Conspiracy theory on Fabio's mind

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Bad news first. As if facing Francesco Totti, Gabriel Batistuta and Marco Delvecchio is not enough Arsenal should beware the referee at the Stadio Olimpico tomorrow night because he will probably be hopelessly biased.

Now the good news: all the outrageous decisions will be in their favour because he will probably be in the pay of AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus, all of whom will be desperate to see their bitter rivals AS Roma suffer further humiliation in the Champions League.

Well that's if you believe the club president Franco Sensi, who is convinced all referees are out to do Roma down this season. Last week he even went on television to accuse the Italian Football Federation of being in on the conspiracy after Inter scored a late equaliser from a highly debatable corner.

His words prompted 1500 banner-waving fans to protest in front of the Italian Federation's headquarters, chanting insults demanding a more even-handed approach to Roma's matches.

Given their indifferent start to the season - Roma are ninth in the league and scored just three goals in qualifying for the second phase of the Champions League - it is no surprise that manager Fabio Capello has offered his president public support. However, when I interviewed Capello at Roma's training camp he was more conciliatory.

"It is better to be quiet right now," he said with an illdisguised smile. "Better for Roma, better for Italian football."

Instead, he preferred to dwell on the strengths of the Arsenal team he says are playing the best football in Europe, how he bought and sold Patrick Vieira at AC Milan, his attempt to secure Thierry Henry for Real Madrid and how he was sounded out as England manager as successor to Kevin Keegan.

"I was contacted about taking over the English national team," he revealed. " Someone asked me before they appointed (Sven-Goran) Eriksson and I said 'Yes, why not ?'

"But they gave the job to Eriksson. As for English clubs, I've also had opportunities but I did not take them. I prefer not to say the names. They must stay private. Will I go one day? I don't know. It depends on which team. I have to be at a club with ambition."

The 56-year-old is impressed by the way English football has evolved since his playing days with Juventus, AC Milan and Italy.

"I played twice against England and we won them both - and I scored," he beamed. "Before, it was all long ball but now they play much more with the ball. It is better to watch.

"English teams play good football. At this moment it is possible that Arsenal are the best team in Europe. They have the right blend in their team. They have players with technique and power. It is not easy to find that.

"The credit must go to Arsene Wenger. He started the way, I think, that English teams have changed. He knows the players and has chosen the ones he brought to Arsenal very well. They are also young and can improve.

"When I was manager at Milan, I signed Vieira from Cannes. But he was only 18 and my squad included (Frank) Rijkaard, (Ruud) Gullit and (Marcel) Desailly. It was always going to be hard for him to come into the team straight away. But I knew he was a very good player with great potential. He decided to go to Arsenal and has done very well."

As for Henry, the Arsenal striker came close to playing for Capello after the 1998 World Cup in France. Henry was at Monaco and destined to leave. Real were keen but Henry, then aged 21, opted for Juventus before joining Vieira at Highbury.

"We talked about signing him for Real," said Capello. "He didn't do so well at Juventus but he was very young. It is hard to come to a team like Juventus and do well straight away at that age - especially when you come from a club like Monaco where there's no pressure when you lose.

"At Juventus, the supporters know all the players. At Monaco, the players know all the supporters! "Now, Henry is a very big player. I believe he is the fastest player in the world. He has great technique as well. But he is not the only excellent player at Arsenal. They have many. You think you have solved one problem and they have players who can give you another. They have, as you say, a long bench. You need that if you are going to win the major honours."

Arsenal are not the only hurdle facing Roma in Group B. Valencia - twice conquerors of Liverpool in the first phase - and a resurgent Ajax also await. "I think this is the most difficult group," said Capello. "You have four teams with different styles and personalities. Any one of them could win the competition."

What Capello does acknowledge is that the stock of English clubs has risen in Europe. "They have caught up," he said. "It used to be all the best players went to Italy or Spain. Now, there are very good players in England."

 

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