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Cicinho: Wing Commander
Cicinho is the latest Brazilian to head for Rome, but will he be able to live up to his potential after a disappointing spell at Real Madrid? Richard Godden certainly thinks so
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It seems as though every promising Brazilian full-back is instantly dubbed the new Roberto Carlos or Marcos Cafu. Few players have the talent to live up to these legends of the modern game, but for Cicinho there is no doubt that he has the ability to back up the hype – which is why Roma must be delighted to have recruited the former Real Madrid man for just £6m. To put it into context, that is the same as Andriy Shevchenko’s reported annual salary at Chelsea.
Unfortunately, bargains are a rarity in football and if someone is cheap there is a good reason. Cicinho’s trouble is that confidence plays far too big a part in his form. There were fears in Madrid that he was too fragile mentally to ever make it at the top, and the player’s comments shortly after arriving at the Stadio Olimpico seem to indicate that those in the Spanish capital may have had a point. “In Brazil everyone supports me, but in Madrid if I had three good games and then one bad one I would be on the bench,” he revealed. “No one can play well in every game.”
Prior to his spell with the Primera Liga outfit, everything was going rather swimmingly for the Giallorossi’s new No 3. He was a member of Brazil’s Confederations Cup winning side in 2005 before helping Sao Paulo to the Club World Cup later that year, which earned him his big move to Europe. At the time he was seen as the natural successor to Cafu for the Seleçao, but when Il Pendolino quit the international game after the World Cup, his position went to a familiar face for calcio enthusiasts – Inter’s Douglas Maicon. Things went from bad to worse for Cicinho as he damaged knee ligaments early in the 2006-07 campaign, ruling him out until the end of April.
After his prolonged rehabilitation, which was made slightly easier by the birth of his first son in January, he returned to play a minor part in Madrid’s La Liga triumph under Fabio Capello. But once the ex-Juventus tactician was axed and new boss Bernd Schuster made it clear he wouldn’t have a regular spot in the side, it was time for a change. Despite interest from elsewhere, the beauty of Rome won through – although it helped that Cicinho holds an Italian passport thanks to his grandfather.
“When I came to Rome to get my EU citizenship I was enchanted by the city,” he said. “I loved the openness of the public and playing here is just like being in Brazil. I also did my research, talking for a long time with Alexander Doni and Emerson, who spoke so very highly of Roma and the tight-knit group. I was happy in Madrid, but I will be even more so here.”
As well as Doni, Cicinho will also be joining fellow countrymen Juan, Amantino Mancini and Rodrigo Taddei, while the aforementioned Emerson is not the only Brazilian legend to represent the Giallorossi – Paulo Roberto Falcao, Aldair and Cafu also plied their trade at the Stadio Olimpico. The famous capital stadium will play host to its first Derby della Capitale in Week 10 and the 27-year-old can hardly wait to get stuck into Lazio.
“I have such a strong desire to wear this jersey and I’ve already heard about the derby – which always looked very exciting on the TV,” he beamed. “The most important thing for me in choosing a club was the history of it and this outfit certainly has plenty of that. I follow Serie A and it is very entertaining. Roma are among the favourites for the Scudetto and I cannot wait to help my teammates achieve that.”
Coach Luciano Spalletti has indicated that his new boy has a point to prove. “He is a good player, as his CV demonstrates, and now he has to show he can impress in Italian football as well.” Cicinho has no doubts about whose footsteps he’d like to follow in. “I always try to take the best from the players I admire and for me Cafu was an image I mirrored,” he insisted. “He left a mark here and I want to do the same.”
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| Words: Richard Godden – October 2007 |
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