Sixty years ago the most famous match between the two schools of thought: on one side Brera, who admired the tough Uruguayans more than the puny Abatini (Rivera), on the other Palumbo, for whom playing well was a duty
The Champions League didn’t treat us well. Okay, let’s go back to the Serie A courtyard, where players and scorers fight. Banister arguments, cloying and senseless, because the so-called gamers are the most ferocious achievers: they cultivate the beautiful game because it is easier to win that way. Ancient feud. But once upon a time polemicists had a different impetus and other authority. Sixty years ago the most famous match. On the one hand, the great Gianni Brera, the signature of the Day at the time, theorist of a defensive and practical football, justified by our atavistic athletic shortcomings. He admired the tough Uruguayans more than the puny Abatini (Rivera). He also explained it in Latin, paraphrasing Virgil: “Timeo Urugagios et male ludentes”. Even if they play badly.
THE CLASHES WITH BRERA
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For the Neapolitan School, however, playing well was a duty and the divine Rivera was an ideological icon. At the helm of the School, Gino Palumbo, head of sport at Corriere della Sera, future director of the Gazzetta, and Antonio Ghirelli, director of Corriere dello Sport. Brera, a subtle provocateur, called them “conterronei” or Pulcinella. They exchanged articles of fire. Palumbo, who had already defeated a colleague in a first-blood sword duel, faced Brera that day in April ’66, in the stands, before a Brescia-Turin match: “Ah, you’re here…”. And he gave him a slap. Giuan, who had boxed during his university years in Pavia, knocked him down with a one-two to the face. Gamers and achievers. The championship starts again today. Inter are on the run with their good game and 50 goals, but the tough AC Milan fans, unbeaten in 21 games, believe in it a lot, “et male ludentes”.
