http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/index.htmlFootball Italiano, a site dedicated to Italian football analysis, news and opinion, direct from Milan, the capital of football. 10/03/2010 00:00:00en-ushttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=5http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=5Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT It is a fixture that for the past three years has been a clash of the top two sides in Italy. The game which had a direct impact on the destination of the title. Of course, it can only be Roma versus Inter. These two teams have been the main protagonists since the 2005/06 season, where they have finished in the top two every year. However, judging by the Giallorossi’s start to Serie A this seahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=6http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=6Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT 30 consecutive games unbeaten. That is the record held by two-time World Cup winning Coach Vittorio Pozzo dating all the way back to 1939. A record which Italy coach Marcello Lippi equalled when his Azzurri side beat Montenegro 2-1 in Lecce on Wednesday night - when including his previous spell as coach of La Nazionale. This milestone game followed on from a drab 0-0 draw in Bulgaria, after whhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=7http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=7Sat, 18 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT For many of the teams in Serie A the international break will have come as a welcome respite but the league returns with a bang in week Seven with some mouthwatering ties. At the top of the table, early leaders Lazio and fellow title hopefuls Inter, Palermo and Udinese will hope that none of the pre-break momentum is lost and will aim to pick up exactly where they lefhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=8http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=8Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT Round six of the 2008/2009 season has seen the Serie A table begin to take shape and whilst the likes of Lazio, Udinese, Inter and Palermo sit admirably at the top of the league, life at the bottom is far different story altogether. Although considerably early days into the season, the view from the foot of the table for relegation candidates Cagliari, Reggina and Bohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=9http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=9Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT Calciopoli was a dark period for Italian football. Major clubs were relegated or had points deducted and big players left for England and Spain. Naturally, this had a knock-on effect on the dynamic of Serie A. As the only major club left relatively unaffected, Inter won three Scudetti in a row. The two titles the Nerazzurri won on the pitch (2006’s league was awarded by tribunal to Massimo Morhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=10http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=10Sat, 04 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT Footballitaliano's co-founder and Editor Tim Doel recently relocated to Milan. Each week Tim mixes tales of his experiences of living in Italy with comments on the past week's major talking points whilst also looking ahead to the coming weekend's biggest games. Passiamo a Tim... The summer has seen the annual Italian ritual of discovering two new "Veline" - that is dahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=11http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=11Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT It is only in the cynical world of football that after such a bright and distinguished start to a career that a player can be branded a flop so soon after. Alberto Gilardino has been tagged just that midway through a career that so far has seen him score close to 100 league goals and 10 on the international stage after stalling in Milan. The striker that had pioneered the violin-playing scorinhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=12http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=12Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMTThe waiting is almost over for the first Milan derby of the season, as Carlo Ancelotti's Milan host Jose Mourinho's new-look Inter side on Sunday night. It's a game that can and does affect both club's season; a good win can fill the fans and players with confidence to last for matches to come, whereas a heavy defeat leave tension and unrest festering amongst the same players. But just as imporhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=13http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=13Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT Eight games into the season and a glance at the top four in Serie A may produce more than a few quizzical faces. While it is unsurprising to see Inter sitting at the summit and Milan loitering with intent, no-one would have predicted Udinese or Napoli filling the remaining two Champions League spots towards the latter part of October, nor Catania occupying a UEFA Cup spot. http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=14http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=14Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT Massimo Moratti shakes hands with Adriano Galliani; their relationship keeps on being a hearty rivalry. There's admiration, respect and of course the concern that one has been able to do better than the other. On Sunday neither of the teams shined with their performance, although the Rossoneri got the points... More Massimo Moratti So Mourinho ghttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=15http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=15Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT Juventus versus Roma. A clash between two of the giants of Italian football. Two teams that have played their part in helping Serie A shed the boring, pro-defence image that it has developed over the years. It is then somewhat ironic that the two teams who were the highest scorers during last year’s campaign (each scored 72 goals in 2007/08) are struggling in front of goal this season. Both arhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=16http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=16Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMTFollowing last season’s near miss, Roma were again expected to push favorites Inter to the death in a thrilling battle for the Serie A crown in 2008/09. However, things have not quite gone according to plan. Week eight of the domestic season sees Luciano Spalletti's men in 16th place on seven points and seemingly out of the title race, all before the hectic winter scheduhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=17http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=17Sat, 01 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT Each week Tim mixes tales of his experiences of living in Italy with comments on the past week's major talking points whilst also looking ahead to the coming weekend's biggest games. Enjoy... Italy President Silvio Berlusconi, and Education Minister Mariastelhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=18http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=18Sun, 02 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMTOn October 23, the news broke that, out of the blue, David Beckham was beginning preliminary talks with Milan about the possibility of a three-month loan switch to the San Siro. In a surprise move, it was designed to cover the barren period between the MLS shutdown and England’s World Cup qualifying campaign reigniting in the spring to ensure Beckham remained match-fit. What starhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=19http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=19Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMTWelcome once again to the centre of all things Calcio and to footballitaliano’s first monthly preview! Remember, remember the month of November. I know that isn’t quite how it goes, but with Bonfire Night just round the corner, what better way to entice you to our site than with fireworks and explosions. Obviously we are talking metaphorically here, as all the action will be http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=20http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=20Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMTThis weekend brings a clash of two clubs for whom patience is not a word you would associate. A combined total of 23 new players have been added to the respective squads, with one managerial casualty already in the 2008/09 campaign. I am of course referring to Torino and Palermo, who meet at the Stadio Olimpico di Torino on Saturday. Both clubs endured rather disappointing campaihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=21http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=21Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT Every week Football Italiano brings you a translation of one of la Gazzetta dello Sport's interviews. This time it is the turn of Italy Coach Marcello Lippi... Marcello Lippi “This is a fun, balanced, top quality championship. The Scudetto will go right to the wire. Serie Ahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=22http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=22Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT SportsXchange have confirmed that they will be providing live coverage of the Coppa Italia up to and including the final, on UK screens. The next round of matches will be screened on Wednesday 12th November featuring live coverage of Sampdoria versus Empoli at 6pm along with updates on Udinese versus Reggina and Napoli versus