The only way to survive the ‘hitmen’

frafiomatale (78)in #sports • 9 hours ago

This is the English version of the post L'unico modo per sopravvivere ai "sicari", originally published in Italian in the ITALY community.

A necessary premise: this is sport. There are moments when you win, perhaps not fully deserving it, and others when you are forced to face defeat, even after coming close to an achievement that could have gone down in history. You have to take that into account and be aware of it—or, better yet, devote yourself to something else.

The history of Juventus in the Champions League is by now overflowing with masterpieces only brushed, but aborted a step away from completion. The seven lost finals, many of them as overwhelming favorites, testify to a historically difficult relationship with the most important European competition. In between, there are many other episodes worth mentioning, such as the 0-3 in Madrid in 2018 that was almost overturned, or last night’s match itself.

After the 2-5 suffered in Istanbul a week ago, the Lady came close to something epic, dragging the match into extra time despite being a man down from the start of the second half. As in the first leg in Turkey, the referee’s strictness fell one way only, but by now talking about referees, in a football system run by people rotten to the core, almost feels pointless.

Football today is increasingly similar to wrestling—a discipline where real athletes train every day, perform real moves, often spectacular or dangerous ones, yet where every final result is decided at the table by a creative team writing the script aimed at generating as much interest as possible.

Take it or leave it. For many, once the cards are laid on the table, it remains a highly attractive spectacle. After all, no one is forced to follow it, and if one chooses to do so, it is wise to develop the proper antibodies: there is no point blaming a wrestler who loses, because he stepped into that ring precisely to play the role of the one who takes the hits—just as it is exaggerated to overly glorify champions, owners of a belt “granted” by management.

In professional wrestling there is no chance that randomness alters what was agreed upon before the opening bell between athletes and writers. There have been cases where a wrestler meant to win suffered a serious injury during the match and the other had to perform blatantly exaggerated scenes to still lose as planned, but a change in the predetermined result is not contemplated.

And here lies the real difference—perhaps the only one left—between football and wrestling: the unpredictability of the ball, which, although the scientific and surgical use of VAR has reduced it to a minimum, still hovers over the 22 players on the pitch like a deceitful Greek deity.

A referee may keep a benevolent eye toward one team, but if its players do not put the ball in the net, he certainly cannot do it for them. Conversely, a hostile whistle will act in doubtful situations to put as many obstacles in the way as possible, but he cannot invent penalties at midfield or lightly disallow clearly legitimate goals.

And so yesterday as well, even in front of yet another unfriendly referee this season, the Bianconeri still had the chance to advance, had their players not squandered open-goal chances or had the goalkeeper not let two far-from-irresistible shots slip through his legs.

Great teams are stronger even than all the “hitmen” sent by the various Gravina or Ceferin, even in the VAR era (although against La Penna it would be tough for anyone). The others, unfortunately, sail on such a thin line that they are most often overwhelmed—one way or another—by single episodes. And on this point it is better not to lie to oneself, because if the refereeing “misfortune” of recent years seems evident, so too must be a squad not up to the task.

Another season has gone and, taking for granted that a Juventus finishing in the top four does not exactly align with the wishes of those who run the league, it is best to focus on the next one and try to build a real team for Spalletti—one that does not fear the next hitmen (who certainly will not be lacking), or at least one that has as many chances as possible to come out unscathed when meeting one.

A goalkeeper up to the task (better two), another high-level center-back, a technically gifted midfielder, and a striker at least capable of scoring from five meters out. Ah, small issue: where do you find the money for a revolution without qualification for the Champions League?

One could try to steal the secrets of creative finance from the “friends” in Milan, but it is wise to be prepared for an answer along the lines of: "I know nothing..."