Friday, June 14, 4:30 p.m.: "Our Series A."
With Cesc Fabregas and Fabio Pecchia
The biggest news of the last Serie B? Without a doubt Cesc Fabregas. First of all, for the player's resume, given his history between Arsenal, Barcelona, Chelsea and Monaco (as well as with Spain) that saw him win everything possible (including the 2010 World Cup) except the Champions League. And then for his entry on the scene at Como, where he ended his playing career last season after taking over some shares of the club through Anglo-Indonesian ownership. This season he was at Primavera, but on Nov. 13 in a surprise - Como was third - he took over from Moreno Longo. A gamble? Theoretically, yes, but not for him, who made the team's breakthrough through offensive and vertical soccer, gaining promotion on the last day. Since he lacked a license to coach in B, he was joined by Osiam Roberts, who will remain by his side in A: but Fabregas has begun the course to become the bench starter.
By now he is a specialist. If there is Fabio Pecchia in Serie B, a box for direct promotion is (almost) assigned. Parma's was the third time, after Verona and Cremona. A non-random success, built over time, son of the two previous ones. In 2017, after the Verona triumph, Pecchia also stayed in Serie A and it went badly for him. In 2022, on the other hand, he gave up the top category after promotion with Cremonese, which would have to be rebuilt almost from scratch. And then because Parma was calling. And so began the new project, which the first year saw Pecchia make it to the playoffs (knockout against Cagliari) and the second crowned him dominant practically from the start of the season. A perfect machine that will see the engine adjusted in view of that Serie A in which Pecchia, in addition to that bad season in Verona, has played many years (Juventus, Napoli, Bologna, etc...) also serving as Benitez's deputy at Napoli (as well as at Real Madrid). And so, after graduating as a lawyer, he is now also preparing for his A-level coaching degree.
Friday, June 14, 6 p.m.: "Kickoff."
With Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello
A born winner. Fabio Capello was born June 18, 1946, in Pieris (Gorizia). A former midfielder, he played with Spal, Roma, Juve and Milan: he won a total of 4 Scudetti and 2 Coppe Italia. As a coach he began at Milan, as youth coach and then as Liedholm's deputy: in April 1987 he led the first team in the last six days of the championship. In June 1991, Berlusconi called him back to Milan, appointing him Sacchi's successor: Capello won three Scudetti in a row ('92, '93 and '94), three Italian Super Cups ('92, '93, '94), the 1993-94 Champions League and the '94 European Super Cup. It is the Milan of the Invincibles. In 1995-96 he won his fourth championship in the Rossoneri. The following season he leads Real Madrid: he wins La Liga. In 2000-01 he leads Roma to their third Scudetto in history. In 2004 he moved to Juve, while in 2006-07 he returned to Real and won his second La Liga. He has also been coach of England and Russia. His last experience, in China, at Jiangsu Suning, between 2017 and 2018.
A giant who revolutionized soccer. Arrigo Sacchi was born on April 1, 1946, in Fusignano (Ravenna), and as a footballer he played as a defender, but his career did not go beyond Serie D. At the age of 27 he quit and started coaching Fusignano, in the Second Category. He then moved on to Alfonsine (Promozione) and Bellaria (D). Between 1978 and 1982 he alternated between coaching the youth team of Cesena (with which he won a Primavera championship) and working in the family business. Then he decided to become a coach in his own right. From '82 to '85 he was at Rimini, in C1, then moved on to Parma, which he led from C1 to B, and where he made his mark with innovative play. This is how he earned Silvio Berlusconi's call: in his first season at Milan, 1987-88, he immediately won the Scudetto. Then he triumphed almost everywhere, building a team of legends, the Milan of the Immortals: in 1988 he won the Italian Super Cup, in '89 and '90 he lifted two Champions Cups, two European Super Cups and two Intercontinental Cups ('89 and '90). In 1991 he became coach of the national team: he took it to the final of the '94 World Cup.
Saturday, June 15, 11 a.m.: "Call me Trezegol."
With David Trezeguet
David Trezeguet arrives in Italy just after one of the most painful goals conceded by our national team. The 2000 European Championship final was decided by him: golden goal in the first overtime, triumph for France and great mockery for the team coached by Dino Zoff. To buy Trezeguet, Juve turned over about 45 billion liras to Monaco. The Juventus coach is Carlo Ancelotti, in attack Del Piero and Inzaghi are almost untouchable, but toward the end of the first season David plays more. From 2001-02, following Inzaghi's departure and with Lippi's return, Trezeguet became the starting center forward, showing off a vast bomber's repertoire. He would remain at Juve until 2010, also experiencing Serie B and for that reason making himself even more beloved by the Bianconeri fans. With Juve he won two Scudetti and two Italian Super Cups scoring 171 goals: he is the best foreign scorer in Juventus history and the 4th overall.
