With director of football Arrigo Sacchi gone, Florentino Perez was in the clear. Not that the Real Madrid president needs approbation from any underlings, but even he must have been slightly bashful at overseeing the purchase of yet another forward- this time Roma’s enfant terrible Antonio Cassano.

If Sacchi was brought in during the summer to make things right at Real, he went about his business on a very tight leash. On his departure, the former Milan coach rued his lack of autonomy at Real.

“To tell the truth, I didn’t entirely enjoy my work,” he said. “My role in Madrid was different to the one I had in Parma. The post was the same, but things were done differently.”

This is the same Sacchi who ruled with an iron fist at Milan during the 1980s, notwithstanding the paternal shadow of owner Silvio Berlusconi. Yet, at Real, Perez’s autocracy was even too much for him.

Sacchi had always been against the signing of Cassano, citing the player’s petulance as reason for his disapproval. But Perez cannot resist a talented forward and especially one at a bargain price of just 6 million euros. For better or for worse, Cassano now joins an attacking star cast of Robinho, Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, Raul and Julio Baptista.

Contract wrangle

Cassano’s last year at Roma was marked by a contract dispute, which saw the boy from Bari banished to the bench. It was reported that Cassano wanted as much money as club captain Francesco Totti. Though he was undoubtedly a vital link in Roma’s attack, his self-appraisal was a little too bloated for Roma directors.

So, arguably Italy’s greatest young talent bided his time on the bench. Roma coach Luciano Spaletti had to do without him and Italy coach Marcello Lippi admonished that if Cassano was not playing regular football he would simply not be picked for the Italian World Cup squad.

Roma were in a financial bind themselves. Cassano’s contract only ran until June 2006, at which point any club could land him for free. Having spent 25 million euros for him in 2001, Roma knew that waiting until the summer would have been a significant financial error.

So, the cut-price Cassano suited both Real and Roma. The latter counted their losses and have since brilliantly moved on (winning a club record seven straight Serie A games) while the former welcomed an overweight Cassano, plumper due to lack of match practice.

Azzurri implications

The biggest question surrounding Cassano’s move now is whether or not he will get to feature for Real. Given the competition for places and Real’s eternal commitment, regardless of form, to Raul, it seems Cassano will have to fight his way into reckoning.

While he scored on his debut against Real Betis in the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey, that was a little step towards a regular place in attack.

Lippi will be keeping his fingers crossed that Cassano starts getting some regular games under his belt. The Italian coach has an abundance of options in attack but Cassano is the kind of erratic genius who can turn a match in an instant.

Even though Lippi would have to shuffle his preferred attacking trio, which up until now has been Francesco Totti, Alberto Gilardino and Luca Toni, to make room for Cassano, his tinkering would be well worth it.

Cassano’s versatility can see him drop behind the main striker and in front of playmaker Totti, giving Italy three creative points of reference: Andrea Pirlo, Totti and Cassano.

Yet all the tactical permutations will only be relevant if Cassano can regain fitness and form at Real. Otherwise, the erratic genius will be watching the World Cup from home.

Hasan Saiyid
TotalSoccer.ca writer/editor