The goal they still honor in Turin, the interest, the fear, the apotheosis of Antonio Cabrini and the story of a great transfer that never happened.
In 2015, as the Juventus of Massimiliano Allegri was moving towards his final Champions League to be held in Berlin, on the club channel he played a video with the 20 most beautiful goals that the "bianconeri" have conceded in European matches. One of these 20 was. Ours. Greek. It was that of October 21, 1987, when Panathinaikos welcomed the Lady for the second round of the UEFA Cup and in the 7th minute Dimitris Saravakos left a statue of Stefanos Takoni sending the ball to the home window.
It was the goal of 1-0 and it was what remained in everyone's memory, despite the fact that the big "little" of Greek football would find nets in the rematch of the Communale, where the "greens" would complete the feat and qualify despite the defeat with 3-2. It was a qualification that went down in history and at the same time two matches that could have written the history differently for one of the most important footballers that the country produced.
Those who overtook Saravakos in his favor, have something to say about how far ahead of his time he was. With speed, explosiveness, technique, set phases and great goal appeal, in any way except the head, it is no exaggeration to say that he was a footballer who could still play today, despite the changes in the game.
All this, of course, could not escape the Italians, who in those years had the strongest championship in the world, the one to which "should" go any player who wanted to be tested at the highest level of competition, to work in an innovative way and improve. When, therefore, Vassilis Daniel's Panathinaikos did what seemed impossible and expelled Juventus, the Italians were bitter about the exclusion but… were sweetened at the thought that they could make Saravakos their own.
"Grandissimo giocatore", was the attack of Antonio Cabrini, the legendary left back and leader of the "Bianconeri" then, after the end of the match in Turin and while he waited as long as it took to exchange shirts. It was said by bell'Antonio, it was written by the newspapers of the time, it was thought by Gianni Anielli and Giambiero Boniperti. And not only did they think about it, but they also externalized it,, making the relevant contact in Panathinaikos. The reports of the time speak of Juventus hitting the "greens" in order to express their interest in the footballer who was unforgettable and in Nils Lindholm.
The Swedish legend of Milan and Roma, as a footballer and coach respectively, he was so impressed by "Mitsara" that a few years later and specifically on November 6, 1991, when the international ace did magical things by blocking Gothenburg in Sweden with two goals, to tell him four times: "I remember you from the matches against Juventus in 1987. You are a great footballer, what you did tonight is incredible."
How unlikely it was for a team like Juve to be interested in a Greek footballer, even at a time when there were no open borders due to Bosman law. This, in the end, could make a difference, since it was a time when teams only had three places for foreigners. One of these three places, in a team like Juventus, in a Greek? Inconceivable!
And yet, it could be done, if all three parties really wanted it. But did they want it? According to history, probably not. And if for the Italians we can not be absolutely sure, for the Greek side everything leads to the fact that no matter how much they were flattered, they probably did not want something more.
"Officially, there was never a proposal for me from abroad. He was not repulsed then. Panathinaikos had such a frequent presence in Europe that I did not miss it. "If I played now, then yes, I would miss it," he said many years later, in one of his rare interviews. And it is a statement, which rather confirms the version that wants Saravakos to be a little afraid of this step.
Closed as a character, of low tones, there are many who remember the season and consider that he showed a little fear in the face of the possibility of transferring to one of the best teams in Europe, which played in the best and most difficult league. However, Panathinaikos also felt fear, as it did not want to lose its best player. And at the time, it was rather easy to avoid such a possibility.
The legislation of the 80's, with the teams being able to tie the players with 5-year contracts or to proceed with unilateral renewals, was all that was needed for the teams and essentially removed any power from the players. For the "greens" therefore the president George Vardinogiannis, who was absolute in matters of contracts (known the story of the dispute with Paris Georgakopoulos that led to the end of his career), to oppose any effort of a foreign team for No. 7 it was rather easy.
Or at least certainly not as difficult as today. And Juventus? Saravakos claims that officially no proposal was ever received, Panathinaikos boasted that he had a player that Juve wanted but the Italians did not lose him and although they expressed their interest, they probably never pushed for the completion of the transfer. Maybe because they may have had second thoughts as well, since there were only three places for foreigners.
Anyway, history - and the press of the time in Greece and Italy - wrote that a Greek team excluded the Lady at home and a Greek footballer dazzled her enough to express her interest. And it may never have gone ahead and led to something more, but Dimitris Saravakos it was never forgotten.
Not only from Lindholm, who remembered him and told him that cold night in November '91 in Sweden, but also from Juventus, as he showed with the goal of OAKA that had a prominent place in its tribute to the best that has accepted…
