Friday, December 12, 2008

Where are they now? Juan Sebastian Verón & Andres D’Alessandro

In the sultry surrounds of Porto Alegre, Brazil, last week, two Premier League old boys met in a clash to decide the destiny of the seventh Copa Sudamericana. Loosely speaking, the competition is South American football’s equivalent of the UEFA Cup; playing second fiddle to the mighty Copa Libertadores. Nonetheless, the magnitude of the clubs taking part in this year’s two-legged final lent the occasion a heightened air of significance.

Estudiantes of Argentina, Intercontinental Cup winners from 1968-70, faced a one-goal deficit going into the decisive second game with Brazil’s Internacional – World Champions as recently as 2006. The side from La Plata were led into this do-or-die scenario by an unmistakable figure.

The bald pate, deliberate gait and wonderfully broad passing range were instantly recognisable to fans of both Serie A and the Premier League. Sporting the number eleven shirt – and captain’s armband – of Estudiantes was former Manchester United (and Chelsea) star Juan Sebastián Verón. At the age of 33, what little pace the creative midfielder ever had has long deserted him, but his unerringly perceptive ‘football brain’ has dimmed little through the passing of the years. ‘Seba’ still orchestrates a game with authority and style.

Following the closure of his illustrious career in Europe, which also incorporated fruitful spells with Sampdoria, Parma and Lazio (and concluded with a two-year spell at Inter) many would have considered Verón’s career effectively at an end. Rather than returning to Boca Juniors – the club at which he made his name – or bitter arch-rivals River Plate – Verón elected to go back to where it all began for him in 1994.

The Verón family name was already firmly ingrained in Estudiantes’ history, thanks to the heroic goal-scoring exploits of Seba’s father, Juan Ramón, during the club’s halcyon days of the 60s and 70s. He even scored a crucial goal at Old Trafford in their controversial defeat of his son’s future club in the 1968 Intercontinental final. Not surprisingly, Juan Ramón was the definitive figure behind his son’s return to La Plata in 2006.

The return of La Brujita, ‘the little witch’ (his father was known as La Bruja; the witch) was rapturously received by the fans of a club which had fallen upon hard times since his departure more than a decade earlier. Incredibly, within months the returning son had inspired his team-mates to within an inch of a first domestic title for 23 years. Coached by the-man-least-likely-to-receive-a-Christmas-card-from-the-Beckhams, Diego Simeone, Estudiantes finished the Apertura campaign level with the all-powerful Boca. An 81st minute Mariano Pavone winner in a title playoff between the two clubs snatched the glory for Estudiantes and local idol Verón.

Though in Argentinean football instability reigns – with hundreds of players exported to all corners of the globe on an interminable basis and clubs regularly making their way through four or five coaches a year – since that remarkable triumph, Los Pincharratas have been a club rejuvenated.

On the international stage, Verón happily co-existed with maverick Juan Román Riquelme throughout Argentina’s exhilarating Copa America campaign of 2007, but the team characteristically blew their chance against old foes Brazil – though it’s heresy to say so; the technically inferior side – in the final. He’s been out of favour since, but with the bizarre recent appointment of Diego Maradona, a huge Verón fan, comes hope of a recall in time for a possible final swansong in South Africa 2010.

There have even been rumours of an imminent switch to Brazil, where Corinthians – returning to the top flight following their humiliating relegation last year – are keen to add the midfield maestro to their ranks, which now includes fellow veteran Ronaldo. A rare phenomenon in years past, the trade of players between the two countries has become an increasing trend – Carlos Tévez and Javier Mascherano’s spell at Corinthians being a prime example.

Via a somewhat circuitous route, Verón’s fellow ex-Premier League combatant in last week’s Copa Sudamericana decider has recently found success as an Argentine in Brazil. Since leaving an indelible, but all too brief, mark upon the Portsmouth faithful, Andrés D’Alessandro has lived the life of a footballing itinerant.

Aged 27, though in diminutive stature and impudent style he more resembles a callow teenager, D’Alessandro has within the last year been stationed at La Liga’s Real Zaragoza, San Lorenzo in his homeland and now Internacional. His effervescent displays of slinky dribbling and quick passing regularly illuminated Fratton Park following his surprise arrival in January 2006, on loan from German club Wolfsburg – a truly stunning individual goal against Charlton at The Valley being the highlight of his stay.

He’d initially moved to the Bundesliga from River Plate, on the back of sparkling successes at youth and Olympic level. His exploits at Pompey priced d’Alessandro out of a permanent move to the South Coast, but instead lured high-flying La Liga club Zaragoza. It seemed the perfect move.

Yet, with Zaragoza relegation-bound during an unexpectedly disastrous 07/08 campaign, the wee man was on his way once again. His move to San Lorenzo rapidly floundered and Brazilian heavyweights Internacional came a-calling. D’Alessandro has quickly established himself as a favourite in Porto Alegre.

As the Final second leg crept perilously close to a penalty shootout last week, D’Alessandro was clattered violently by a tiring Verón; desperate to provide a kick-start to Estudiantes’ ailing hopes. Shortly afterwards Verón limped off to generous applause from the travelling Argentine contingent. Within minutes of his withdrawal, ex-Lyon forward Nilmar had grabbed a late, late winner for Inter.

At the final whistle, as D’Alessandro jigged with delight, the old stager Verón returned to the field looking even more bedraggled than usual; his boots and socks conspicuous by their absence. The pair embraced briefly and then Verón graciously took his leave. “I gave my best, but it wasn’t enough,” he humbly told the press afterwards.

D’Alessandro saw Inter’s triumph as a personal victory. “It is revenge for me,” he said. “For everything I've experienced around the world, with my family, with the kids, for having to play for three clubs this year.” He continued: “I work to keep on improving, to be in the national team. Surely playing all around the place doesn't help.”

The mercurial midfielder would do well to heed his own advice. If so, it’s surely not beyond the bounds of probability to suggest that he and countryman Verón could both have a significant role to play in capturing an overdue world title for their fiercely proud nation.

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