Euroscene: It was sharp and sunny last Thursday morning at La Pinetina, Inter Milan's training ground in the foothills of the Alps close to the Italo-Swiss border. Coach Roberto Mancini was busy setting out the plastic markers for his next training routine. As the players waited, they improvised a sort of one-touch American football game.
Predictably, amongst the most accurate passers, even with his hands, was a certain Luis Figo, one time European Player of the Year.
And 48 hours later, Figo was at it again, this time with his feet as he laid on the cross from which Brazilian Adriano headed home the winner in Inter's 1-0 triumph over Sampdoria at the San Siro last Saturday night. A week earlier, Inter ended Roma's run of 11 consecutive Serie A wins when equalising late with defender Marco Materazzi's headed goal, again set up by a perfectly weighted, precise Figo cross.
As Inter prepare to face Ajax Amsterdam in the return leg of their Champions League second round tie in Milan tonight (the sides drew 2-2 in the first leg in Amsterdam), they do so in the knowledge that, for once, one of their many annual transfer gambles has paid off.
When the Milan club hired Figo, on a free transfer from Real Madrid last summer, there were many sceptical shakes of the head. At 32-going-on-33, many reasoned, Figo must surely have long passed his "sell-by" date. After all, this is a player who had spent five seasons with Barcelona and six with Real Madrid, two of the most pressurised work environments.
We were wrong. As Inter shape up for the final, all-decisive two months of the season, they can look on Figo as one of the key figures who may yet lead them to long overdue European glory. The point was underlined by Inter owner, petrol millionaire Massimo Moratti, who told TV viewers last Saturday: "I have been delighted with the way he has played for us. He is a good, serious professional and a young player too."
Moratti's ironic reference to Figo's age probably indicates his willingness to renew the Portuguese star's contract at the end of this season. Whatever about next season, Figo has plenty of top level football to play between now and the end of a season which, of course, concludes with Portugal's participation at the Germany World Cup finals.
After the emotional stress of Portugal's Euro 2004 campaign, Figo opted for a year out of international football. However, he came back into the side last autumn and he will clearly be a key figure in the side that opens up the tournament in a group with Angola, Iran and Mexico.
Sitting in the press room at La Pinetina, in his designer-torn jeans and white trainers, he looks forward to Germany 2006 with exactly the sort of measured calm you would expect from a player whose football is nothing if not cerebral and reasoned. Does he think Portugal's Euro 2004 final loss to Greece will prove to be a major stimulant for his side? "No. That is behind us now, we just want to go to Germany and do the best we can".
How much was Portugal's defeat to Greece due to the team becoming psychologically blocked by the immense weight of national expectations in a home tournament? "It wasn't that really. We were just exhausted at the end of a very intense month and after a long and difficult tournament. If we had been a bit fresher, it might have been a different match."
Figo is always in media demand, regularly giving interviews in excellent Spanish, good English and passable Italian. What is the reason for his linguistic ability?
"I have a Swedish wife and we speak English. I have played in Spain so I learnt Spanish and then I come from a small country, I want to go out into the world and do my trade, so I have to learn other languages. It is obvious really."
What is obvious, too, is Luis Figo is an intelligent footballer, on and off the field. Starting as of tonight, that intelligence may help Inter take another step down the long and winding Champions League road.
