Official: Franco Baresi Thread

crazy4milan

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Awesome interview, I love that Baresi thinks exactly the same way as I do about Inter chances on winning the CL, it always makes me smile when someone mentions the helicopter story, very nice way of not saying "no way Arsenal's defense was not even relevant". Pity he is saying that Gamberini and Bonera just need to grow...both are 27-28 already, the eternal promises
 

Ashish

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Franco BARESI
(Milan)
baresi_03.jpg (23942 bytes)It was kind of weird the last 31th of August to look around and not to find Franco Baresi after 20 seasons.
A so great champion who marked an epoch and meant much more than what his figures can say.
Franco Baresi was a sort of football handbook: his runs, his tackles, his throws, his competitive charge, his attitude.
He could softly touch the ball but also sweep his foes with energy, mixing toughness with talent, and overcaming any obstacle.
Baresi was a true champion who exactly realized when his career had to be stopped before time could consume his brightness.
He quitted the last 23th of June.
His Milanms shirt number 6 was promptly retired and the story of this Milanms symbol became a sort of legend that we can now re-read.
The story goes that his first juvenile coaches said: lhe is a perfect player but hesitant in his speech.n
He was still a youngster and his first, older teammates (Rivera, Albertosi, Morini and Capello) called him lpiscininn.
He wasnmt 18 yet and his poor talkativeness made reporters troubled.
Interviewing Baresi was a kind of torment, long minutes waiting for answers that never came.
A special group of reporters finally emerged: lthe interpreters of Baresims gruntsn.
Usually Franco takes his time before answering by clearing his voice, but as often he doesnmt say anything after his throat sounds ready.
The point is that lKaiser Franzn (a nickname that comes from his football similarity to Franz Beckenbauer), has always thought that his performances didnmt need any vocal addition or explanation.
In short, if his grunt was coupled with a shy smile, the answer was easy to predict:nImm satisfied for my teammates, my coaches, myself and even for Milanms management. We all had a good dayn.
Otherwise, if he slightly knitted his eyebrows, the answer to expect was:nImm very proud to be a Milan's player.
A real tradition of interpreters developed and some reporters became able to write long interviews with Baresi just running into him for a few seconds at Milanello's bar.

When Franco was a teen-ager with blond hairs and a soft, almost ephebic style, his opponents tended not to take him very seriously.
As a result he often answered by violent tackles that risked to leave his foes crippled for the rest of their lives.
His talent became more and more evident and increased along with his reputation of being a tough guy.
However at least a couple of times in his career, this Clint Eastwood of football showed his tears.
The first time was at Cesena after the last game of the 1981-82 seasons: lI cried like many of my teammates inside the locker-room.n
Tough but with a big heart. A red and black heart.
The second time was the 17th of July 1994.
After getting injured the 23th of June at the Giants Stadium against Norway and after having his meniscus operated he realized a sort of miracle and came back for the final game of the World Cup against Brazil in Pasadena.
He played a great match but missed the first of those crucial penalties that assigned the Cup after the regular game and the overtime had finished even.
Emotion prevented him to achieve his last great Title.
Massaro and Baggio missed their penalties too, and everybody remembers a crying Baresi wandering across the midfield under Californiams sunshine.
Baresi built his tough personality when still was a teen-ager.
When he was 14 he lost both his parents and Milan immediately became his new family.
He always had a huge desire to have his own children and got married very young but only six years ago he finally crowned his dream.
His wife Maura suffered several miscarriages and when Edoardo was finally born the 26th of Jenuary 1991 at Mexico City, malicious rumours immediately started about his dark complexion.
Maura told her sadness to some Italian Magazine.
She said: lThose rumours started a few weeks after Edoardo was born.
I know all of them, even those that Franco didnmt tell me, about bad slogans and banners that were exposed in several stadiums.
Football fans fight each other, sometimes kill each other, I hoped they at least showed some respect to maternity, especially when it is so endured.

Franco and Maura love children so much that last Jenuary they decided to adopt a two years old Russian child born in Moscow.
They called him Gianandrea and made a great party.
Edoardo now has a brother to play with and to learn how to become a leader..

