Premonitions for Pagliuca

SENLIS, France, June 8 (AFP)

Italy goalkeeper Gianluca Pagliuca has already had one unhappy premonition during the 1994 World Cup finals, and now he is worried about another at France 98. Pagliuca was between the posts when Italy lost the final to Brazil four years ago, and the Inter Milan keeper revealed on Monday that he knew before the spot-kicks were over who would win. "The thing I remember about USA 94, apart from the heat, was the penalty shoot-out at Pasadena," he said. "I knew how it was going to finish when Romarios spot-kick hit the post and went in." Now he is worried about another premonition, this time involving Inter teammate Ivan Zamorano, who will be leading the attack for Chile when the two sides open their World Cup campaigns in Bordeaux on Thursday. "Ivan has been repeating this for months now: Im going to score a goal against you in Bordeaux. In vain, I kept telling him that I wasnt the first-team goalkeeper, that that was Angelo Peruzzi. But he kept insisting."  And sure enough, Peruzzi pulled out of Italys World Cup squad just 10 days ago with a torn calf muscle. "Perhaps he sensed what was going to happen," admitted Pagliuca. "But it wont change anything. He might even score a goal, but the important thing is that we win." The Italy keeper even hopes that Zamorano, who scored one and set up another in Inters UEFA Cup final win over Lazio, shrugs off what is reportedly a minor knee injury. "If Zamorano doesnt make it, theres the risk that we wont be so concentrated when we walk onto the pitch," Pagliuca said. "When in fact, we have to be really wound up. If Ivan plays like he did in the UEFA Cup final, its going to be tough for us."

© - AFP - 1998