Former Italy and Milan boss Arrigo Sacchi admits he thought about his Italy side losing the 1994 World Cup Final on penalties against Brazil when Croatia beat the Seleçao on Friday and believes Argentina made an ‘unforgivable mistake’ against the Netherlands.
Sacchi led Italy to the World Cup Final in the USA in 1994, but the Azzurri lost on penalties in Pasadena, seeing Roberto Baggio, their best player in the tournament, send the last penalty shootout over the crossbar.
“The Croatians never gave up and hid the ball to the Brazilians,” Sacchi wrote in his La Gazzetta Dello Sport column.
“They conquered the semi-final on penalties. They were more determined than the Brazilians, who will now understand how much it hurts to lose on penalties. Unfortunately, I know something about it and I confess that, by watching the match on TV, I thought about the emotions and feelings of Pasadena in 1994.
“The match between Argentina and the Netherlands was not as interesting technically,” continued the former coach.
“I didn’t see much quality in the first half, only when Leo Messi had the ball the lights turned on. Nobody wanted to take risks with five defenders for Argentina and five for the Netherlands. Van Gaal’s teams are usually attacking-minded, but the Dutch were more defensive in this World Cup.
“When Argentina went 2-0 up, Van Gaal, threw in his tall strikers, adding centimetres and battling physically. A right move, but Argentina made an unforgivable error. They should not have allowed the Dutch to go close to the goal and keep a high line. I repeat: if you bring the undertaker at home, it means that there is a dead.”
Sacchi, a former Milan, Parma and Atletico Madrid coach, won one Serie A title and one Supercup with the Rossoneri and lifted the Champions League, the UEFA Supercup and the Clubs’ World Cup twice.
He coached Italy from 1991 until 1996, winning 34 of his 52 games in charge of the Azzurri. Italy lost the World Cup Final in 1994 and were eliminated in the group stage at the Euros in 1996, the only two major international tournaments played under Sacchi.