“It’s difficult to compare players from the
past and the present,” declares Marco Tardelli, his black and white heart
beating faster as he excitingly passes judgement on Juventus’ energetic Torino-born
number eight. Tardelli stands as undoubtedly one of The Bianconeri’s most iconic warriors. Tenaciously hounding down
helpless opponents when his side lacked possession, as well as bearing a knack
for integral goals, the five-time Serie A winner was a selfless soldier who relentlessly
charged around Stadio Olimpico di Torino
to the delight of the passionate tifosi
under Giovanni Trappatoni. He also speaks as one of the most decorated footballers
in the history of the sport with a clean sweep of European club honours, only
lacking a European Championship medal at international level. All this just
gives more credibility to the praise he directs towards the twenty-six year old
who is expected to line up at Stamford Bridge this Wednesday night. “I see
myself in Marchisio”, Tardelli cries. “In my view he is stronger than I was”.
Claudio Marchisio was a Juventino from his
first breath. Born the youngest child to Stefano and Anna, the Marchisio family
were passionate, season ticket holding supporters at the Stadio Delle Alpi.
Their talented son was present at the stadium as a ballboy on the crisp
winter’s day of December 4th 1994 when a sublime Alessandro DelPiero finish completed a glorious comeback victory against Juventus’ Tuscan
enemies Fiorentina. It was never any surprise that Claudio’s calling in life
was to represent the family’s beloved Old Lady. Prior to his first audition for
a place in the Turin side’s academy a young Claudio, even at the tender age of
seven, was aware that he was in partaking in “a very special examination”. The
youngster was aided by the fact that his father, as important a figure in his
career as anyone else, taught him to play two-footed at the age of four.
Mini-Marchisio’s ambition to join his beloved club was the catalyst to developing
a ruthless determination within him, concentrating on the final match of the
trial where, after placing himself up front, he tried to score as many goals as
possible.
While progressing through the youth ranks
Marchisio adapted his style of play, regressing from an advanced trequartista
to become a capable, all-round central midfielder. At the age of sixteen World
Cup winning manager Marcello Lippi, who would later hand Claudio his
international debut, began recruiting the boy who was allegedly playing second
fiddle to Sebastian Giovinco in the Juventus youth system to train with the
first team. Once Lippi had left Fabio Capello backed his predecessor’s
judgement and followed suit, giving the youngster a chance to train with his
idol Del Piero, Pavel Nedved and his current manager Antonio Conte amongst
others. Working alongside, as well as learning from players of that calibre
only reinforced Claudio’s ambition to become a professional footballer for the
club he loved, and with him on the cusp of achieving that he (with the support
of Stefano) dropped off the education ladder, willing to throw the abundance of
commitment in his passionate soul towards becoming an icon for his fellow
Juventino.
Juventus’ demotion to Serie B as a result
of the Calciopoli scandal was a blessing in disguise for their blossoming
midfielder, with Didier Deschamps handing him the games he required to gain
accustomed to representing a club of the stature of the Turin giants. After
gaining 26 appearances Marchisio had proven he could slot into a side bubbling
over with seasoned internationals who decided to stay at the club despite an
enforced relegation. However despite impressing both he and best-friend
Giovinco were loaned out to Empoli the following season in order to improve the
likelihood of acquiring ninety minutes week in week out. On their return to the
full Juventus side the elder outshone the miniature Giovinco, earning his place
in Claudio Ranieri’s first eleven. Starring in the side around the turn of the
new year Marchiso consistently produced impressive displays alongside a number
of different midfield companions (even Christian Poulson), winning the club’s
Player of the Month competition for December, while also receiving the first
comparisons between his style of play and Tardelli’s.
The road to the top however wasn’t always
smooth. Politicians as well as fans of some sets of supporters demanded
Marchisio be dropped from the Italian National team prior to the World Cup in
2010 after being filmed allegedly manipulating the lyrics to the national
anthem. By claiming the words Ché schiava
di Roma were injected into the pulsating song, people were accusing the
midfielder of slurring Rome or indeed Italian politics (perhaps justifiably).
Marchisio claimed he had tripped up over his words as the backing track being
played was slower than what the Italians were usually used to hearing while his
more experienced team-mates such as Gianluigi Buffon, captain Fabio Cannavaro
and his manager Lippi all publicly defended the then 24 year old. Clearly
unperturbed, on the field the following season Marchisio was one of the few bright
lights in a miserable campaign in Turin, signing his second five year deal in
just over two years at the end of the season. Claudio charged his father with
the responsibility of negotiating that contract, relieving his agent of his
duties in the process, stating “I have the certainty that people from my own
family will really serve my interests.” While entrusting a family member to act
as an agent is not unusual in the world of football, one gets the feeling that
with Stefano not only does he have his son’s best interest at heart, but also
what is best for his beloved Juventus. The Marchisio family would rather be
rich in happiness than rich in the bank.
Buoyed by his new long-term commitment to
the club and transformed under former Juventus legend and former teammate,
Antonio Conte, Marchiso enjoyed his most successful season at the European
giants last year, thriving under Conte’s dynamic system which paired himself
and Arturo Vidal as midfield shuttlers and charged them with the responsibility
of allowing Andrea Pirlo the luxury of a pocket of space to dictate play from
deep in the middle of the park. The influence of Stefano remained, with the
father constantly offering his son advice, praise and criticism despite his
elevation on the global stage. “After each game I call my father on the phone,
his judgement is fundamental to me”, claims a clearly humble Claudio. Prior to
the campaign Marchisio senior set his son the target of ten goals spread out
over the entire season. After twelve games the in-form talisman had racked up
six goals from play before reaching the set target, finishing the season as the
squad’s second highest scorer as they remained unbeaten during a successful
Serie A season. The diamond of the Juventus midfield Pirlo knows “if I give
Claudio the ball, he knows what to do”, but he’s also aware that he can’t shine
without the Italian father-of-two willingly emptying his lungs on a weekly
basis for him.
One factor which has contributed to
Juventus’s promising beginning to the current season is the fact that Conte has
enhanced Il Principino’s role as a
leader, exemplified when the player maturely attempted to defuse the potentially
damaging situation during Euro 2012 where Antonio Cassano made a homophobic
slur in response to a misplaced question considering the team were taking part
in the second most important international football tournament in the world. “One
almost has the impression that he does not really want to become an adult”,
Marchisio bemoaned, highlighting the superior maturity the Juventus man has in
comparison to his teammate four years his senior. However along with this added
maturity has come an innate desire to create history, and make the name
Marchisio resonate around Europe. That means no more Tardelli comparisons. “I’ve
always been honoured by the comparison with one of the greats of the world
game, but I think the time has arrived that we only talk about Marchisio,"
the tifosi member announced during
the summer. “I am old enough and mature enough to perhaps be seen as a
reference point for younger players”. However one feels that the only way to
banish the two constantly being mentioned alongside each other is to begin to
emulate the unprecedented level of success Marco Tardelli enjoyed during his
own career thirty years ago. With Champions League football on his plate this
season he now has the chance to appease his appetite, beginning with the clash
with the defending Champions of Europe this week. However even should that
happen it is unlikely the post-game phone-calls with Stefano will cease.
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