Salernitarna. http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=23http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=23Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMTSerie A has never been more exciting to watch than this season, and if there is one game to prove it, it’s the upcoming Napoli - Sampdoria clash. Arriving with none of the hype or the international glamour that an Inter - Juventus game would elicit, there is more reason to be interested in this apparently low-profile match than in any mid-table clash across the rest of Europe. Nahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=24http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=24Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMTRoma travel to the Renato Della’ Ara this Sunday to face fellow Serie A strugglers Bologna. With both teams languishing near the foot of the table there is plenty to play for and considering the week’s events, the psychological factor makes for an intriguing encounter. Defeat for Roma could see Coach Luciano Spalletti praying he doesn’t get the same treatment as Daniele Arrigoni received earliehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=25http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=25Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT An undisputable pedigree, a devastating winner: and in his own words, “The Special One”. Inter coach, Jose Mourinho has made a tepid start to life at Inter, with the Serie A champions currently lying in third place after eight games. After months of speculation, Mourinho made his move to Inter charged with the task of bringing the European Cup back to Inter Milan for the first http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=26http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=26Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT One team started the evening struggling in both their domestic campaign and Champions League group, the other began off the back of a 5-0 win and claiming that their Rome hotel was so nice that they’d have it for the final as well. An electrical storm, some fan clashes and a sublime performance from a Montenegrin forward later, and Roma have breathed new life into their season. br /http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=27http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=27Sat, 08 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT Each week Tim mixes tales of his experiences of living in Italy with comments on the past week's major talking points whilst also looking ahead to the coming weekend's biggest games. Enjoy... Silvio Berlusconi has once again hit the headlines this week with a stereotypical faux-pas, this time at thhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=28http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=28Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT It was another action packed weekend in Serie A, with all the twists and turns we have come to expect. Milan and Roma both failed to capitalise on recent successes, and Inter left it late. One thing that did go to plan however, was the continued form of Alessandro Del Piero, who netted his 249th and 250th club career goals (249 Juve, 1 Padova). Here are the weekends goals... br /http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=29http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=29Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMTThe season's first Roman derby is approaching so what better time to look back on one of Italy's most illustrious and tragic of derbies. “Are these ruins what they call Rome?’ wondered poet Joachim Du Bellay, walking the streets of the Eternal City some 400 years ago - and for football fans all over the worhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=30http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=30Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMTLet the Roman games commence. Like any local derby, the Stracittadina is fuelled with fierce rivalry both on and off the pitch. Whilst officials at the Stadio Olimpica will hope there is no off-the-field action, there is bound to be plenty of intriguing battles when the players take centre stage. Luciano Spalletti vs. Delio Rossi img src="images/articles/spallethttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=31http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=31Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT Every week Football Italiano brings you a translation of one of la Gazzetta dello Sport's interviews with a major name from the world of Italian football. This time it is the turn of Juventus stopper Gianluigi Buffon... Gianluigi Buffon http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=32http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=32Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMTJourneyman forward Fabrizio Miccoli will be looking to carry on his early season hot streak when the Sicilians host Serie A leaders Inter this weekend. Both sides were on different ends of late winners in Week 11, so both be looking for a more convincing display come Sunday. And Miccoli might just end up being the diffhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=33http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=33Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT One of the biggest and most fiercely contested derby matches in Europe. The passion of Fenerbahce-Galatasaray, the local bragging rights of Celtic-Rangers, and the quality and excitement of Arsenal-Tottenham. Imagine a mix of the three, and you come close to the formula for the Derby della Capitale, the Rome derby. Both sides will play their part in what promises to bhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=34http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=34Sat, 15 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT Each week Tim mixes tales of his experiences of living in Italy with comments on the past week's major talking points whilst also looking ahead to the coming weekend's biggest games. Enjoy... In recent weeks the poor form of http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=35http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=35Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMTMatchday Centre The weekend has seen the hopefuls to break into the top 4 all fail, as Napoli, Udinese and Lazio failed to keep the pressure on Milan and Inter. On the other hand, it was a great week for the underdog, as Reggina stunned Udinese, Atalanta refound their early season form http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=36http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=36Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMTOn Saturday night Marcello Lippi named his Italy squad to face Greece in midweek and did not produce many shocks. Udinese’s Simone Pepe has been given another chance to stake his claim for a place in the line-up, while his club colleague Gaetano D’Agostino was called in the absence of Andrea Pirlo and Alberto Aqhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=37http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=37Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT Every week Football Italiano brings you a translation of one of la Gazzetta dello Sport's interviews with a major name from the world of Italian football. This time it is the turn of former Inter boss Roberto Mancini, who this week was celebrating winning the award for best coach of last season, as voted by other Serie A and B coaches... http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=39http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=39Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMTThe usual debate of whether international friendly matches are worth playing at this time of year arose once again this week, with the latest round held up for debate played on Wednesday evening. While other nations may see them as obstacles that simply get in the way of the club season, Italy Coach Marcello Lippi and thehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=40http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=40Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMTIn the old adage, familiarity breeds contempt. In the case of Inter and Juventus, it breeds the Derby d’Italia. Tagged as a national duel in 1967 by famed Gazzetta journalist Gianni Brera, the term was meant to celebrate the bi-annual contest between Italy’s most domestically successful teams. The Derby famously brihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=41http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=41Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMTSaturday will see the coming together of two men that have more in common than coaching teams with serious Scudetto aspirations. Juventus Coach Claudio Ranieri was the manager at Chelsea for three years before Roman Abramovich http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=42http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=42Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMTThe fierce rivalry between two of Italy’s greatest clubs has never simmered below boiling point and this season sees added ingredients thrown in that have spiced things up another notch. All eyes will be focused on the battles on the pitch come Saturday night, but until then listen out for the inevitable off-pitch battles. img src="images/articles/ibrachil.jpg" style="heighttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=43http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=43Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMTWeek 12 proved to be a disappointing one for both Fiorentina and Udinese as both sides crashed to surprise defeats. Fiorentina suffered a one-goal reverse at lowly Cagliari with a soft penalty ultimately being their downfall, but few would’ve argued with the result as the Viola failed to trouble the Sardinian’s goalhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=44http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=44Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMTIt’s perhaps too early in the season to be talking about relegation, but Sunday’s game between Chievo and Siena is already looking like a proverbial six pointer. With only seven points separating the sides, a much needed win for bottom side Chievo will give them three vital points closer to clawing their way to safety whilst Siena will want to avoid being sucked into the vacuum of relegation anhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=45http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=45Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT Each week Tim mixes tales of his experiences of living in Italy with comments on the past week's major talking points whilst also looking ahead to the coming weekend's biggest games. Enjoy... I think all of us from the UK remember seeing Stuart Pearce and Gareth Southgate gracing our screens after thhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=46http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=46Mon, 24 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT Serie A Highlights Inter triumphed at home in the derby against Juventus, thanks to former Pompey man Sulley Muntari. Meanwhile the main hopes for a title challenge, Milan, Napoli and Lazio again failed to secure 3 points to keep the pressure on the Nerazzurri, whilst the resurgent Roma, Sampdoria and even Reggina, all helped themselves to comfortablhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=47http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=47Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT Every week Football Italiano brings you a translation of one of la Gazzetta dello Sport's interviews with a major name from the world of Italian football. This time it is the turn of Chievo President Luca Campedelli, whose team currently find themselves rooted to the foot of the table... Luca Campedelli http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=48http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=48Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMTRoman mythology says that Romulus slew twin brother Remus in a dispute over who should rule the newly founded city of Rome. Both brothers laid claim to the throne having co-founded the city circa 753-752BC, but in the end Romulus was triumphant and the Eternal City has born his name ever since. Fiorentina cross swords with Roma this coming weekend in the capital, and the argumhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=49http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=49Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT Milan travel to Palermo’s Stadio Renzo Barbera this weekend hoping to get their title challenge back on track following a second successive away draw to struggling opposition. Now three points off pace setters Inter, any more slip-ups would hand their arch-rivals a healthy margin in the Scudetto race. http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=50http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=50Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMTLecce breach the shores of Sicily this weekend hoping they won’t be gunned down. Whilst Catania are defying the odds sitting proudly in the top half of the table, the Serie A new boys are perched precariously above the drop zone. When Walter Zenga took the reigns at Catania towards the end of last season,http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=51http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=51Fri, 28 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMTPompey suffered late heartbreak at the hands of Milan after Fillipo Inzaghi’s last gasp equaliser salvaged a point on a dramatic night at Fratton Park. In a game where the Italian giants were largely outplayed, they somehow summoned an alarming fight back to stun the South coast side. Portsmouth went inhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=52http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=52Sat, 29 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMTEach week Tim mixes tales of his experiences of living in Italy with comments on the past week's major talking points whilst also looking ahead to the coming weekend's biggest games. Enjoy... For the past month, the already eccentric character of Sampdoria star Antonio Cassano has been the subject of evhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=53http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=53Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTThe Derby della Lanterna (Derby of the Lantern) is a reference to the city’s monumental Lighthouse. Though it may not have the panache and stigma of the Milan, Rome or Turin derbies, it is no less ferocious. Like all derbies the world over, the rivalry between the two sides is the pinnacle to both their seasons. If thhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=54http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=54Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTIt is always a glamourous affair when sides from these cities meet and Week 15 will be no different when the blue half of the Italian capital play host to the Nerazzurri of cosmopolitan Milan. Since the turn of the new millennium Lazio and Inter have experienced contrasting fortunes - Lazio under futurehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=55http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=55Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTThe derby for Genoa looks the most exciting in years - the Sampdoria team seems to have finally found some semblance of cohesive form and are riding on a boost of morale, while Genoa are one of the big surprises of the season, firing on all cylinders and knocking down some of the major teams in Serie A. Both teams poshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=56http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=56Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTLeaders Inter travel to the capital to take on a Lazio side in need of a win to strengthen their status amongst the chasing pack. In the corresponding fixture last season we witnessed a 1-1 draw and although a goal fest seems unlikely again this time around, the encounter makes for some very interesting viewing. img src="images/articles/zarate1.jpg" style="float:left; height: 130phttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=57http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=57Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTOne of the most entertaining fixtures on the Serie A calendar, Week 15 will see title favourites Inter in the capital facing Rome's oldest football club Lazio. Early season form suggested the Biancocelesti were ready to make the 2008/09 Scudetto challenge more than a one horse race as Jose Mourinhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=58http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=58Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTThe city of Genoa plays host to leg one of Il Derby della Lanterna this weekend. In a season where we have already witnessed the Rome, Milan, Turin and Sicilian derbies, Sampdoria and Genoa are the last to showcase their local rivalry in this season’s Serie A. Both sides sit outside of the European spots in the current league standings, clearly not the plan at the start of the shttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=59http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=59Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTWhat a month November turned out to be - both in Serie A and on Football Italiano. December - although interrupted by the winter break on the pitch - is guaranteed to be packed full of gifts on our home page as we continue to grow. The season may temporarily stop mid-December for the winter break, but footballitaliano.co.uk will continue to supply you with all things Calcio throhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=60http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=60Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTEach week Tim mixes tales of his experiences of living in Italy with comments on the past week's major talking points whilst also looking ahead to the coming weekend's biggest games. Enjoy... This weekend marks the beginning of the Christmas season here in Milan, and therefore gives partial, but not thttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=61http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=61Mon, 08 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT Inter saw off Lazio with relative ease to continue their good run of form, making it six wins from six now for the Nerazzurri. Amauri is the hero as Juve left it late to beat a brave Lecce team, and Kaka headed Milan to a 1-0 win over Catania to keep within touching distance of their Milan rivals. Elsewhere, Fiorentina demolished Torino, and Diego Milito's goal wahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=62http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=62Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT The recent revelation by Milan prodigy Ricardo Kaka could have far more serious repercussions than anyone currently anticipates. But could the introduction of an in-form Ronaldinho into the Rossoneri fray really signal the end of Kaka’s advenhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=63http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=63Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTFormer Milan and Italy legend Arrigo Sacchi believes Italian football is not the force it once was and is falling behind clubs of the English Premier League and Spain’s La Liga in terms of status and financial prowess. The comments made by the legendary Coach echoed the patter of current Serie A Tactician Jose