In the fortieth anniversary of the Roma scudetto of 1983, Giorgio Porrà tells the human and sporting story of the captain of that tricolor Rome: Agostino Di Bartolomei, an iconic and unforgettable figure for Roma supporters and all sports enthusiasts. Appointment Thursday 9 March on Sky Sport Uno at 17 and at half past midnight. Available on demand
Appointment with the new episode from the original production of Sky Sports, “The Sunday Man. Agostino Di Bartolomei – Straight to the heart”from Thursday 9 March at 17 and at 00.30 on Sky Sport Uno and streaming on NOW. Also available on demand. “He had a long name, complicated for the titlists, for stadium chants” writes Porrà. “Inevitable to shorten it. Augustine Di Bartolomei became Ago o Rightbasically more in line with his nature, dry style, with that hermetic way of relating to the world.”
The 1983 Scudetto
The Roman player and Romanist, above all had a great talent for the game and for command. He had wrist and long throw, balance and dynamite in his feet. He was, with Liedholm and Falcao, the brains, the captain of the Roma championship in ’83, that the following year she would stumble upon bad luck in the Champions Cup final with Liverpool at the Olympic.
A man of rare sensitivity
“But he was a man, Di Bartolomei, even of rare sensitivity – continues the narrative path of “The Sunday man”. The low profile, the soul armored in a fist, the gaze always beyond, or turned on oneself, within oneself, to continuously investigate one’s own many worries”. An enthralling, tormented, instructive human and sporting adventure like few others. Like Ago’s mission, the sentimental defense of the game, of its essence. And with that dramatic terminus of the 30 maggio 1994 – exactly 10 years after the lost final – to impose many reflections even decades after his detachment.
Liedholm, Cerezo and Falcao
A touching and engaging episode, which goes beyond sport, to become a biography and existential excursus, without omitting hints of characters linked to the parable of Ago: Nils Liedholm first of all. It was precisely the “Baron” a change his life, to transform the supposed slowness of the player Di Bartolomei into a lethal weapon. It was enough for him to move a few pawns in his line-up, convinced as he was that making him turn around often would help them “see the world from other perspectives”, as the coach said with his razor-sharp irony. They are also included in the story of the episode cherry tree e Falcaothe green-gold share, e other protagonists of that season. Also included are firearms and that concern for self-defense that stratified in Di Bartolomei’s private life (like other players in that period), lighting the long silent fuse that many years later would have caused his life to explode.
At 39 he chose to open the last door, slipping into the dark
“That day, a San Marco of Castellabate, in Cilento, his refuge, his exile – writes Porrà- Agostino Di Bartolomei, at 39, chose to open the last door alone, slipping into the dark. And leaving behind an uninterrupted trail of pain. Along with too many unanswered questions.” But before the epilogue, the story goes through that very bitter one 30 May ’84: the final against Liverpool at the Olimpico, with the ominous omen of an eclipse of the sun and the final gridiron of the sequence from the penalty spot, after goals from Neal and Pruzzo in regular time, “with the drunken dances of goalkeeper Grobbelaar, hypnotizing Conti, Graziani, the entire stadium. To make him collapse in sobs, like the Maracana in the ’50 World Cup.”
The testimonies of Tancredi, Nela, Chierico and Amendola
They contribute to the portrait of Diba le unpublished interviews issued to “L’Uomo della Domenica” by former teammates Franco Tancredi, Sebino Nela, Odoacer Clerico, who once again analyze the background of that sequence of penalties, with the heavy absence of Falcao of which much has been discussed. Then the comments of those who help us dig above all into the human mystery of the protagonist: the actor Claudius Amendolawho has Di Bartolomei’s tattoo on one calf, the writer and journalist Giancarlo Dottothe writer-fan Sandro Bonvissutothe journalist Michele Plastinodirector of Radio Sportiva.
Some quotes from the episode
“Agostino was the perfect captain of a football team: the captains of the past were great men and great players. He represented everything you ask of a great captain: sense of belonging, technical prowess, tactics and all these things.” Sebino Nela
“He was the one who led the team because he had a midfield mentality, but Agostino was above all a human guide.” Michele Plastino
“Inside the locker room there were strong personalities, but when Agostino spoke we were all silent and listened. He thought of us first and then of himself.” Franco Tancredi
“He had this imploded, ventriloquist’s voice that remained inside him, that never managed to emerge… With that gunshot, for the first time, his voice reached everyone clear and definitive”. Giancarlo Dotto
“I have Agostino tattooed on my calf, he’s the captain of my generation, he was the one who gave us strength and dignity, with his being Roman and Romanist, with his aplomb that put him above the others, that’s why he was Captain”. Claudius Amendola
“After his retirement from football I thought that Agostino had made a choice that I would have liked too: to go to another place to be calm, I thought he was happy, that he was fine. But it wasn’t like that.” Odoacer Cleric
“Today we are used to seeing players who put their hands on their faces, threaten. Not our captain, his character led him to this form of respect, which wasn’t vassalage, because then he said the things he had to say, but with his hands behind his back “. Sandro Bonvissuto
The Sunday Man: Agostino Di Bartolomei-Straight to the heart
Appointment Thursday 9 March on Sky and streaming on NOW. Available on demand. First steps up Sky Sport Uno at 17 and 00.30. On Sky Sports Football at 11pm.