Several years ago, being 21 and already a Milanms pillar, Baresi suddenly found himself leaving Milanello by a wheel-chair.
A mysterious illness left him so weak that he couldnmt even walk.
Things went worse and worse and immediately a rumour spread about Baresi having cancer.
Actually after 3 months Franco was ready to come back, stronger than ever and victorious over that rare virus he was affected by.
A virus that tried to challenge Franco, but Franco proved to be so tough that virus never came back.


SCHEDA TECNICA

Born: Travagliato (Brescia)
Date of birth: 8 maggio 1960
Role: difensore, m. 1,76 - kg. 70
1st match in Serie A: 23 aprile 1978
(Verona-Milan 1-2)

baresi_01.jpg (28093 bytes)Baresi played 2 seasons in Serie B.
Many Serie A Clubs lured him but he didnmt quit Milan and fans never forgot it.
He proved that his refined style could be successful also among the rude players of serie B, a division where often toughness is more important than talent.
He led Milan to come back in Serie A, playing basically as a sweeper but eventually emerging as the real playmaker of his team.
Many started saying that he should play as a midfielder, especially with the national team where the starting sweeper was the mythical Scirea.
As a matter of fact Italyms Coach Enzo Bearzot finally embraced that theory.
Bearzot was the first to bring Baresi with the national team and Franco was part of that wonderful group that won the World Cup in 1982, but he just experienced that Championship from the stands.
Later, however, Bearzot decided to try and lined up both Scirea and Baresi at the same time.
The first game was played at Perugia (22th of december 1983) against Cyprus, and altogether that experimennt lasted for other 6 games, until it was clear to everybody that the mythical Enzo had made a blunder.
Shortafter, then, Bearzot proved to be in total confusion replacing Scirea with Righetti (a Romams player who spent the most part of his career between Lecce and Pescara) instead of utilizing Baresi, finally in his right position.
After the disastrous 1986 World Cup, however, Vicini replaced Bearzot and Baresi became the undiscussed sweeper of the national team.

Another chapter of Baresi's career regards Arrigo Sacchi.
Since the beginning their relationship went through some problem.
In the first place Sacchi wanted Milan to play like lhisn Parma and obliged his new, bored, players to watch his instructional videotapes.
In the second place Sacchi was personally brought to Milan by Berlusconi who let the players know that he would pay them in proportion to their performances and results.
Baresi and his teammates protested but nothing changed.
As a matter of fact in 1987, Alberto Costa (a Corriere della serams reporter and a Baresims friend and biographer) wrote that Franco wanted to leave Milan because he didnmt share Berlusconims mentality: much money in exchange of an absolute commitment and efficiency.
Sacchims arrival, then, made things even worse.
For exemple Baresi didnmt approve of Sacchims exasperating use of videotapes.
Each Milanms player was supposed to learn from Parmams games and Franco was requested to assimilate Signorinims performances.
When Milan started winning, however, things partially changed and Franco overcame his prejudices becoming a Berlusconims admirer.
His relationship with Sacchi, instead, remained controversial and at some point Berlusconi was forced to satisfy his playersm request to dismiss the coach and his annoying systems.

baresi_02.jpg (25292 bytes)Franco however still had to deal with Sacchi as a coach of the national team.
One year of stages and lessons about team-work revealed themselves to be enough to push Baresi to quit.
Shortafter Italy risked to lose in Cagliari against Switzerland, when Sacchi lined up the unusual central defensive couple Lanna-Costacurta and Italian Federal President Matarrese had almost a panic attack seeing their mistakes.
Matarrese in person decided to make a big economical offer to convince Baresi to come back, facing an averse Sacchi who, as usual, claimed that strategies and not talents produce results.
After all Baresi accepted to come back and led Italy to another big challenge.
However, after losing the 1994 World Cup and after the ugly game of Maribor against Slovenia, Baresi quitted, this time for good.
Seven years of Sacchi were enough.
Last December then Franco and Arrigo found themselves once again together to help a struggling Milan to revive, but results were very disappointing and at the end of the season Baresi realized that the moment to terminate his career as a player was finally arrived.
Altogether he played 716 official games with Milan (more than anybody else before) and 81 with the national team.
He retired showing the same timing he showed as a player.
He became the vice-president and the juvenile programms coordinator of lhisn Milan, and is ready to face his older brother Giuseppe, who played with Inter for a long time and now coaches one of the juvenile teams of the black and blue Club.
Baresims new challenge is now to find a young heir of himself, but, in any case, for Milanms fans, there will be always, just one, Franco Baresi.