Mourinho,http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=65http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=65Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTThe Genoa - Atalanta game is one that continues to pose a problem for the bookmakers. Two strong, evenly matched teams, matches between these sides are always exciting because they either negate nor compliment each other in equal measure. Last season’s league standings saw Genoa finish 10th and Atalanta a place above them in 9th, level on points, with both sides just two behind Napoli and the mhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=66http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=66Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTMilan have been dealt a huge blow in their quest for lo Scudetto with the news that Gennaro Gattuso has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a cruciate knee ligament injury. Already suspended for Sunday’s crunch tie with Juventus, Coach Carlo Ancelotti will now be making plans for beyond http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=67http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=67Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT Every week Football Italiano brings you a translation of one of la Gazzetta dello Sport's interviews with a major name from the world of Italian football. This time it is the turn of Inter’s Argentine legend Javier Zanetti… Javier Zanetti Javier Zanetti, Inter lead by a healthy margin – is it already decihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=68http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=68Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT‘No offence intended’ could be the slogan for the Udinese and Lazio teams we have been seeing as of late. Both teams started off the season firing on all cylinders, but have seen their progress losing steam on account of one common factor - the performances of their forwards have seen a sharp decline. The rest ofhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=69http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=69Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTIts three out of four for Italy as Juventus, Inter and Roma all qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League, with Fiorentina the only Italian casualty. There were only three remaining spots for the last 16 going into match-day six, with many of the groups just left to decide order rather than qualification, leaving many teams fielding weakened lineups with their pahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=70http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=70Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTIt’s second meets third on Week 16 in Serie A, as Juventus prepare to host Milan at the Stadio Olimpico di Torino. With only goal difference separating the sides 15 games into the campaign, this may well prove to be one of the most eagerly anticipated and even matches these two great rivals have played out. And as it stands, it would seem that if anyone is going to dethrone Inter, it will be onhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=71http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=71Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTTwo titans of Italian football go head to head in one of the most eagerly anticipated fixtures of the Serie A schedule. With both teams level pegging on points, defeat for either side may well see them cast adrift in the title race and with Inter expected to collect all three points in their game home game against Chievo, the leaders could be nine points clear and out of reach for Juventus or Mhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=72http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=72Sat, 13 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTOne of the most intriguing aspects of football in Italy is the ease at which you can access Calcio information. You may feel you have all you need to know about the Premier League, but that which you receive does not nearly compare to the vast array of media available in the Peninsula. There are the local television http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=73http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=73Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTA total of 41 goals in the 10 Serie A games this weekend, as Juventus dented Milan’s Scudetto dreams and Roma continued their epic revival. Juventus left Milan’s title hopes in tatters as they came out on top in a six-goal thriller at the Stadio Olimpico di Torino. The Rossoneri were in poor form and weren’t helped with the news of Kaka and Mathieu Flamini’s absence from the sidhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=74http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=74Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT Inter showed no signs of letting up in the title race, winning 4-2 over Chievo in what was a great attacking performance at times. Bologna heaped more misery on lowly Torino as they ended their run of draws in style. Napoli are back on track after a comfortable home win against Lecce, and Udinese threw away their lead to draw 3-3 with Champions League place rihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=75http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=75Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTDavid Beckham is due in the peninsula in less than a month and with the club suffering from yet another ‘mini-crisis,’ just where will ‘Goldenballs’ fit into Carlo Ancelotti’s team, if he fits at all? Milan’s Clarence Seedorf recently expressed his doubts as to whether Beckham would even get to pullhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=76http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=76Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT Liverpool. The city of The Beatles, two cathedrals and thousands of stereotypical jokes about stealing stuff, but not it seems, of successful Italian footballers. On the blue side of the city, Everton have never been shy of experimenting with Italiahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=77http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=77Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTUntil recently, the importance of football stadiums in Italy had always been neglected, leading to second-rate generic sports stadiums being built - particularly in comparison to those in England and more recently Germany. The infrastructure of the Italian game as a whole has lacked investment and this has left stahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=78http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=78Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTMario Balotelli is potentially one of the most talented Italian players of his generation. Having made the breakthrough at Inter the tender age of 17, he is now a regular member of the first-team squad. To be in such a position at a club of Inter’s size, and at such an early age, is testament to the young man’s abilihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=79http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=79Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT Every week Football Italiano brings you a translation of one of la Gazzetta dello Sport's interviews with a major name from the world of Italian football. This time it is part one of two in their interview with England manager Fabio Capello… Fabio Capello Londra. Fabio Capello, a http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=80http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=80Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTBlack and red stripes meet black and white stripes this Sunday at the San Siro, but the Bianconeri who are coming over to visit this time seem much less of a threat than their predecessors. Udinese may not possess the potency of Juventus at the best of times, but their current situation sees them fighting with the strength of despair rather than the drive of enthusiasm. As they walk into what ihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=81http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=81Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTThe timing could not be worse for Siena as they prepare for, and contemplate, Saturday’s game against top-of-the-league and current Serie A champions, Inter. The Bianconeri are living up to all expectations this season, as after 16 games Marco Giampaolo’s men are sitting in 15th place, hovering above the relegation shttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=82http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=82Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTRoma travel to Catania at the weekend having just scraped above them in the league standings. For much of the season the two sides have been at opposite ends of the table they are ordinarily accustomed to, but whilst the Romans are gradually mounting the league with five consecutive Serie A victories, the Sicilians recent slide has seen them lose their grip on a UEFA Cup spot. imghttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=83http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=83Fri, 19 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTIt was very much a case of Italy versus England on Friday morning as all three of Serie A’s remaining sides in the Champions League drew Premier League opposition in the last 16. Inter’s ‘reward’ for finishing second in their group is a mouth-watering tie against holders Manchester United. Jose Mohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=84http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=84Sat, 20 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTAfter nearly seven months living in Milan, I now make my way back to the UK this weekend, albeit for a fleeting Christmas visit. This time returning to more familiar shores lends itself to analysing