C97
Article
Venice
Triumph
David
Blamey & Paul O'Neill
 |
| Fiona
Tan (Indonesia), Video still |
To
be fair, it was more of a party than a contest. Most people had
come to celebrate with friends, enjoy the spectacle in the sunshine
and get entertained.
To describe
the game as a competitive match would be taking the piss, although
there were four goals and for a half hour at least it looked like
a game of football. Empoli arrived at the Venice lagoon for what
technically only amounted to a friendly. With no incentive to either
side, why spoil the party with a proper match after all? But professionals
to the finish, when the team created an opportunity to score, the
ball was put where it belongs - in the back of the net. Both teams
that is. Respect to opponents Empoli who don't give away free gifts
and as if to prove it Lacopino scored twice and the season ends
at The Penzo without injuries and that's got to count for something.
It was always Venice's destiny to end the game in glory.
 |
|
| Wolfgang
Tilmans (Belgium), Lumumba, 2000 (detail) |
Tatsumi
Orimoto (Japan),
artist's mother
|
There was room
for everybody to get a run-out in a contest like this. Second half
substitutions included the reserves, Maldonado and Cento, while
Prandelli kept Bettarini on the bench. This was never going to be
a game to tax either team's strategical or tactical nous. The purpose
was to get to the end of 90 minutes. Get the job done. Having achieved
their dream the week before, Venice played to party. By finishing
second in the table Venice has avoided the play-offs and therefore
three more matches in the Coppa Italia. Making further demands on
the team to win this match would be like asking a pupil to do homework
revision on the last day of school.
Where does
one begin? For starters we have the streaking', an Anglo-Saxon tradition
of running bollock naked. A young man, Maestrello, jumps the fence
and sprints a lap with his kit off, and carefree around the ground.
It causes neither scandal or indignation from the crowd. Everybody
laughs and cheers loudly. When he makes his final perfect dive into
the goal mouth at the home end an ovation is heard throughout the
stadium as if he had stuck one in for the team during the match.
The anticipation
is unbearable, people chant for the players. "About time, about
time," sing The Pittura Freska at the tops of their voices. Skardy
conducts the faithful chorus. Party, above all, par-tee. There is
also the small matter of the match, but it is merely a formality
because this time nothing will happen if Venice loses. Party, above
all, party - choreography, colours, joy. Venice returns to Serie
A. This is what we're all here for. We are the witnesses. But the
height of the celebration is tinged with sadness. The joyful home
end has not forgotten their absent friend. If he were here, "il
Bae" would have been more euphoric than anyone. And Francesco, his
wife is here, in the middle of them all, alive. His mother is here
too, Mrs Romor. She hugs the fans and is reduced to tears as she
acknowledges the call from the crowd for her daughter-in-law, Francesca.
It's a difficult day for her, but she knows she will never be alone
with friends and memories like these.
 |
Pierre
Huyghe (France), video still (detail) |
The joy continues.
Flares explode into the sky. Coloured smoke fills the stadium. Orange,
black, green - a magical sight. The teams enter the ground and the
stadium erupts. Even the players want to celebrate, almost all of
them are on the field with their children. There is Zamparini with
his young son. The 'Lupo' holds hands with the 'Lupetti' who is
the spitting image of his father. They all wear the Venezia shirt.
One kid, 'Maniero Junior', encouraged by the crowd, dribbles the
ball into the net and the home end explodes again. There is also
the baby Bettarini; Giacomino opens his big eyes and waits for the
beginning of the match before nodding off in the arms of his mother.
A banner is held up to celebrate Luppi and Pedone for the last moments
of their Venetian adventure. This was a match played on the terraces.
You sing the
'O-le,ole ole ole', wave the Mexican wave and you never stop singing.
And then the
whistle blows. Kick-off. Lacopino runs forty metres and puts one
past Brivio, sending Venice behind by 0-1, but nobody thinks the
day would be spoiled by that. When the referee, Bolognino, awards
a penalty for a cynical chop on Bazzani, the home end calls for
the goalkeeper Brivio to take it. He runs the full length of the
pitch and places the ball on the spot. With a wry glance towards
the bench, he slots the ball into the net. Come the hour, come the
keeper. Venice must have the best attack in the B league - even
the goalkeeper can score! Honours even at 1-1. "Who cares about
Ronaldo, we have Brivio - goal!" and so they go on singing. A couple
of minutes later Bazzani puts in a cross from Sotgia, making it
2-1 to the home team. Then Lacopino converts a vicious penalty,
the ball flies by the post. Brivio makes a brave attempt to save
it, but the ball has already crossed the line. Level at 2-2. And
that's about it on the footie, the match has already delivered everything
so now it's time to savour the moment of success. The pace slows
down to a snail's and even when a goal by Maini is disallowed, there
is no protest.
 |
Paolo
Baratta (Italy), Biennale di Venezia President |
But the biggest
spectacle is reserved for the beginning of the second half when
fireworks produce a tricolour kaleidoscope which elevated the singing
further with chants of, "We are going to Serie A." 16 minutes into
the second half, Luppi leaves the field. This match marks a triumph
for him, substituted by Prandelli, giving him his curtain call.
