What a wonderful year. A film about his life, his favorite team returning to Serie A at the last gasp. The overwhelming, infinite passion of his people, of "his" people. A never cumbersome feeling. Yes, maybe enveloping, but they are the drawbacks of that problem called love. Some friends stop on the street and greet earthly matters, but you know that the seasons are like this, you are equipped. From those windows, from that house in the center of Cagliari life, you observe, meditate, build a fundamental routine for grasping the next day.

We understood, but it is certainly not a surprise, that Riva is still Riva, more and more, less and less a memory and more a symbol. We have realized once again that Luigi Riva - Leggiuno, 7 November 1944 - beyond the Tyrrhenian Sea continues to be imprinted on the skin of those who know, who have seen and heard. Of the many who have lived. Yesterday evening, that "Rombo di Tuono" landed from the big screen to pay TV. An early release of the film by the director who revealed: it took him twenty-two years to give me an answer, said Riccardo Milani. And you can't find someone like him around the corner. It would go something like this: “The movie? Yes, no, maybe, I don't feel like it, maybe later". Meanwhile, we played thirteen governments, we won and lost the World Cup, passing from one Ronaldo to another.

Riva, do you remember your first summer at the sea?

«Of course, from Leggiuno they took us to Cesenatico, with the bus from the college where I was staying. But I didn't have the time to enjoy myself, because we had permission for a quarter of an hour and then off we went, back to the institute».

But won't Nicola and Mauro take you for a dip?

“Yes, sometimes it happens. But I don't like sand, I like the sea with rocks. I prefer the part of the coast towards Villasimius to the others».

It will be a summer without World Cups, Europeans, you know how boring...

"Ah, there will be nothing? Oh well, never mind, I never watch them live anyway ».

Is the TV a pleasant travel companion? What does he watch?

"Yes sure. I like movies, sports events. And the news, I follow a lot of them, the news fills my day».

But did Pavoletti's goal in Bari see him again, with the bowls still?

“I didn't see him at the time, then I had the opportunity. I can't see Cagliari's matches, it's not an emotion I can bear».

There is a Roman gentleman, whom you would have helped to convince for a romantic return to Cagliari, who said verbatim: “Me as Riva? No no, leave Gigi in the Olympus of the greats”. His name is Claudio Ranieri.

«Thanks to the president, he was the one who decided on the coach's engagement. I did what little I could do. Yes, it was a great gesture, to take over the team in that moment of difficulty, then he managed Cagliari very well. The choices, the tactics, the right attitude. Indeed, I want to say that I believe the coach was the real protagonist of this extraordinary recovery. In truth, before his arrival, I didn't believe in such an impetuous comeback, but then we won here, we won there, Cagliari never lost again. And then it went as it did ».

How do you become a fan while still being the most cheered?

«Cagliari is in my blood. If I think of something, an action, one of my goals, Cagliari is always in my head».

Speaking of typhus, Silvio Berlusconi recently flew into the sky, or surrounding areas. And the ultras colored the funeral with slogans, chants and smoke bombs. What strange times...

"I did not know. I don't watch what others are doing in these public demonstrations. I keep my point of view confidential, I can say a few prayers at most. Without a doubt, he was a great president for Milan."

Another gentleman, who had Inter among his family jewels, said in a film about him that he had bought Cagliari so as not to let them pass to Juve. Word of Massimo Moratti.

«I didn't go to Juve. And I wouldn't have gone to Inter either, write it down. Then, I don't know how things actually went. I was thinking about playing. And little else."

Another gentleman, who moved from the Premier League to Cagliari to bring the team back to Serie A with his plays, said yesterday that Arab money takes away the charm of European football. His name is Gianfranco Zola.

“I'm sure of one thing. And the facts speak for themselves. As far as I'm concerned, I would never have gone to another club and it wasn't about the money. But actually when the price of a player flies so high, there are only very few clubs that can compete. And today there are Arabs. Once the masters of the transfer market were our clubs».

Moments of happiness. Say one, the first one that comes to mind.

«The surprise of the play-off. The Cagliari final in Bari. We were in the 90th minute, I was in another part of the house, my son yelled at the opening goal and so I went and had the courage to see everything».

What makes her angry?

"I don't like too many foreigners in Italian football."

Why?

"Too many exotic names, there is no longer an "Italian" type of game, in my opinion today's Serie A is not as beautiful and spectacular as before".

Confess: you have not seen “In our sky a thunderclap”, the film. At the cinema, that opening night, she closed her eyes.

He laughs heartily.

«So, that evening I was so taken, excited, bewildered that I don't remember anything. I won't even watch it on television, I don't have that channel.'

However…

“But if I have to tell the truth, I'm interested. Because I would like to know if the director told the truth, my thoughts. My children have told me that he carefully respected what came out, even my past and what my life is today. But I'll see him sooner or later, I promise."

Let's go back to the field, which is his stuff. Give a piece of advice as president to another president, that of Cagliari.

«I think Giulini is a good person, who loves Cagliari and who has learned from some mistakes he has made, and he was willing to, not to make others. He is a president who understands football and has managed to gain acceptance in the world of other club owners. It wasn't easy, he knows his stuff."

In Milani's film, there are touching passages for those who live in these parts. There is a world-class character like Roberto Baggio who confesses that he trembled when he saw her for the first time, in the national team, so much that he was unable to get close. And then the act of love by Nicolò Barella, to whom she has always recommended to remain humble. And he, those phrases, has them fixed in mind.

“Humility is our secret. And by ours, I mean us Sardinians».

But would Riva have wanted to be Riva, when she dreamed as a boy, or did those dreams take her somewhere else?

He clears his throat.

«I dreamed of being Riva. And to do this. But not in Inter or Juventus. I dreamed of being Riva del Cagliari».

Henry Pilia

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