http://www.solocalcio.com/gallery/players/baresi_uk.htm
 

gaizka22

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There was a good interview with Baresi in November 2009 FourFourTwo magazine. He speaks on every subject, Milan today, the past, Berlusconi, carlo and capello in england etc. etc. I meant to add this earlier, so sorry for the delay. I scanned it and my scanner is not high quality so this is the best I can get it. I tried to convert it to jpg to post it as pictures in this thread but it was unreadable.

Anyway I loaded it as a google doc (thanx for advice Jasper). Hope you all enjoy.

https://docs.google.com/fileview?id...jktNDA5ZS00MmRiLTliNjQtMmFhYWE0NjdmYjlk&hl=en
Wonderful interview. Many thanks for posting it here.
 

zank

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waitting Baresi go to indonesia
welcome to Milan Junior camp bali

http://sito.milanisti.or.id/
http://sito.milanisti.or.id/faq.html
 

kevin_dk

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He was our sweeper :).

Edit: I just watched the videos above. What a legend. He swept, he assisted, he scored, he made the pitch look so small, what a perfect DM.
 
Last edited:

Senatore_M84

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Lately golTv has been airing milan classics (the only milan games i can watch and feel good about anymore...).

Baresi is in another galaxy compared to defenders today. In all aspects too, commanding backline and going forward.

 

Ashish

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i completely agree, the way he switches from defense to attack is just awesome. i couldnt watch him live ever baring that wc final

but i was rooting for brasil :)
baresi.jpg
 

Pedro

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He can do everything, so awesome, such a pity he was before my time.
 

Az.

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Lately golTv has been airing milan classics (the only milan games i can watch and feel good about anymore...).

Baresi is in another galaxy compared to defenders today. In all aspects too, commanding backline and going forward.


He was so good,shame i never got to really see much of him just some bits and peaces here and there. What a player he was :eek:
 

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greatest defender ever. EVER.
 

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dev1L

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Baresi backs Van Basten

Milan legend Franco Baresi has backed his former team-mate Marco Van Basten to replace Leonardo this summer.

Leonardo is expected to step down at the end of the season and return to Brazil to be close to his family.

His relationship with Silvio Berlusconi has also become strained, as demonstrated in his comments last week when he said that they are 'perhaps incompatible'.

Berlusconi is known to favour Marco Van Basten's candidacy as Leonardo's replacement, even though Milan Vice-President Adriano Galliani would like to give Filippo Galli the role.

Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Baresi was asked who he would choose to succeed Leonardo, to which he replied: “Van Basten because he already has high level experience. He knows Milan and it's a name of great prestige that would give the atmosphere a spark.”

Looking to the future, Baresi said: “Milan still have many good players and others will arrive. I think Milan can be the only team in a position to compete with Inter. “

Baresi then gave his opinion of Jose Mourinho's Inter.

“They are a team that has quality and strength, but my Milan was much more spectacular. It's enough to think about the 4-0 win over Barcelona in the Athens final or the 4-0 win over Steaua in the first final, because we weren't just good at defending.”
 

Senatore_M84

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I actually like idea of van basten and ill tell you why

1. He refuses to come without specific reinfrocements
2. Silvio has more man love for van basten than anyone. If anyone can get silvio to spend its mvb
3. He's not afraid to bench senators or make unpopular decisions
4. His dutch team played probably best football I've seen in a while embarassing italy.... and don't discredit mvb for that. He changed tactics of dutch nt who were married to 433. The mighty spain couldn't even beat italy but mvb's netherlands could have won by more than 3-0

And basiclaly if arshavin didn't produce brilliance in 120th minute. Who knows where dutch would have gone....
 