how easy/difficult it has been to begin a reasonably new way of life in a foreign country, with few life - let alone language - skills. There are myriad of subjects we could talk about - food, finanhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=85http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=85Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTIt would not be a “normal” week in Serie A if there was not a controversy surrounding Inter. Whether it is their outspoken Coach, their equally vocal President, or a refereeing decision, the Nerazzurri cannot seem to keep away from the front pages. They were, once more, at the centre of the debate this weekend due to a http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=86http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=86Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTThe last few years have been a turbulent time for Inter’s troublesome striker, Adriano. Dogged by injury and suffering psychological problems, he’s battled with alcohol abuse and had several spats with various Coaches. After a loan spell with Sao Paulo, the Brazilian’s return to Milan was supposed to herald a frehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=87http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=87Mon, 29 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTFor many, one of the best things about the Christmas period is the January sales that follow. Shoppers spend the preceding two months buying presents, only to find the very same items they bought are cheaper post 25th December. Alas, the same rules do not apply in football. Today’s transfer market is seeing prices pushed up to record new levels and with the January transfer window on the horizhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=88http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=88Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMTWelcome back, commander. Following Roberto Donadoni’s farcical management of the Italian national team between summers 2006 and 2008, it was with a sense of relief that most Italians hailed the return of World Cup-winning Marcello Lippi as Azzurri Coach. Half a year later, it is time to start assessing his work - http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=89http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=89Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Christmas holidays are behind us, the New Year well and truly begun and Serie A’s return from the winter break just around the corner. David Beckham is preparing for his two month stint in the peninsula, and what a way to start it with a trip to league rivals Roma. We restart our fohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=90http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=90Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT Every week Football Italiano brings you a translation of one of la Gazzetta dello Sport's interviews with a major name from the world of Italian football. This time it is the turn of Milan new boy and England legend David Beckham… David Beckham “ DUBAI A diva as great as him made a song about it, “Je ne regrette rien”, I don’t regret anythinghttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=91http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=91Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT Nils Liedholm, Carlo Ancelotti, Fabio Capello - these are just three of the names who made both Roma and Milan big in the history of football. On Sunday the Stadio Olimpico will, for the 74th time, witness another battle between these two footballing giants. Sometimes the fight between the Giallorossi and thehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=92http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=92Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTThere is no image more deceptive in Serie A than the one which will be offered by the Roma-Milan match this weekend at the Stadio Olimpico. The surface image has the Rossoneri in a comfortable position in the table (a third place with lots of potential for growth) and the team from the capital emerging from a ninehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=93http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=93Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTDefeat at Catania before the winter break ended Roma’s eight game unbeaten streak and left them languishing nine points adrift of the fourth Champions League spot. A negative result against Milan will further dent their aspirations and make it extremely difficult for them to bridge the gaping crevice. Milan meanwhile still harbour long-shot title hopes of their own, but if they are to lift the http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=94http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=94Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTIn a new regular feature, Football Italiano takes a look at some of Serie A’s greatest players and examines what makes them a cut above the rest. This week is the turn of Pavel Nedved. A Ballon D’Or winner, three-time Scudetto Champion and Serie A Footballer of the Year - Pavel Nedved has graced Italhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=95http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=95Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTEach week Tim mixes tales of his experiences of living in Italy with comments on the past week's major talking points whilst also looking ahead to the coming weekend's biggest games. Enjoy... As we move into the depths of winter, the fantastic variations in Italian whether come to prominence. Whilst in Shttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=96http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=96Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTDespite the first week of the ritorno adding further intrigue to Serie A, at both ends of the table, all eyes were on the late kick-off on Sunday, where Roma entertained a Milan side fresh from their jolly to Dubai (or media circus, if you are Uli Hoeness) with David Beckham in tow. The former Englahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=97http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=97Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT Inter were held at home by a spirited Cagliari side thanks to a Nerazzurri striker out on loan; Robert Acquafresca's second half goal was cancelled out by Zlatan Ibrahimovic. David Beckham made a surprise start in the weekends feature match as Milan got a draw at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. Two goals a piece by the inspired Pato and the consistently dangeroushttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=98http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=98Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTNormal service resumed following the Serie A winter break and for many of the league's sides, the New Year appears to be no more prosperous than the one they left behind. Week 18's Roma-Milan clash was undoubtedly where all attention would turn over the returning weekend as David Beckham made his ehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=99http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=99Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTIn a new regular feature, Football Italiano takes a look at some of Serie A’s greatest players and examines what makes them a cut above the rest. This week is the turn of Roberto Baggio. Roberto Baggio was born on the 18th February 1967, in the small town of Caldogno. He started playing at a young http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=100http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=100Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT‘Talk to any Italian about the strengths of the Italian game,’ claimed Tobias Jones in his book The Dark Heart of Italy, ‘and they will always mention the two vital ingredients lacking in Britain: fantasia and furbizia .’ The fact that these terms should find no correspondence in the footbahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=101http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=101Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTSerie A Story tells you everything and anything about your favourite club and their record in one of Europe’s toughest leagues. It would be tawdry to say that the team founded between the fires of Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields has had a heated and volatile history but it is too much of an overchttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=102http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=102Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT Every week Football Italiano brings you a translation of one of la Gazzetta dello Sport's interviews with a major name from the world of Italian football. This time it is the turn of Napoli goalkeeper Gennaro Iezzo… Gennaro Iezzo CASTELVOLTURNO. He is a big reason why Napoli are in fourth position. There are some amazing saves, like the onehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=103http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=103Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt’s a San Siro return this week for big money flop Alberto Gilardino as the Viola look to bounce back from last week’s shock reverse at home to Lecce with a win at Scudetto-chasers Milan. Just two points and three places separate the sides going into the match, so it’ll be a massive three points up for grabs comhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=104http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=104Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT Important games in Serie A are coming thick and fast and the clash between Lazio and Juventus offers another mouth-watering prospect. The home side are chasing a lucrative Champions League spot, whilst, having