There are warm hugs that are already part of the history of this Euro. Gianluca Vialli and Roberto Mancini, the goal twins as they are nicknamed in Italy, are reunited at the Euro with the Squadra Azzurra, who made the great Sampdoria of Genoa happy in the 1980s. But the disease has almost separated in 2018. Gianluca Vialli announces in a book that he suffers from a malignant pancreatic tumor. He disappears for 18 months to be treated. An incredibly hard course, in his words. In the end, however, there is an extraordinary remission and his friend reminds him to run alongside a national team in which Vialli strongly believes.
“We are having a lot of fun”
“It’s a very strong, competitive team, with a lot of enthusiasm. We have a lot of fun, we work really in a good mood,” said Gianluca Vialli, the assistant coach of the Italy team. “Since his arrival, Roberto Mancini has created a great atmosphere in which I feel very good. We’ll see how far we say, but I really have a feeling for this position,” continues Mancini’s friend.
“I no longer have to draw my eyebrows with a felt tip pen,” smiles Vialli, emaciated but more charismatic than ever. Italy also plays for him and has not lost for 33 matches, a record in its history. A whole country now awaits the accolade for the 34th, Sunday evening, after the final victory in London. A stage that reminds them of a painful memory together.
A common history at Wembley
On May 20, 1992, the two men experienced the biggest disappointment of Sampdoria, yet crowned Italian champions in 1991: the defeat (0-1 ap) against FC Barcelona of Ronald Koeman, Michael Laudrup and Hristo Stoichkov in the final of the Champions League at Wembley. It was one of the very last matches played together by the two “twins” of the “Blucerchiati” attack. Vialli left for Juventus shortly afterwards but the two remained very close, as they were on the pitch.
Since then, both Mancini and Vialli have had the opportunity to “take revenge” on Wembley. By winning the FA Cup (2011) as Manchester City coach for the first. By winning two English Cups (1997, 2000) then a League Cup (1998) as player then coach of Chelsea for the second. Lifting a new cup, in the London setting, would undoubtedly have a different flavor, more “Italian” for the two accomplices.
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