Former Serie A referee Nicola Rizzoli recalls a classy gesture from Roberto Baggio during a tense Serie A match between Lazio and Brescia: ‘We won’t make things difficult for you.’
Baggio is rightly regarded as one of the greatest Italian players ever, as his class and style inspired millions of fans in Italy and abroad.
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His quality, however, was not only about his ability with the ball, as former referee Rizzoli told Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I refereed my second Serie A match at the Olimpico in Rome, Lazio against Brescia,” Rizzoli said.
Baggio told referee: ‘Let me know’ if my players put you under pressure
“I was about 29-30 years old. It had the potential to be a difficult game, but I felt good. You could have expected a 2-0 or 3-0 win for Lazio, but after four minutes, Luigi Di Biagio scored, and Brescia went ahead. The match changed in terms of tension and dynamics; it didn’t become easy.
“Between the first and second half, as we were going back onto the pitch, Baggio came up to me and said: ‘Look, you’re refereeing really well.’ He didn’t know who I was. Then he added: ‘We won’t make things difficult for you. If any of my players tries to put you under pressure, tell me. I’ll take care of it.’
Roberto Baggio performs his stretching exercises, 23 May, during the first day of the Italian team’s preparations for the upcoming World Championships in France. EPA PHOTO/ANSA/MONTEFORTE
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“That gives you an idea of the willingness to let you do your job properly, even though I was just a young referee that nobody knew,” Rizzoli concluded.
“These kinds of moments help you understand the athletes’ level.”
Rizzoli went on to become one of the most respected Italian referees, officiating many big games, domestically and abroad, such as the 2014 World Cup Final between Germany and Argentina and the 2012-13 Final between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.
