Guglielmo Vicario has dispelled the preconceptions

The last time he took to the pitch at the Allianz Stadium in Turin was on 21 October 2022; he was playing for Empoli and didn’t exactly set the world alight. He conceded four goals, and in three of those instances he was not entirely blameless. Supporters naturally have long memories, and preconceptions about a player – even if based on just one match in his career – have a life of their own.

At the Allianz Stadium, Guglielmo Vicario returned almost four years later, this time wearing the Juventus shirt. On his first appearance, a week ago, he made neither a positive nor a negative impression, before being substituted due to cramp: in any case, it was not a great introduction to his new supporters. On Saturday 29 August, therefore, the Bianconeri goalkeeper needed to dispel long-standing preconceptions and start afresh – in short, to give the new supporters some reason to believe that their team’s goal was in safe hands.

In the 63rd minute of the match against Parma, Guglielmo Vicario provided a decisive intervention, stretching out to his right to parry José David Romero’s powerful, angled header.

A save that came two minutes after Nicolás González’s goal had put the Bianconeri ahead; four minutes after Edoardo Corvi’s superb save had denied Nicolás González the joy of scoring (a spectacular save, perhaps even better than Vicario’s); and about ten seconds after the one – difficult, but not too difficult – with which he had parried the first shot from Parma’s centre-forward.

Making saves and keeping your cool so you can remain clear-headed to make more saves is often what distinguishes an excellent goalkeeper from a good one. Doing so in a new stadium, with teammates you’ve only been playing alongside for a few weeks, makes it all the more difficult.

1. Guglielmo Vicario in the 63rd minute of Juventus v Parma 2–0 – 5 points

2. Edoardo Corvi in the 59th minute of Juventus v Parma 2–0 – 3 points

3. Elia Caprile in the 52nd minute of Cagliari v Inter 0–1 – 1 point

1. Chrīstos Mandas (Lazio), 6 points
2. Guglielmo Vicario (Juventus), 5 points
3. Edoardo Corvi (Parma) and Maduka Okoye (Udinese), 3 points
5. Elia Caprile (Cagliari), 1 point

 

What you have just read is ‘Guanti sporchi’, a light-hearted football-themed piece about Serie A’s number ones and the save that somehow made the football weekend better – at least from the perspective of that minority who dress differently from the rest on the pitch. You can find all previous instalments here.