International Friendly - Italy 1 Spain 1: Roberto Baggio closed an era when making way for Fabrizio Miccoli with a minute left. It was a night when the romantics supposed he could re-establish himself after a five-year absence from the national team, but this was instead a poignant parting on an occasion when he could not sparkle.
Seen from close up, Baggio's face is preparing itself for middle age and the greying hair is obvious from a long way off, but there will always be vaseline on the lens when his public view him. They were transfixed by him, especially on this heart-tugging occasion.
The 37-year-old is a vigorous force at the box office, packing the Stadio Luigi Ferraris and rejuvenating the careers of the ticket touts. It is futile to tell supporters here that this was only his lap of honour in the international arena before an almost certain retirement from all football in the summer.
In an age of goliaths, he is as endearing as a cartoon character. A humorist must have plotted the pre-match arrangements. The team stood in such an order that, as the national anthem was played, he might have added a new injury to his catalogue. A shoulder could have been dislocated as he threw an arm up and round the shoulders of the giant Marco Materazzi.
It is easier for Baggio to get a grip on things when the game is in motion and the crowd doted on each profitable touch. There were a few before the interval, particularly when he flipped the ball away from Juanito in the 44th minute and then earned a foul. The roars egged on Materazzi to thrash the dead ball, but the Milan centre half cunningly chipped it, only for Baggio to head disappointingly wide.
He looked what he is, an inspiring footballer who is nonetheless running out of time. Onlookers applauded a first-time curving pass to Marco De Vaio and a lay-off to Simone Perrotta while under pressure in Spain's penalty area, but they had to politely disregard the occasion when he controlled on his chest and then put the ball out for a throw-in.
Baggio should be proud he is still no misfit at this level, but football is about comparisons and they will not favour him. When Francesco Totti and Alessandro del Piero are fit and available, to say nothing of young Antonio Cassano, it is inconceivable Trapattoni will jettison one of them in order to include Baggio.
Italy cannot afford such gestures to the gallery. They are a good side, but Euro 2004 will have several sides at their level. Against their will, any observer would have been impressed by Spain's early showing. At each major tournament, the cognoscenti call them dark horses and every time they prove to be the sort of nag on which you lose your shirt.
The commitment was obvious with five Real Madrid players, not counting Monaco's loan-signing Fernando Morientes, in the starting line-up.
Gianluigi Buffon saved from Raul in the fourth minute and Bilbao's Joseba Exteberria was vibrant on the right.
A tide of substitutions washed away some of the talent, but there was a more eventful contest in the second half. Italy carelessly yielded possession for the coveted young Atletico Madrid forward Fernando Torres to give the visitors the lead. Almost immediately, Italy levelled with the powerful Christian Vieri forcing home a Stefano Fiore cross.
These, of course, were minor diversions. Baggio's slightly injured thigh coped well with the strain and the crowd waited breathlessly for his moment to come. One sudden break was ended by an off-side decision, however, and the English referee Graham Poll even wagged his finger when the veteran dived in search of a free-kick.
This was a fine occasion, yet also, surely, the end of Baggio's service to his country.
ITALY: Buffon (Peruzzi, 46); Panucci, Cannavaro (Ferrari, 46), Materazzi, Zambrotta; Perrotta (Ambrosini, 46), (Pirlo, 79) Nervo,; Fiore (Diana, 79) Baggio, Di Vaio (Favalli, 68); Vieri (Miccoli, 79). Subs not used: Oddo, Legrottaglie, Corradi.
SPAIN: Casillas (Canizares, 80); Salgado (Manuel Pablo, 46), Helguera, Juanito, Raul Bravo; Xabi Alonso , Albelda (Xavi, half-time); Exteberria , Raul (Valeron, 46), Vicente (Joaquin, half-time); Morientes (Torres, 46). Subs not used: Baraja, Cesar.
Referee: G Poll (England).
Guardian Service
