This is the first post of a new series “What if…?” I thought about yesterday evening. I don’t know how it is with you, but I can recall some games that greatly frustrated me and and thought to myself what if this had happened or that for days and nights! Some matches that I have replayed many times in my head:
- France – Germany 1982 World Cup semi-final
- Liverpool – Saint-Etienne 1976/77 Champions League quarter final
- France – Italy 2006 World Cup final
The son of a friend of mine shared an interesting thought some months after the 2006 World Cup final between Italy and France. On the bench, France had as a third choice goalkeeper Mickaël Landrau. Landrau is one of the best penalty stoppers I have ever seen.
What if French coach Raymond Domenech had replaced Barthez by Landreau at the end of the overtime just in time for the penalties. I wonder what psychological impact that would have made on the Italian players that were chosen to kick the penalties?
Maracanazos like to replay games in their heads.