reduced the gap on Inter to four points, Claudio Ranieri will be anxious to pile the pressure on the leahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=105http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=105Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT Milan would be mad to say no to £100m, but Kaka would be mad to say yes to the deal. According to reports, Milan don’t want to sell the 26-year-old striker and say the move would only go ahead if Kaka - who is said to be considering Manchester City’s offer - wanted to go. But, what if both parties are taking the wrong stance in this, whttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=106http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=106Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTBergamo's Nerazzurri face up to Milan’s Nerazzurri. It’s a case of La Dea against Il Biscione - the goddess versus the big grass snake - in essence Beauty against the beast. How the Internazionale beast could do with an injection of beauty. For all their millions and ranking as one of the most celehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=107http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=107Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTEach week Tim mixes tales of his experiences of living in Italy with comments on the past week's major talking points whilst also looking ahead to the coming weekend's biggest games. Enjoy... If there is one thing that I would like to introduce to the great British public from the peninsula, it would probabhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=108http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=108Sun, 18 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT Après moi, le déluge. Ricardo Kaka, the enfant prodige of Italian football, seems set to lift his sails and leave. Silvio Berlusconi, Milan’s President, has already stated that ‘it will be very difficult to keep Kaka’ and the hugs that the player distributed to everyone at the end of the Fiorentina gahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=109http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=109Mon, 19 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTInter suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of rivals Atalanta, as the Nerazzurri’s first half collapse let Juventus and Milan close the gap at the top. Jose Mourinho was left “very angry” as he slammed his players for conceding “ridiculous goals” whilst strangely stating “I am to blame” - almost ihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=110http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=110Mon, 19 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT Atalanta produce their performance of the season to comfortably beat Inter 3-1 to put the pressure back on coach Jose Mourinho. Kaka may have played his last game for the Rossoneri, helping Milan to a 1-0 win over Fiorentina on a night when the result came second in importance. Juventus failed to take advantage of Inter's defeat, drawing with Lazio, and Genohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=111http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=111Mon, 19 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt has been a long time since Serie A has garnered this much attention. With David Beckham making his debut last week and Manchester City making a world record £108m bid for Kaka, the English media finally seem to be acknowledging the existence of a football league beyond their own shores. The common denominator in all of this is Milan, a club who cannot seem to escape the limelight at the momehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=112http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=112Mon, 19 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT Silvio Berlusconi has told Italian television that Ricky Kaka will be staying at the Rossoneri. After fears that the Brazilian ace may have played his last game for the club on Saturday against Fiorentina, it now appears that the rumours linking Kaka away for the San Siro can be put to bed. Club Phttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=113http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=113Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTPerhaps nothing has been more influential in determining the popular perception of the Italian game than furbizia, the art of guile. For it is no overstatement to say that Italians enjoy a reputation as the dirtiest players in the game and, dryly put, as cheaters. While it is certain that their guile has had to do with the establishment of this repute, furbizia actually has nothing to do with chttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=114http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=114Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTDiego Armando Maradona can be revered as many things: a disreputable cheat, a drug user, a flawed genius. One thing nobody can take from the gifted Argentinean though, is that the footballing phenomenon whose professional career began when he was still only 15-years-old, is the greatest footballer ever to wear thhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=115http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=115Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTSerie A Story tells you everything and anything about your favourite club and their record in one of Europe’s toughest leagues. On 1 November 1897, on a bench in Corso Re Umberto a group of friends engineered the idea of starting up a sports club, primarily so they could hang out with something tohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=116http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=116Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT This Sunday will see the Stadio San Paolo play host to the highly anticipated 125th Derby del Sole, as Napoli go head-to-head with rivals Roma. The Ciucciarelli’s recent record against Roma does not make for good reading, winning just once in the previous six encounters, in a 1-0 victory cominghttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=117http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=117Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTJuventus and Fiorentina are two Italian teams steeped in illustrious elegance and darkly dwellings. They have graced the game with fantastic players, both domestically and at international level, have both been punished and had tarnished reputations with match-fixing in the Calciopoli scandal, and now are both http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=118http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=118Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT Every week Football Italiano brings you a translation of one of la Gazzetta dello Sport's interviews with a major name from the world of Italian football. This time it is the turn of Fiorentina owner Diego Della Valle… Diego Della Valle On Saturday night you asked vhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=119http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=119Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe first fixtures past the halfway stage of the Serie A calendar kick off this weekend with a reversal of the opening day ties which sees Roma travel to Naples to face the team with the best home record in Serie A. Napoli have turned the Stadio San Paolo into a fortress this season, winning eight with only Caglihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=120http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=120Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTA scalding match seems set up to take place this Sunday between Roma and Napoli, as two cultural rivals face off in an already decisive match for qualification in the Champions League spot. With only three points separating the two teams and an insipid 1-1 draw after the first leg, expect flames - and at the same tihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=121http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=121Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTMay 1988 was - until Daniel Pablo Osvaldo's late strike in the corresponding fixture last year- the last time the travelling Viola could celebrate a win in Turin. Juve, second in the league and with a real chance of Scudetto success will aim to keep their title ambitions on track by avoiding a similar result this time around. Just three points behind Serie A leaders Inter (who went down 3-1 at http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=122http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=122Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis week we saw the real power that football fans hold when they group together. Upon hearing the developments behind the Kaka deal, the reaction by the Milan tifosi was in the main positive, at least in terms of their reaction to the player. With other players, maybe who have not the same personality or principles http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=123http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=123Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTCynics may suggest the Kaka-City saga was a PR show put on by Silvio Berlusconi, but the Milan circus continue to make headlines for the results they are achieving on the pitch too. In a round that saw 30 goals scored in the 10 games, both the Rossoneri and Roma put in imperious performances to come away with impressive away victories whilst Juventus and Inter secured 1-0 home wins. http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=124http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=124Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT Fiorentina were again left fuming at the referee following two controversial decisions against the Viola in their defeat toJuventus, David Beckham and Kaka inspired the