The players give up the game to embrace him. Even the referee goes
to see what's happening. Luppi bows out gracefully and the voice
of the home crowd carries him on his way. He is hugged by the whole
team. With pride, the captain closes his Venetian career with two
Serie A promotions and a knife-edged finale to end the season. It's
almost as good as winning the championship itself. Luppi is overcome
with emotion as he leaves. The fans show their appreciation. The
match carries on around his departure but his players are more interested
in sharing the grand exit, and they accompany him to the tunnel
for the last time. The captain joins the faithful on the terraces
for the remainder of the match.
Seven minutes
before the end of time the pitch at The Penzo is invaded by the
fans. Maniero has just spat on it, but who cares? No longer able
to contain their emotion they scramble for mementos of the occasion.
They compete for shirts, a piece of Maldonado's sock, Marasco's
sleeve. The referee, Bolognini, threatens to end the match there
and then. The teams kill time by playing keep-ball until the final
whistle goes. Thankfully, there is no time added for injury on a
match that never began as a contest. The game is over. Venice has
triumphed. Cesare Prandelli has triumphed, now almost suffocated
under a gang hug. The ground refuses to go silent, the stands call
for Simona Ventura and the fight for autographs begins.
 |
| Tuomo
Manninen (Finland), Group photo |
What a day. The
crowd floods into the streets still cloaked in orange, black and green
and the party proceeds along the lagoon past the Giardini di Castello
and on to San Marco. Sant' Elena reintroduces calmness and the cats
go back to the stadium. Colours, joy, hope. Another piece of history
is written in Venice. Seeing the crowd dancing and singing, "Pope
oe, Pope oe" makes you want to throw yourself into the middle of the
party and celebrate the glory of the Old Lion. Venezia makes a triumphant
return to Serie A and it only took a year to get there. Not over thirty
like the last time. We were there to experience it and what a glorious
party it turned out to be. An afternoon of happiness for the fans
in orange, black and green. The fiesta begins as the team returns
to the league that counts. Venezia, all crazy for Serie A! Today is
for celebration. Once again, Venice takes its place among the giants
of football. Venezia were always meant to be in Serie A. And the club
will be there for longer than just a couple of seasons this time.
The promotion
to top flight football three years ago was more exciting and thrilling
than this time you could say. True, but for a reason. Three years
ago being in Serie A was a new thing for many of the fans. And even
for the team promotion marked an entrance into a football world
that they had only previously existed in in a dream. So this time
re-entry should be enjoyed with caution and hopefully a lesson can
be learned from past mistakes.
This victorious
Venezia team was put together during the Summer of 2000 and revolutionised
through the Winter. Some of the badly-chosen foreign players (does
anybody remember Ahinful or Zeigbo?) were transferred and the Uruguayan
wizard, Alvaro Recoba - who famously scored from a penalty which
saved the team - was signed.
Today's celebration
will not be the end of the road either. It's only the beginning.
From this moment on Venice is a Serie A team and has to perform
accordingly, in the transfer market, in the boardroom and at the
bank. Being in Serie A is an honour for the whole city as well as
for the supporters. True glory and respect comes with the responsibility
to succeed both on and off the football pitch.
Venice has
been the target of much ridicule. Its harshest critics have called
it cold, indifferent to the game and ideologically caught between
the desire to squeeze money out of Japanese tourists and the wish
to cloister itself in a museum culture. But it is different from
all other cities, singular in its uniqueness...
The team has
now proved that Venice needs a new stadium. This is something the
City Council can no longer ignore. A new stadium would bring Venice
up to speed with a growing interest in the game today. It would
also encourage investment and in time it would put more silverware
into the Penza trophy cabinet.
Although attendances
have been low, the fans are loyal and well-behaved. This year Venice
supporters were first in the fight against racism. By tackling the
issue head on, Venice demonstrated a degree of civility that was
missing elsewhere in the Veneto region. Or in other parts of Italy
too. This good work will have to spread throughout Serie A if the
Italian fans - who have previously unleashed a torrent of racist
behaviour, violence and wickedness - are to compete in Europe and
meet that standards that are common practice elsewhere in football.
This is a match that the Venetian public will have to win.
