal. The Whites are left rooted to the spot. Equaliser.
The defenders on both sides are foundering. One of the most nervous on the Barça team is Oleguer: he is to end up being sent off in the 45th minute after receiving his second booking (for a foul on Gago). The first comes in the twelfth minute, when he grabs Guti inside the box. Penalty and yellow card. Van Nistelrooy makes no mistake. Fabio Capello cannot believe his eyes. The president told him not to come away with a defeat, but to be in the lead gives him a proper chance to breathe.
It doesn’t last long. Leo Messi is proving a nightmare again, as he latches onto a rebound from Casillas. It’s not easy, but he scores anyway. In under the crossbar. Credit for the equaliser must go to Ronaldinho, however, who has finally awoken from his daze. He does what he does best, unbalancing two or three opponents, doing a one-two with Eto’o and shooting at Casillas, who manages to get a hand to it at first, but can do nothing about Messi’s sudden rebound. Four goals in 27 minutes: this is the type of spectacle that the Spanish crowds love. Relieved of their fears, Barça seem to take charge of the situation. The Whites’ defence is wavering, then comes the sending off, followed by a second half with only ten men. Rijkaard takes off Eto’o and sends on Sylvinho. The Blaugrana maintain control of the ball, but the Whites are dangerous. The advantage hangs by a thread. Guti takes a free kick: Sergio, Ramos and Puyol go up to meet the ball. The White defender gets a touch on the nape of his neck, the ball flies under the bar and into the back of the net. Victory? No, along comes Messi to save Barça and keep Madrid at arm’s length. And Capello is back to the same old problem.
Luca Caioli, Corriere della Sera, 11 March 2007
Yes, Capello … at best he had forgotten what Messi was capable of doing. And yet in the final of the Joan Gamper Trophy on 24 August 2005, it was precisely he who had asked about that devil (as he described him) who had driven the Juventus defence crazy, provoked three yellow cards, created one goal, and looked dangerous throughout the 90 minutes. At the end of the match, decided on penalties, Juventus had gone home with the cup thanks to six shots on target from the penalty spot. But Leo had been chosen as player of the match and was the genuine surprise of the game. Fabio Capello, who had instantly recognised the youngster’s talent, joked with Frank Rijkaard, saying: ‘Well … if you don’t have room for him in your starting line-up, give him to me, we’re ready to sign him.’
Perhaps Fabio Capello thought everything would turn out well for him on the evening of 10 March 2007, just as it had on 22 October 2006 at the Bernabéu. 2-0 to the Whites and everyone at home happy, with a Messi who had put in a good effort for at least 70 minutes, with a repertoire of left-footers, assists that were wasted by his teammates, and breakthroughs into the box. And all while receiving a series of forceful tackles from Emerson that pushed the regulations’ boundaries. To the extent that, by the end of the match, he would be diagnosed with a sprained right ankle in the external lateral ligament, which would keep him out for a week.
But he hadn’t managed to score.
This time the tables are turned. Has Messi got something against Don Fabio, who is currently the England manager? Absolutely not. Is it that playing against Capello brings him luck? Not that either. It’s a different issue altogether. ‘Playing against Real Madrid,’ says Messi, ‘is always particularly motivating for any player.’ That is a fact and he has demonstrated it since the first time he set foot on the Bernabéu ground on 19 November 2005.
Everyone remembers that match because of the show put on by Ronaldinho (two incredibly stunning goals, not to mention everything else he did) but also because of the ‘standing ovation’ given by two Real Madrid supporters to the Barcelona number 10. That was undoubtedly the photo opportunity of the match. Unforgettable. It was shown on all the TV channels. Editors and journalists even went as far as tracking down the two men, one with a black moustache, the other with a beard, who were on their feet applauding. The media people wanted to know why they paid such tribute to him. Their response? How could they not applaud a superstar and his magic, even if only as a sporting gesture? But as well as the Gaucho (Ronaldinho), the people in the stands were also very impressed with Leo’s performance.