Rossoneri to a comfortable away win versus Bologna to set-up a new title challenge to Inter, and the Nerazzurri overcame Sampdoria thanks to Adriano who proved a successful replacement for Zlhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=125http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=125Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTThere is no doubt luck plays a decisive role in the destinies of both the Scudetto, and those teams lingering at the bottom of the table. They do say, however, that luck evens itself out over the season. In which case, Juventus are due a tough 90 minutes at some point, having had the benefit of Lady Luck on Saturday evening in their 1-0 victory over Fiorentina. img src="images/arthttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=126http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=126Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT At the time, the meeting between Chievo and Lecce at the Stadio Via del Mare in the second week of the season had little implication for the league standings. However, the 2-0 victory for Lecce was the first defeat in what became a twelve match winless run for the gentlemen of Verona but, despite fairing slightly behttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=127http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=127Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT Two sides with very different league ambitions meet at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Wednesday, with a important three points at stake. The Biancocelesti’s slow slide down the table continued last weekend as they were thrashed at home by a resurgent Cagliari side. Delio Rossi’s men looked like genuine contendershttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=128http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=128Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTFourth placed Genoa travel to the San Siro on Wednesday looking to close the gap on third placed rivals, Milan. Il Grifone has been urged to play without fear when they face the Rossoneri all-stars and with the pressure on them to win not has critical as the home sides, they may find a freedom to their game to thttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=129http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=129Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTEntering the midweek treat that was Week 21 in Serie A, you would be forgiven for diverting your attention away from the top of the table, and taking an occasional glance towards the bottom. With the bottom four all playing each other for the second time in a week, and Chievo starting to make a fist of this relegation lark by picking up points, the battle at the bottom is looking equally as inthttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=130http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=130Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTOn loan David Beckham capped a memorable personal week as he helped Milan secure a point against fourth place Genoa with a trademark free kick at the San Siro last night. It is now two in as many games for the former England skipper, after opening his account with the last of Rossoneri’s goals ihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=131http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=131Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTTitle-chasing Juventus will be looking to keep the pressure on leaders Inter as they host an in-form Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico this Saturday. A week that started with so much promise has turned into one to forget for the Bianconeri. Last weekend’s fortuitous 1-0 victory against Fiorentina saw Claudio Ranieri’s side temporarily move to the top of the table above Inter, albehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=132http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=132Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMTMilan travel to an out-of-sorts Lazio in desperate need of a win as they look to keep their slim Scudetto hopes alive. With the two sides enduring disappointing results in midweek, it will be a game of massive importance, as both franticly attempt to keep their season’s ambition in sight. The Rossonehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=133http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=133Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT Italy often has refereeing decisions as one of its staple dinner table/sports studio topics of conversation, but in the past three weeks especially, this has come to even more prominence. Andrea Della Valle, the Fiorentina owner has been saying recently that the decisions from the men in luminous green have been costinhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=134http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=134Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Rossoneri leapfrogged Juventus into second place on a dramatic weekend in Serie A, where just three of the top ten were victorious. Juventus 2-3 Cagliari Juventus had the chance to close in on Inter as they took on Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday evening. The visitors went inthttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=135http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=135Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTWeek 22 proved a happy one for Milan, as title rivals Juventus and Inter both dropped points at home whilst the Rossoneri demolished Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico. Elsewhere Roma failed to beat lowly Reggina, relegation contenders Lecce and Chievo picked up points and Udinese’s Fabio Quagliarella scored a contender for goal of the season against Napoli. Juventus 2-3 Cagliari http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=136http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=136Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTWeek 22 kicked off amidst a wave of anger and protest, with the Italian Footballers Association deciding that all matches were to start 15 minutes late in protest at the one year bans handed out to Napoli’s Daniele Mannini and Brescia’s Davide Possanzini. Having been originally handed a two week ban by the Italian Olymphttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=137http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=137Tue, 03 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT It’s Italy vs. England in the Champions League knockout stages later this month, with the old masters of the peninsula taking on the big boys from Britain in three mouth-watering ties. To kick-off Football Italiano’s coverage of this tantalising trio of games, resident writers Chrihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=138http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=138Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT Catania host Claudio Ranieri’s title-chasing Juventus this weekend and threaten to further dent their Championship credentials. Walter Zenga’s men have an impressive home record and have turned the Stadio Angelo Massimino into a fortress so far this term. If the Bianconeri are to collect all thrhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=139http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=139Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt may be a measure of the health of Italian football that the weekend match between Genoa and Roma should be so important. Before the Calciopoli scandal in 2006, neither of these teams could have hoped for much before the crushing political and financial power of Juventus, Milan and (to a lesser extent) Inter. Today, a club like Genoa is allowed to put togethttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=140http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=140Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTTwo teams representing cities on Italy’s cultural vanguard will butt heads on Sunday afternoon enjoying very different strands of fortune. As is the time of season, the majority of teams are either putting together their second season stride or post-Christmas slump and in the case of Lazio, the tumble downhill seems to be becoming a steeper incline with every passing weekend. centhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=141http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=141Sat, 07 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTNow it would be difficult to write a Gazzetta article this week without talking about the pressing problems that are affecting the relationship between the UK and Italy in which as Italophiles, puts us in a difficult and regrettable situation. I am of course talking about, as the Italian daily newspaper Il Messaggehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=142http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=142Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTLate goals were the order of the Week 23, with three teams the beneficiaries. However, we could well have witnessed the week in Calcio whereby any remaining hope of a Scudetto race was crushed. The enduring sense of inevitability about Serie A has finally come to the fore, with Inter seemingly cruising to a fourth straight title (or third for those who choose to pretend Calciopoli did not happehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=143http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=143Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTAnother weekend of dramatic Serie A action produced 23 goals, a host of red cards and plenty of talking points as Juventus left it late to leapfrog Milan into second and Inter extended their lead at the top to seven points. Lecce 0 - 3 Inter League leaders Inter cruised to a convincing 3-0 win over lowly Lecce at the Stadio Via del Mare, extending their lead