Another legend visits Bolzano

Spezia coach Roberto Donadoni was a six-time champion and three-time Champions League winner, a two-time World Cup winner and Italian national team coach.

Who were the best football teams of all time? This question is difficult to answer objectively. However, AC Milan, who dominated Europe and the world in the late 80s and early 90s, are undoubtedly among the candidates. The core of the team consisted of three Dutchmen – Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit, and Marco van Basten. The trio was flanked by two of the best defenders in history, Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini. And by a creative and tactically astute midfielder who played a key role in their many triumphs, first under Arrigo Sacchi and then under Fabio Capello: Roberto Donadoni.

Berlusconi's first new signing Donadoni's story at Milan is remarkable simply because he was the first player Silvio Berlusconi signed after the media mogul took over the Milanese club in 1986. Berlusconi paid Atalanta 10 billion lire to secure Donadoni's services. That was no bargain. By comparison, Napoli had paid 13 billion lire two years earlier for Diego Maradona, the greatest footballer in the world. But Berlusconi would not regret his decision. Donadoni became one of his absolute favorite players.

Roberto Donadoni, on the ground, during the 1996 European Championship. © APA

With Milan, Donadoni won everything there was to win – as a leading player and key contributor. The midfielder from Cisano Bergamasco had less luck with the national team. In 1990, at the home World Cup, he was one of only two Italian players to miss a penalty in the semi-final against Argentina, thus initiating the host nation's bitter elimination. Donadoni hadn't actually been designated as the penalty taker. But because other stars shied away from the spot, he stepped up – and failed to beat Argentina's penalty-saving specialist Sergio Goycochea, who later also saved Aldo Serena's penalty, securing the "Albiceleste's" place in the final.

Donadoni played in two European Championships (1988 and 1996) and two World Cups (1990 and 1994) with the "Azzurri". At the World Cup in the USA, Italy's dream of winning the title was once again dashed in a penalty shootout – this time in the final against Brazil. Donadoni played the full 90 minutes again, but was not among the penalty takers.

Time as national coach The midfielder ended his playing career in 2000, and a year later he began his coaching career in Serie C1 with Lecco. His breakthrough came in 2005 with Livorno, whom he led to ninth place in Serie A thanks to the goals of Cristiano Lucarelli, who even became the league's top scorer. When Marcello Lippi resigned as Italy's national team coach after winning the 2006 World Cup, Donadoni was chosen as his successor.

He led Italy to EURO 2008, where the "Azzurri" landed in the "group of death" with the Netherlands and France. Despite a crushing 0-3 defeat to the Dutch in their opening match in Bern, they managed to reach the quarterfinals thanks to a 2-0 victory over France in their final group game. In the knockout stage in Vienna, they faced eventual European champions Spain, who only secured their progression in a penalty shootout after 120 goalless minutes. The penalty shootouts seemed to curse Donadoni, who, after Italy's elimination from the tournament, had to make way for the returning Lippi and bid farewell as national team coach.

New York, China and La Spezia After a brief hiatus, Donadoni joined Napoli but found no success there. In Cagliari, he succeeded the dismissed Pierpaolo Bisoli in the autumn of 2010 and led the Sardinian club to safety, but then fell out with club president Massimo Cellino. Donadoni stayed in Parma for almost four years, even finishing sixth in 2014, before the club went bankrupt a year later. Bologna was Donadoni's last coaching position in Serie A. In 2019, he moved to China but was dismissed prematurely by Shenzhen FC due to poor results.

Donadoni remained without a coaching position for more than five years before receiving a call last November from Spezia president Charlie Stillitano, who had lured him to the MetroStars in New York in 1996 – almost 30 years ago. Tomorrow's match (15 p.m.) in Bolzano will be Donadoni's eighth as Spezia coach. His record so far: three wins, three losses, and one draw. Last year's playoff finalist was bottom of the table when Donadoni took over. Now Spezia is 15th, one point ahead of FC Südtirol. The Red and Whites are aiming to send Donadoni's team back down to the relegation zone tomorrow. It's a six-pointer – for Spezia and their star coach.

Serie B Italy	SP	TV	P
1. Frosinone	20	38:18	42
2. Venice	20	37:16	41
3.Monza	20	29:17	38
4. Palermo	20	30:14	37
5. Cesena	20	27:22	34
6. Modena	20	28:17	32
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Another legend visits Bolzano

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