Luigi Apolloni: “Veron runs for three and cares a lot about the team”

Two seasons under Carlo Ancelotti, second place, Parma’s best Serie A result, their Champions League debut and the regret of not winning the wounded Scudetto. Season 1998-1999. Many changes, Alberto Malesani came to the ducal bench, Boghossian, Fuser and, above all, Juan Sebastian veron He arrived changing the midfield and supporting the squad of the former Florentina coach.

The Argentine Witch stayed in Emilia for almost a year, enough time to show her qualities and contribute to the conquest of Italian Cup and UEFA Cup.

In an exclusive interview with ‘Golden Foot’, Luigi Apolloni, record holder of appearances in official competitions with Parma, paid tribute to Verón’s technical brilliance and technical skill, award winner Golden Foot Legend.

The 1998-1999 season, the first and only one for Juan Sebastián Verón in the Parma shirt, was a real success

“Although that season I hurt my knee during the preparation, Sebastián lived it very well. I even watched the games, I was with them in the dressing room. He always impressed me with his ability to simplify difficult plays , he kept you entertained. He ran three, for the team, although in training he did not want to be tied to tactical issues. He was able to change the game with shots from forty, fifty, seventy meters and he put it on your feet. He knows how things will turn out before they are made, he has great technical intelligence, combined with tactical skills.

Malesani, Veron, Boghossian, Fuser… the team is revolutionizing that market, what air do you breathe in the dressing room?

“You can see it in Malesani’s intense training sessions. He is a great coach, but he is also lucky to have smart players like Veron, Boghossian, a world-class defense: Buffon, Cannavaro and Thuram are the central defender and Sensini is the main player. You understand that it was a stratospheric team. It’s a shame that I can’t be a champion in a team like that because in defense they have players there, on the wings Vanoli and Benarrivo, there’s also Mussi. In midfield Dino Baggio, Veron, Boghossian, Fuser … in front of him Crespo, Chiesa, Stanic is there. He has a great team that is expected to really entertain people and look forward to this blessed championship that unfortunately Parma didn’t win.”

Crespo, Verón, Sensini… how much did the Argentine midfielder contribute to make that Parma great?

“There is no doubt that they are key players. Crespo was and continues to be Parma’s most loved player. Verón came from Sampdoria, he only did one year, but everyone remembers the qualities he had. The same for Sensini. Néstor is one of those players who are more flexible, more useful for Scala’s Parma and then for Malesani and Ancelotti. A footballer who was able to fulfill several roles, his personality and the his knowledge is also important for the integration of other players.”

Decisive with his talent in midfield, but also in the opposite area, especially in the Italian Cup. From a human perspective, which player was Verón at Parma?

“Inside the locker room he is a calm, thoughtful player. But when he says something he does it with a sense of ownership. He is an example, even in training he often fights with Malesani because Sebastián likes to do intense things, like sparring. Fights. Although that Malesani often deals with the tactical aspect that Verón isn’t too fond of. I’m just telling you that sometimes Verón shot the ball poorly, not out of frustration, but to clearly prefer the sparring games during training. In the end, however, Malesani understood that the only way to make the team work was finding a compromise, take care of the tactical part, yes, but also play games. Sometimes he even joins the group to make it clear that he is listening, but others they have to listen to you her.”

Besides the victories in the Italian Cup and the UEFA Cup, is there any anecdote, any special memory that connects you specifically to Verón and that Parma?

“Because of my injury I came back at the end of the season and played only two games, against Inter in the last twenty minutes and the last half hour against Lazio in Rome, after winning the Italian Cup and the UEFA Cup. Sebastián is a that He loves being with the team, I remember he invited me with Asprilla, Crespo and Sensini to his house for a barbecue. and he cares a lot about the team. I have never seen anyone run like him, in a game he ran and chased everything. A few years ago, when I was coaching Parma in Serie B, he visited me at the Collecchio sports center and together we remember those years. He made me very happy”.