The Kafka of Football

ZEMAN
At almost 77 years old, on February 19, he underwent heart surgery, but Zdenek Zeman does not give up. For many fans, he will always be the "successful loser," while for others he will remain the "Kafka of football." I believe that, beyond the controversies, he should be considered a master of offensive football and a promoter of clean sport. To be such, he had to face real giants, like Del Piero and Vialli, but he always fought on the same level.
DIDACTIC

PADOVANO
The former Juventus striker Michele Padovano, European champion in 1996, wrote a book to tell his judicial odyssey, which concluded after 17 years: Between the Champions and Freedom. He was fully acquitted in the final appeal after 3 months of detention in the prisons of Cuneo and Bergamo, 9 months of house arrest, and 5 months of signing in at the Carabinieri. But why does justice arrive so late?
ACQUITTED

LUKAKU
One hand simulating a gun pointed at the temple, the other covering his mouth. This is the gesture with which Romelu Lukaku, striker for Roma and Belgium, scored a goal against Feyenoord. The striker wanted to use his football notoriety to serve his people, making him an ambassador of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is important that even sport sends a signal, in the heart of a terrible civil war.
SYMBOLIC

GEVI
For a Napoli that does not win the championship, there is a Gevi Basket, redeeming the city. "San Gennaro performed the miracle," the fans declared, because in the Italian Basketball Cup the Neapolitan team was far from favored. Gevi returned to Serie A in 2021 and set up the squad with a budget of 4 million euros, compared to Milan's 35. This unexpected success also has the face of Andrea Mabor Dut Bier, who escaped the war in South Sudan.
INCLUSIVE

GASPERINI
His prerogative in football is to launch young stars or relaunch misunderstood talents, like De Ketelaere. I'm talking about Gian Piero Gasperini, 66, coach of Atalanta. He is a native of Grugliasco, Turin, and former coach of the Juventus youth teams, Crotone, Genoa, Inter, Palermo, and again Genoa. He has a secret: on the occasion of a Champions League final, he was in the stadium among Juventus fans. You can't control the heart.
DEVELOPER

ZIGAN
In Rome, despite the unrepeatable insults often coming from the Roma and Lazio stands, there are those who travel in the opposite direction. I am referring to the triumvirate formed by cartoonist and director Gianni Pacinotti, aka Gipi, actor and director Valerio Mastandrea, and coach Enrico Zanchini. Their team, Real Zigan, is composed of young footballers from the Roma camp of Castel Romano. You can be proud even if judged as "gypsies."
PROUD

TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS
At the Winter World Transplant Games, held in Valtellina, with 200 athletes from all over the world, the Italians won 16 medals: 4 gold, 6 silver, and 6 bronze. The Italian National team fielded 18 athletes, with a representative of even 81 years. The volunteers, over 60, were extraordinary, thanks to whose participation made the event possible, for the last time in Italy, 20 years ago.
HEROIC

Carlo Nesti
NP April 2024