Let’s take a quick look at the highlights from that day. In the third minute, Sergio Ramos feels obliged to knock down the Flea on the edge of the area, in front of goal. In the fifteenth minute, Leo is the one who, after a fantastic piece of footwork, provides Eto’o with the chance to score the first goal. In the 26th minute, Messi’s spectacular change of pace traps Roberto Carlos. In the 30th minute Messi penetrates the defence, but Iker Casillas blocks the shot. Barça are within reach of the second goal. In the 40th minute, Ronaldinho slaloms and crosses to Messi, but the header is wide of the goalpost. In the 47th minute Messi tries again. It’s wide. A defender clears the ball. In the 55th minute Casillas denies Messi’s third shot. In the 69th minute, Messi is replaced by Iniesta. These minutes and notes record that he played a fantastic game in his Clásico derby debut, all that was missing was the goal to take his display of speed, angles and lethal assists to the level of perfection. But the strongest memory from that match is an abundance of courage on the part of a debutant, who showed respect for nothing and nobody, who did not suffer an ounce of the ‘stage fright’ so beloved of his compatriot Jorge Valdano, who proved it from every part of the pitch, who took initiative and assumed responsibility, despite there being superstars on the pitch like an inspired Ronaldinho and an Eto’o on best form. These are feelings that will be widely confirmed, disputed and reaffirmed. It is a shame that he misses the return leg due to the injury he suffered at Chelsea. It is the same injury (only on the other leg) that he will sustain on 15 December 2007 against Valencia in Mestalla, five days before the classic derby. Sharp pain in the left leg, head bowed, biting on his shirt, and he’s off. Goodbye classic derby. Against Real Madrid, Barça have to lose the player who made all the difference at the start of the season. The ultrasound confirms it: tear in the upper part of the femoral biceps in the left thigh. Out for four to five weeks (he will play again 36 days later, on 20 January, against Racing Santander). And he will get injured again on 4 March 2008 in the Champions League quarter-final match against Celtic in Glasgow. Another femoral biceps tear in his left thigh. Another five weeks out before returning to the field.
Pause for a question: Why does Messi endure so many tears and breaks, to the point where people are already calling him ‘the porcelain star’? Accumulated muscle fatigue, an old injury that has not properly healed, an insufficient warm-up, psychological stress, an imbalance of pressure on muscular areas, bad posture throughout one’s career, direct impact, a supposed difference in length between one leg and the other … there are many possible causes of injury. Furthermore, the complexity of the hamstring structure makes it difficult to pinpoint the causes and that in turn makes a player’s recovery more difficult. In Messi’s case, some people also factor in his physical particulars, his muscular and bone structure and
his growth problems, stimulated by hormones. In any event, it is difficult to establish the precise cause, even for the Barcelona medics, who have often been slated by the press over prognostic errors with regard to recovery times. ‘They told me,’ explains Jorge Messi, ‘that his muscular mass is made up of explosive fibres, like those of a sprinter. That’s what gives him his trademark speed, but the risk of a break is considerable. In any event, Leo is perfectly aware that he really needs to take care of himself.’ Let’s close the chapter on the issue of injuries and resume the story of the classic derby on 10 March 2007, although, admittedly, there is also an injury involved in this story. Leo has been out for nine weeks, but this time it is not because of his muscles but because of an incident during a match. On 12 November 2006, in a game against Real Zaragoza, opposition defender Alberto Zapater stamps on his foot. The fifth metatarsal of his left foot is broken. He has to go into surgery, where a pin is fitted to stabilise the fracture and he is given a skin graft to speed up the recuperation. Prior to the match in question he played some good games, ‘but,’ he says, ‘I still hadn’t scored. That was my unfinished business.’ He manages to score a hat-trick, his first at the top level (he had previously scored more goals in a match, but only on a small ground of little importance) and although it doesn’t seal a victory for the team it is at least enough to save Barça’s skin in extremis. ‘Because losing to Real,’ he says, ‘is always bloody awful.’ And that’s not all – a goal allows Leo to display a message (printed underneath his shirt) that reads: ‘Have strength, uncle’, to his godfather, who has just lost his father. It is his way of showing his full support at a difficult time. And there is another dedication made on that magical night. It comes in the form of kisses blown to Barça’s emblem. After the third goal Messi runs along and repeats the gesture, because ‘I owe a lot to Barça for what they did for me when they had the chance, and also to the fans for all the affection they have shown towards me, especially in these difficult few months.’ Those three goals change the course of a negative season. From 10 March onwards Leo plays frequently, he doesn’t waste any chances and he doesn’t just score goals – he creates works of art.