Blog: Saint Nicola
If Juventus are going to make a serious title assault then Antonio Labbate feels that born-again Christian Nicola Legrottaglie could be key.
God truly does work in mysterious ways. Well, He does if you take into account the parable of Nicola Legrottaglie. Having arrived at Juventus for £6m in 2003 after a transfer tug-of-war with Roma, the defender had to wait until last term to finally make the kind of contribution that many expected from him when he left Chievo five years ago.
It’s been some journey for the Bari-native since then. Touching down in Turin with bottle-enhanced hair, white boots, a headband and a playboy lifestyle, he certainly looked the part. His performances, though, suggested otherwise and an early error in an American friendly against Manchester United underlined that there may have been more style over substance to him.
Almost overnight the 1976-born stopper went from an Italian international in the making to an outcast. A regular sinner at the back for the Bianconeri with a series of performances that nobody would have worshipped, Legrottaglie was sent out on loan to firstly Bologna and then Siena.
It was his experience with the latter which changed his life. Something of a lost soul in the high profile world of Italian football, Nicola was shown the light by teammate Tomas Guzman. “He taught me how to open up my heart and ask Jesus to enter,” recalled Legrottaglie. “I was struggling with self pity and he told me to look to Jesus because only he can change your life.”
That’s certainly happened on and off the pitch. Voted as one of football’s sexiest players by a magazine, Legrottaglie revealed in January of this year that the recognition of his looks was pointless. “I’ve not had sex for two years and it hasn’t been a burden,” he noted. “I used to panic if I wasn’t with a woman every four or five days, but it no longer bothers me. It’s not because I don’t like women, I’m just waiting for the right one.”
Recalled to Turin in the aftermath of the club’s Calciopoli punishment, his Serie B action was limited by shoulder surgery. But he certainly made his presence felt last term. Thrown into the side alongside Giorgio Chiellini, after Jorge Andrade’s knee went crack [as it did again recently] and Domenico Criscito struggled under the pressure, Legrottaglie was a Godsend for boss Claudio Ranieri as an accomplished centre-back.
Juventus will arguably need him to mirror those kind of displays again this term. Although the club have brought in two new defenders, the Old Lady’s backline is their weakest department. Olof Mellberg was a good signing given that he cost absolutely nothing, but he’s hardly assured a starting shirt. Then there is Dario Knezevic who needs to prove that he deserves to wear a jersey as glamorous as the Bianconeri one. After all, Juve had to beat Torino to his signature, not Milan!
With that in mind, one shouldn’t underestimate the importance of Legrottaglie to this present Juventus side. He may not be the greatest defender on the planet, but he’s deserved his second chance in life and on the field of play. I think most of us would say amen to that.
http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/blogs/al49.html