Saturday, June 15, 3 p.m.: "The Ball is a World."
With Jürgen Klinsmann
Germany, France, England as a player, then the United States and even South Korea as a coach. But Jurgen, a citizen of the world, found in Italy, in Milan, a favorite home: even today in few other places does he feel as happy as he does here with us. Jurgen Klinsmann, a "total" and cannibal bomber, plastic in headers with a blond mop and modern in his play with teammates , with the German national team he won both a World Cup and a European Championship, but above all he remains one of the most beloved center-forwards in the recent history of the Nerazzurri. He arrived at Inter in the summer of 1989 immediately after a Uefa loss in a Stuttgart shirt against Maradona's Napoli. The Trapattoni-coached team had, however, just won the Scudetto of records, but with Jurgen at the helm the tricolor encore failed: third place only, but first trophy won, the Italian Super Cup. In the following year the Uefa victory against Roma and in the last, the one started with Orrico on the bench, a disappointing eighth place, with just seven goals in A.
Saturday, June 15, 5 p.m.: "The Number 1"
With Walter Zenga
A lifetime in soccer. Walter Zenga has done it all, traveling the world far and wide. He has been a player, a coach, an executive: he lacks practically nothing. A native Milanese (he was born April 28, 1960), he has been a great goalkeeper. He started at Macallesi, a club in the southeastern suburbs of Milan, and then went to the youth team of Inter. After experiences with Salernitana (C1), Savona (C2) and Samb (C1 and B), from 1982-1983, he returned to Inter, with which he would play a total of 12 seasons in a row, becoming one of the symbols: he won a Scudetto, two Uefa Cups and an Italian Super Cup. He then went to Samp, Padova, and would end his career in the USA, in the New England Revolution. He was the goalkeeper of the national team for a long time (58 appearances). As a coach he led as many as 20 teams around the world: most recently the Emirates in the Emirates until April.
Sunday, June 16, 11:30 a.m.: "National Pride."
With Sara Gama
A passion that comes from afar. Sara Gama was born in Trieste on March 29, 1989, to a Trieste mother and a Congolese father. It was her uncle who indulged her love for soccer, but in her family no one ever stood in her way. After graduating from high school, she majored in foreign languages and literatures: she speaks English, French, and Spanish. In 2018, Mattel included her among the female personalities who have become a source of inspiration for younger girls and, the only Italian, dedicated a Barbie to her. A year later, Sara led the Azzurri in an extraordinary World Cup that brought women's soccer to the attention of the general public. Now she has left the national team but continues to play for Juve and in parallel pursues a career as a sports manager, as a FIGC councilor and vice-president (first woman) of AIC. With Brescia she won a championship, an Italian cup and two Italian Super Cups. With Juve 5 scudetti, 3 coppe Italia and 3 Supercoppe. He is in the Hall of Fame of Italian soccer.
Sunday, June 16, 3 p.m.: "Prince Charming"
With Claudio Marchisio
A flag for Juve and a pillar of the national team, with which he took part in two World Cups (2010 and 2014) and one European Championship (2012, with the knockout in the final against Spain). The story of Claudio Marchisio, a native of Turin and a true Bianconero, starts in the youth academy, with the cherries of the triumph in the 2005 Viareggio and the Scudetto and Supercoppa Primavera the following year, and continues with his debut in the first team in a damn historic year for the Signora, the only one in Serie B after Calciopoli. His first taste of A is at Empoli on loan, but from 2008 Marchisio resumes his long journey in bianconero. A complete midfielder, Claudio quickly won a starting spot. His best season coincided with Juve's return to victory, with the 2011-12 Scudetto: in the league, Marchisio played 36 games and scored nine goals. In the cycle marked first by Antonio Conte and then Max Allegri, he won 7 league titles, 4 Italian Cups and 3 Italian Super Cups, playing two Champions League finals. Then he adds to his palmares the victory in Russia with Zenit in 2018-19, his last season as a player.
Top partner: Cupra.
Main partners: Cisalfa Sport, Clear, Dove Men + Care, Esselunga and Hisense.
Partner: Intred.
In partnership with: Portanuova.
Media partner: Urban Vision.
Thanks to: Ecopneus, Casali Sport, Sportland and Vamos!
Official radio: Radio Italia.