Senatore_M84

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I actually like idea of van basten and ill tell you why

1. He refuses to come without specific reinfrocements
2. Silvio has more man love for van basten than anyone. If anyone can get silvio to spend its mvb
3. He's not afraid to bench senators or make unpopular decisions
4. His dutch team played probably best football I've seen in a while embarassing italy.... and don't discredit mvb for that. He changed tactics of dutch nt who were married to 433. The mighty spain couldn't even beat italy but mvb's netherlands could have won by more than 3-0

And basiclaly if arshavin didn't produce brilliance in 120th minute. Who knows where dutch would have gone....
 

samir10

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van basten is mediocre coach at best. statistics proves it.
and this is fucking disgrace, best defender the world has ever seen has only 3 pages while begcum and cr7 *** hav like million???

btw M84 stop double posting :D
 

NobodyCares

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van basten is mediocre coach at best. statistics proves it.
and this is fucking disgrace, best defender the world has ever seen has only 3 pages while begcum and cr7 *** hav like million???

btw M84 stop double posting :D

Its better than the spree i went on.
:rolleyes:
 

anilak

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I actually like idea of van basten and ill tell you why

1. He refuses to come without specific reinfrocements
2. Silvio has more man love for van basten than anyone. If anyone can get silvio to spend its mvb
3. He's not afraid to bench senators or make unpopular decisions
4. His dutch team played probably best football I've seen in a while embarassing italy.... and don't discredit mvb for that. He changed tactics of dutch nt who were married to 433. The mighty spain couldn't even beat italy but mvb's netherlands could have won by more than 3-0

And basiclaly if arshavin didn't produce brilliance in 120th minute. Who knows where dutch would have gone....

I'm not that convinced of MVB's coachin skills yet. Legend doesn't mean good coach.

But agree with first 3.

Remember early this season MVB saying Milan needs reinforcements to be back on top again. Like Franco and Paolo he also knows what Milan needs to be good again and atleast on an investment point of view he's one of the few who can make Berlu invest. But if Franco and Paolo can't make Berlu rethink can MVB do it is the question ?

http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/ital...rco-van-basten-warns-milan-no-money-no-titles

“I remember that Milan ruled the market twenty years ago. The truth is that if you don’t buy, improving the squad becomes difficult.

“If the club does not go back to spending, it’s hard to be competitive.”

“I don’t know what will happen in the future. But, if Leonardo will not win, it won’t be his fault.”

“He has always scored and I believe, and hope, he will do plenty here too,” said van Basten.“After all, he is exactly what Milan need.”

MVB quotes on Milan transfers, Leonardo and Hunterlaar. Guess Hunter will stay if MVB is coach and might actually get enough support to do well.
 

Senatore_M84

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is MVB a big huntelaar fan? I'm not sure. TBH I think Pato would benefit greatly from Van Basten...

Yeah MVB may not be capello, but I'm he's on par with Leo no matter what fanboys wanna say.

what fiero said was true, he'd likely drop atleast 1 of seedorf/pirlo. He's strict as hell. I personally like what he did with dutch national team bringing many younger unknowns in. They performed well.
 

Ashish

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MVBis shit as a coach, but i am sure he will grab bull by the balls and make mnagement to buy some players, after that fire his ass out of milan bring leonardo back ;)
 

anilak

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I hope Leo stays. But if Leo leaves, I'd prefer MVB to Allegri, Tasotti and Galli.

Tasotti and Galli will be mere pawns who will be again asked to do what they can with the shit squad we have.

And Allegri from Cagliari the squad he will get in Milan without any purchases will be better than what he ever had. He will do well but again won;t bring any players who can make us go that extra step and win somethin.

MVB is a strict disciplinarian like many of u said and lazy Pirlo and Dorf will either play well full time wen in the field or will be in the bench, out of club soon. Same applies to Dinho too even though last few weeks he's putting a lot of effort. And he will bring some quality players hopefully. Else he's not comin. Rumours say he asked for 100 million :eek:. We won't get a fraction of that. Still 30-40 million will solve many of our holes.
 

Senatore_M84

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the only advantage Galli has is he's been head of youth team and knows them well. Might be abvle to integrate a few.

Galliani likes him
 
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