From the sudden intuition about Ederson, now a Premier League gem, to the crisis of courage in Italian football, and the rise of his prot\xE9g\xE9, Luis Enrique, to the top of Europe: Walter Sabatini opens up in this all-encompassing interview.
The legendary sporting director retraces the key moments of his career, also discussing the future of Mohamed Salah, the tormented genius of Josip Ilicic, and his very personal way of living football.
"The search for lost things is dulled by habitual gestures, and that's why it's so hard to find them," wrote Gabriel García Márquez. Some men manage football with those gestures, and some men breathe football until their lungs are worn out.
Walter Sabatini is irredeemably one of the latter.
Meeting him means settling into the most authentic living room of football as it once was: made of sudden insights, smoke cutting through the light of a monitor at four in the morning, phone calls at improbable hours to improbable countries, and a stubborn, almost painful, pursuit of beauty.
In this exclusive interview, Walter Sabatini talks about Éderson, the state of Italian football, the future of Salah, Luis Enrique's second Champions League win, and the talents he discovered throughout his career, which is still far from over.
Luis Enrique and the Champions League
Luis Enrique, fresh off winning his second consecutive Champions League as manager of PSG, arrived in Rome thanks to Sabatini, who brought him to the Capital in what was a huge surprise for Serie A, especially considering his previous coaching experience (at the time, he had only managed Barça Athletic).
How did the idea to bring him to the Giallorossi come about?
"First, I sent Pasquale Sensibile and Frederic Massara to watch his team play, then I was struck by some interviews I came across. Actually, it was a lady who had worked with me at Palermo who found them. In the interview, he said: 'What matters is not the destination, but the journey to get there.'"
Did you watch the Champions League final as Luis Enrique did the double?
"Luis's victories are a reward for his professional resilience. When he wins, I breathe better, and he knows it."
The Ederson intuition
Forty-five million euros and a move to the Premier League with United. Sabatini brought him to Salerno for six million from Corinthians in January 2022, to a Salernitana side that already seemed doomed to relegation.
A choice that turned out to be a winner - did you expect it?
"For Éderson, it only took me one look. I liked him immediately and thought he could help Salernitana stay up. He was an important player, but that year there were many who made a decisive contribution. He did well at Atalanta, but I think he can do even better. So far, Éderson has played at 60% of his potential: he’s a player with exceptional athletic and technical resources, so I expect him to keep improving. I truly wish him all the best as he continues to grow."
Yet, just as he signs for one of the world's most prestigious clubs, Brazil leaves him out of the World Cup. Isn't that a contradiction?
"There are so many players in Brazil. This huge number, combined with the quality those players have, meant he was left out. I'm not shocked, just disappointed. I would have been happy for the boy, but I understand the decision."
Italian football and the World Cup
The World Cup is approaching and Italy is once again watching from the sidelines. A wound that won't heal. How do you explain it?
"I'll just say that more courage is needed from managers and coaches. The players are there, they always will be, you just need the courage to push them forward. In Italy, this courage is lacking; elsewhere, it isn't: in Northern Europe, they have it, we don't. And it's very rare that all young players are potential 'cracks' like Palestra; we have strong players too, not just others."
Credit to Angelozzi for the insight?
"I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate him for the work he did at Cagliari. Cagliari achieved a great survival with many young players, bringing through a talent like Palestra who certainly doesn't need thirty games to show who he is. Well done to Angelozzi for bringing him there. It takes courage. That's what my son and I always talk about—he's an excellent scout."
An example of young players not valued in Serie A?
"Take the Union Brescia striker, Valerio Crespi, a player who passed through Lazio. I ask myself: what did he lack to make a dozen or so appearances in Serie A? I'm not accusing anyone, I'm just observing. Based on what I saw from him and the others in these playoffs (I'm talking about three goals in four games), I wonder, and no one can give me an answer, because there isn't one.
It's just a matter of courage. Not that Sarri lacks it. Crespi is strong, but he went to Serie C to prove it, and it's also right that players grow."
Speaking of the World Cup, on the bench there will also be someone familiar to you, like Rudi Garcia.
"I'll be cheering, as I always have, for the underdogs. For example, I'll be very happy if Rudi Garcia's Belgium does well. But there are many national teams I'd like to see achieve great things, like Japan, who I'll be supporting: I like the discipline their players show on the pitch and their spirit of sacrifice, which are fundamental qualities. I'll follow Belgium because they have strong players and a coach I care about; I hope they have an outstanding World Cup."
"Then, as always, the real values will come out, as they always do, because the strongest teams will go through. I also think of Argentina: firstly because it's a country full of second- and third-generation Italians, but also because Argentinians live football with unmatched passion and excitement. For me, Argentina is like a homeland; I feel very close to it even though I haven't been there in years. I really miss my trips there. And I hope Bielsa's Uruguay does well too - he's an extraordinary person and coach."
The future of Mo Salah
Among your discoveries is also Mohamed Salah. After becoming an idol at Liverpool, would you advise him to return to Italy?
"I would love for him to come back to Serie A. Momo doesn't need any endorsements: we all know him, and Italy loves him very much. He left an indelible memory and deep affection. It would be the right choice if he decided to return, we all hope for it, but he will make the right decision."
The discovery of Ilicic
Another talent you found, Josip Ilicic. How did you discover him?
"First of all, let me state a historical truth: Zamparini was already tracking Ilicic, as his agents had contacted him. When I then sent Dario Rossi to watch him, he came back enthusiastic and euphoric. But Josip was a difficult player: if he played well, that was one thing, but if he played badly, it was hard to pick him."
"He remains a fantastic footballer. The first time he stepped onto the pitch with Palermo, he immediately sent a message of great determination, strength, shooting ability, and technical sensitivity to everyone. He was a bit introverted. That's a character trait that can't be denied. But we're talking about a great player, very important for those who enjoyed him at Bergamo and Palermo, and for football in general."
But you won't reveal your top 5 favourites?
"I never will. There are at least 20, not just 5. So I’ll never do it."
The future
In the end, there's only one question left, perhaps the most personal. Sabatini has been away from the daily adrenaline of the transfer market, late-night calls, and heart-stopping negotiations. How does a man like you live without all that?
"With a touch of suffering, even if it's not excessive, because I still watch the matches and football is still my life. I followed the Conference League final, the playoff final between Monza and Catanzaro... Football is always present in my life. I'll be back working as soon as possible, but for now, I'm at peace."
SGTSingam
3
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