The return of the Champions League this month has a distinctly Anglo-Italian flavour. As the two Milanese giants line up against the cream of the Premier League, a certain Mourinho and Beckham will no-doubt hog the headlines, but a tense battle between opposing footballing ideologies will play out beneath the circus. The Italian game; patient and technical, is fundamentally at odds with the pace and muscle of the Premier League, and the two are often seen as incompatible. There are, though, a select few who have defied this theory, and Sport.co.uk seeks them out in the search for the Top 10 Italian players to have plied their trade on these shores...
Gianfranco Zola
Has a more popular player ever graced the Premier League? In his six years at Chelsea, the little Sardinian’s magic feet and winning smile charmed a nation, and it was a collective cheer that greeted his return to England as West Ham United manager last season. Zola’s time at Stamford Bridge also defined a generation, as he spearheaded a thrilling period of cup successes. A week after he left Chelsea, a Russian Billionaire bought the club and changed the English game forever.
Carlo Cudicini
Poor old Carlo Cudicini. After finally tiring of the role of understudy at Chelsea, a switch to a team whose glove-man dropped more howlers than hot dinners (or something like that...) must have seemed like a good idea. Unfortunately for him, Heurelho Gomes has turned out to be actually quite good, and Cudicini has re-claimed the unenviable title of best back-up keeper around. A sad demise for a man whose performances at the start of the decade placed him firmly amongst the country’s elite number 1’s.
Fabrizio Ravanelli
Ravanelli’s arrival at Middlesbrough in 1996 raised more than a few eyebrows, and he made an explosive start to his Premier League career, scoring a hat-trick against Liverpool on the opening day of the season. Sadly, his 16 subsequent goals were unable to save Bryan Robson’s side from relegation and the ‘White Feather’ managed to fall out with virtually an entire city soon after. After a promising start, Ravanelli’s striking prowess probably deserved more than for him to be remembered simply as that grey fella with the silly celebration...
Roberto Di Matteo
Despite a greasy smarm and cultivated cool, Di Matteo was one of those rare likeable footballers. Another key figure behind Chelsea’s late success in the late 90s, he left his indelible mark on the English game with a remarkable three goals in Wembley cup-finals. The most famous, a stunning 30-yarder after just 43 seconds, was until last season the quickest goal in FA Cup final history.
Paolo Di Canio
Perhaps unsurprisingly, as a hot-headed, self-proclaimed fascist, Paolo Di Canio was a controversial addition to the Premier League. His seven years in England were anything but dull, but he ultimately provided two of the most iconic images in recent history. At one end of the spectrum a leaping volley and gentle caress into the far corner for West Ham oozed style and finesse. At the other, his flooring of referee Paul Alcock was pure comedy gold.
Stefano Eranio
Remember the mighty Derby County side of the mid-nineties? Well, ‘mighty’ may be overstating it a little, but two successive top-10 finishes was a fine achievement for a newly-promoted team, and winger Stefano Eranio was at the heart of it. After making the seamless switch from Milan to Derby, Eranio became a cult hero in his three years in England, and has the distinction of scoring the first ever goal at his side’s new Pride Park stadium.
Francesco Baiano
Jim Smith is not a man you would immediately associate with continental flair, but he could pick ‘em. Alongside Eranio, Smith brought us such classic Premiership names as Paolo Wanchope, Sasa Curcic and, another Italian spearheading the attack, Francesco Baiano. Baiano swapped Gabriel Batistuta for Dean Sturridge and still managed to fire in enough goals to be recently voted one of the club’s greatest ever imports. Praise indeed, given his aforementioned colleagues.
Gianluca Vialli
In the mid 90s it became fashionable for slightly balding continental stars to see out their careers in the Premiership. Most accepted their pay check with a cheeky grin and drifted off into obscurity but Gianluca Vialli, significantly more than slightly balding, was different. Rising enthusiastically to the challenge, he continued the habit of a lifetime and scored a hatful of goals. A later successful transition into management secured his legendary status at Stamford Bridge.
Alessandro Pistone
Lazy, injury prone and hopelessly erratic, Alessandro Pistone somehow managed to carve out a seven year career in England. Never a fans’ favourite, Pistone looked like he’d be more at home prancing through the tower gates alongside D’Artagnan. He did put in some great displays though, and any man who manages to demand an extra year on his contract from the likes of David Moyes is surely worth a mention.
Benito Carbone
Benito Carbone’s CV reads like a who’s who of mid-table mediocrity. Sheffield Wednesday, Aston Villa, Bradford City, Derby County and Middlesbrough all employed the little Italian, whose nomadic approach to the game saw him turn out for a total of 18 clubs in 20 years. Despite the brief stays, Carbone’s flamboyant style and penchant for beautiful goals often endeared him to fans who forgave his somewhat laid-back approach and enjoyed the good times.