One of the most striking images of World Cup in Spain 1982 that went down in history was the brutal marking to which he was subjected Diego Armando Maradona by Claudius Gentile in an unforgettable Italy-Argentina played a hot afternoon on June 29, 1982 in the now disappeared Sarria Stadium in Barcelona and that ended with a 2-1 victory for the ‘Azzurra’.
Son of Sicilians emigrated to Libya, gentlewhich at the time was nicknamed ‘Gaddafi’, he had a reputation for toughness and was one of the most feared defenders of the time. He was a legendary soccer player Juventuswith whom he played 414 games in 11 seasons, who also became a regular for the transalpine national team, with whom he played 71 games from 1975 to 1984.
in his day, gentle told the ‘secret’ of his very hard marking to Maradona, who was the incarnation of danger on a pitch. “I was watching videos the two days before the game. I didn’t know how to do it but I was clear about what I had to do. I couldn’t allow Maradona to turn around, to have the ball in front of our goal. He did it once and I couldn’t stop him. Avoiding him was the beginning of victory. I know that today I couldn’t repeat the marking I did to him”, admitted the Italian.
Gentile became Maradona’s shadow and did not let him breathe for a second with his constant attacks in a terrible man-to-man marking. The Italian defender offered a impressive repertoire of abruptness. He did not stop kicking, grabbing, elbowing and pushing him so that he could not play the ball. He managed to Diego get desperate and come up with a yellow card.
The referee of the Italy-Argentina de Sarrià, the Romanian Nicola Rainea, was inhibited by Gentile’s violence and, although he pointed out most of his fouls, it took him 41 minutes to caution him. According to the MD chronicle of that meeting in which sparks flew, in 40 balls played between Gentle and Maradona, the Italian was missing in 35.
The ‘Fluff’ He always remembered that match and referring to Gentile, he came to testify. “Every time I tried to receive the ball, it hit my calves. I couldn’t turn around….They didn’t kick him out! That’s what I can’t believe, it wasn’t his fault, but that of the referees,” he lamented.
Gentile, for his part, assured that “Maradona insulted me, my mother…He told me everything, but that motivated me more and I started thinking: ‘I’m doing well.’ He tried to provoke me, he expected me to go crazy.”
after that Italy-Argentinawhen they commented on the statements of Maradona against him, the Italian replied: “Football is not for dancers.” However, on the occasion of Diego’s death, at the end of 2020, the Italian, who is currently 68 years old, did not hide his admiration for the ‘Fluff’. “As a player I can only bow to his greatness,” he said.
The images of Maradona, crying, helpless, at the end of the game they went around the world. Sarrià was a funeral for the albicelestewho fell in the second phase against the goals of the Italians Marco Tardelli (57′) and Anthony Cabrini (67′). A final bit of Daniel Passarellafrom a direct free kick in the 83rd minute, was useless.
few days later, gentle raised the world Cup to the sky of Santiago Bernabeu with the then president of Italy, Sandro Pertinias a euphoric witness, to a 3-1 victory against West Germany, thanks to goals from Paolo Rossi, Marco Tardelli and Alessandro Altobelli.
Oscar Zarate
