Zeegelaar from the phantom penalty to the post in defense at the Maradona: it is an opportunity for a redemption

UDINE. The last image imprinted in the memory is that of the 94th minute of the match against Roma, shortly after the penalty of the equalizer made by Lorenzo Pellegrini who, exulting, brings the ball back to midfield for the last useless minutes of the match (for the purpose of the result) .

Marvin Zeegelaar, who entered in the 82nd minute in place of the injured Nehuen Perez to position himself in defense on the left, alongside the central Pablo Marì, provoked that penalty with a touch of the hand that someone called “imperceptible”, others “intuitive” by the referee Di Bello, without a shadow of a doubt, which cannot be documented with scientific clarity by any TV image.

It is clear instead that the mood of the Dutch born in 1990 cannot be the best now, but fate is ready to offer him a really good chance to redeem himself immediately, given that Perez’s right ankle trouble – caused by the heavy fall of Zaniolo on the leg of the Argentine after a contrast – it does not seem to be of little consequence and already seems to prelude to a forfeit of the black and white number 2 who was beginning to engage in the unusual position (he who is not left-handed), so much so as to attract the ‘attention of the Albiceleste coach, Lionel Scaloni, who had warned him in view of a possible call-up for the commitments of the national teams during the next stop, a call that seems to fade with the availability for Maradona’s match against Napoli.

There Zeegelaar could return to be the owner as happened after Samir’s departure for Watford, given that the Dutchman played 90 ‘yarns with Juventus, Turin and then in Verona, for what was the terminus of his experience as a starter as a left central in the 3-5-2 of Gabriele Cioffi who, evidently, did not digest well the four goals scored at the Bentegodi stadium and identified Zeegelaar as the weak point of the defense.

Since that game, the number 4 has seen the field for only 83 minutes between Lazio and Milan, both times, however, as a left winger, the second from the start and then replaced by Udogie, who scored. In defense he only returned for the last eight rounds of hands plus recovery (fatal) against Roma.

On the other hand, there are not many alternatives at Juventus in terms of pure defenders. Captain Bram Nuytinck has almost miraculously revised the bench only against Roma, thanks to a tendon inflammation between the knee and calf, and does not seem reliable for a job as a starter at Maradona, moving Marì. Just as Filip Benkovic does not appear on the launching pad either, who arrived far from fit in January.

In short, should the renunciation of Perez really materialize, the left-handed Zeegelaar is the number one favorite for the “replacement”. And against an offensive team like Napoli it won’t be a walk in the park for him. But he knows it very well because he already tried the experience on 11 May, when he made his debut as a starter in defense. And Udinese suffered a very heavy 5-1.