The forgotten ex-Italian striker who ‘silenced’ Chelsea and Stamford Bridge
Former Italian striker Pasquale Luiso recalls his time at Vicenza, especially his goal at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea in the Cup Winners’ Cup and explains why he rejected offers from Milan, Lazio and Roma: ‘I preferred being a small-club top scorer.’
Former Vicenza star Luiso released an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport to talk about his career as a footballer, during which he scored 25 goals in 87 Serie A matches.
The former Italian striker became an icon in the 90s for his bicycle kick goals, especially one against Milan in 1996.
Luiso was playing for Piacenza back then, bagging 14 goals in 32 appearances, attracting interest from many top clubs in Italy.
“Both Milan and Roma wanted me. The following year, Lazio too. But I always said no,” he said.
“I wanted to play, not to be the fourth striker. I preferred being a small-club top scorer to being one of many on a big team. Of course, maybe two forwards get injured, and you play, but I was afraid of rotting on the bench.
“It was a different kind of football back then. On the pitch, we used to really go at each other. I remember clashes with Montero; we’d beat each other up for 90 minutes,” he continued.
“Then, off the pitch, we were friends. Same thing against Andrea Sottil, as well as Ferrara and Nesta. They were incredibly strong defenders, and every match against them felt like a war.”
In the summer of 1997, despite requests from Milan and Roma, Luiso joined Vicenza.
“I couldn’t have made a better decision. Guidolin was a master, even if we didn’t talk much. Practically, never,” he recalled.
“He said he didn’t want to hug us or give us compliments. Football, for him, was his fake world. He limited himself to the pitch and the dressing room; for everything else, he kept to himself. And I think he paid a bit for that. On top of that, he was incredibly superstitious. He would put plasters on his fingers because he used to bite them so much…”
During the 1997-98 season, Vincenza beat Chelsea 1-0 at home in the first leg of the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup semifinal. They went on to lose the decider 3-1 at Stamford Bridge, with Luiso scoring the only goal for the Italian side.
“So many memories! We won the first leg at the Menti, and in the return match, I scored, silencing the opposing fans,” said the ex-Italian striker.
“I even told them to shut up, since they were booing. I also had a goal disallowed, which should have stood. Who knows how it would have gone otherwise? Gianluca Vialli played against us. He was my absolute idol. When I was a kid, I used to wear my socks down in his honour. He gave me his shirt, and I still keep it today like a relic.”
Luiso never got to make his senior Italy debut, but had been long considered by the Azzurri coach back then, Cesare Maldini.
“Look, I was an ‘unpolished’ footballer. I couldn’t juggle the ball twice in a row,” Luiso admitted.
“I came through with hunger and the desire to conquer the world. On the pitch, I was unbearable for both teammates and opponents. I wasn’t pleasant to watch. Just the fact that [Cesare] Maldini thought about me was already a source of pride. And besides, in my time, there would have had to be an epidemic. Up front, we had phenomenal players.”
The situation of Italian football is much different now.
“I’m not saying this out of arrogance, but I think today I would score goals at will and probably be a starter for the national team,” Luiso said.
“When I played, everything was different. It was another kind of football.
“I’m enjoying life now. I’d like to return to football, but I don’t know,” he concluded.
“Nobody has ever called me. Maybe it’s because I’m not very social, and I’ve never sold myself well. I run a car rental business with my brother, and sometimes I go and help out.”