http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=144http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=144Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT Inter earned a comfortable win away to Lecce, as their Milanese rivals slipped up against lesser opposition yet again. Juventus got back to winning ways away to Catania, Roma continued their fantastic form with three stunning goals at home to Genoa, and Alberto Gilardino helped Fiorentina to a good 1-0 victory over Lazio. Here are all the goals from Giornathttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=145http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=145Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTIf you were to ask any Inter fan at the start of the season who would be the only Italian player in the team’s starting line up, the majority of fans would have either chosen Mario Balotelli or Marco Materazzi. Inter do have their critics for regularly and exclusively selecting non Italians in the first XI, however in recent weeks this has begun to change with the emergence of Davide Santon in http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=146http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=146Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT ‘Thus in the sun evanishes the snow’ says Dante in the last Canto of the Divine Comedy to describe how memory is slowly brushed away from the mind. The faces of players staring at us from the 1930s, captured in a grainy black and white, bear witness to the statement. The tale of the confrontation between Italy andhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=147http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=147Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Azzurri are in London on Tuesday, but instead of facing Fabio Capello’s England, it’s a Brazil side featuring Ronaldinho, Adriano and Alexandre Pato who they’ll do battle with at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium. The history of clashes between the two most successful countries in World Cup history is of course long and glorious, and while this friendly is unlikely to match the drahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=148http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=148Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT Football Italiano will discuss the finer details of the Italy-Brazil match from last Tuesday in David Swan’s Azzurri Analysis, but before then, this article wishes to add some considerations on the tactical future of the Italian squad after this game. For starters, it is clear that some plhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=149http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=149Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe 2-0 defeat to Brazil on Tuesday night is likely to provoke widespread overreaction from media in the peninsula, as well as those giving their respected opinion on the state of La Nazionale. Allow Football Italiano to provide you with the sensible, rationalised, middle ground. The gamehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=150http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=150Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTEmotions will be running high this weekend in the Derby della Madonnina as league leaders Inter host bitter rivals Milan in a crucial game that may well prove decisive in the race for the Scudetto. With Inter currently eight points ahead of the third placed Rossoneri, the game has taken on an added sense of importance for Coach Carlo Ancelotti’s side, who simply cannot afford tohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=151http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=151Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTWhen two of the most respected and decorated teams in the Peninsula go head to head, the San Siro becomes a melting pot of passion. Milan triumphed 1-0 in the previous Derby della Madonnina, but this time out Inter has the home advantage and with an eight point lead over their city rivals, this is a match the Rossoneri can ill afford to lose. img src="images/articles/mourinhopointhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=152http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=152Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe impenetrable Marassi hosts Champions League rivals Fiorentina, as we get set for a thrilling three-way fight for that treasure chest of fourth spot. Both sides experienced tough games last week against similar Euro-rivals, as la Viola stole a late win against Lazio, while the Rossoblu were well beaten at Romhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=153http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=153Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT The Milan derby is of course the one game that all of Milan knows about. Those who may not follow either the red or blue half on a regular basis will have the natural urge to pledge their public support to their side, like they have done twice a season, for nearly every year of their life. In the city of courhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=154http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=154Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTJose Mourinho’s Inter find themselves on the brink of a 4th straight Scudetto following a narrow victory over derby rivals Milan. First half goals from Adriano and Dejan Stankovic ensured the Nerazzurri left the San Siro not only with the city’s bragging rights, but a nine point cushion at the top of Serie A. In an enthralling evening in Milan, both sides played their part in whhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=155http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=155Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Derby della Madonnina was the showpiece event of the week as far as Serie A was concerned. The game does not usually need a helping hand from the rest of Calcio to give it a gentle push into the limelight. However, with seven of the 10 matches in Week 24 ending in draws, that is exactly what it received. img src="images/articles/donidefeated.jpg" style="float: right; height: 2http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=156http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=156Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTAt the start of this season, Clarence Seedorf could have been forgiven for having a few doubts about his future at Milan. The arrival of Ronaldinho seemed to suggest that the 32-year old Dutch star would be out in the cold, with the potential of Kaka, Alexandre Pato and Ronaldinho combining to make one of the http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=157http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=157Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTBologna celebrates today Giuseppe Signori’s birthday. In a town hopeless for Giacomo Bulgarelli’s death, the 41 anniversary of Beppe Gol is just a little good drop in an ocean of sadness. Whilst yesterday thousands of people were crying the departure of the most important champion in the history of the Rossoblu, http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=158http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=158Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT Originally published on Football Italiano in August 2008 It has been some sixteen and a half years since Serie A football first graced our television screens in the UK - a decent shelf life for quite a niche product. The footballing landscape has changed dramatically since James Richardsonhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=159http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=159Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTBack in August I wrote an article that looked at the ever-changing footballing landscape in England and how this effected the demand for, and availability of, broadcasting Italian Football onto UK screens. What was interesting was that there was a clear blueprint and you could see why back in the early 90s why the Ihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=160http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=160Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTIn the first of a new, regular feature on Football Italiano, the site’s writers all chip in with answers to those crucial questions surrounding Serie A. This week we kick things off with the rather blatant question, “Who will win lo Scudetto?” Doug Drinkwater: For me, Inter are in such a strong position and have so much quality in all positions of the http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=161http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=161Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT Every week Football Italiano brings you a translation of one of la Gazzetta dello Sport's interviews with a major name from the world of Italian football. This time it is the turn of Juventus shot-stopper Gianluigi Buffon… Gianluigi Buffon CARRARA. Gigi Buffon hasn'http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=162http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=162Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTJuventus have a trip to Sicily to begin what will no doubt be a massive week in terms of their season. Last week’s draw with lowly Sampdoria coupled with Inter’s derby win, left Claudio Ranieri’s side nine points adrift of the league leaders with just 14 games to play. Many have written off any kind of title race http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=163http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=163Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTMarco Giampaolo takes his Siena side to the capital on Saturday evening knowing his team need to start score goals if they are to avoid slipping into a relegation dog fight. The seven point cushion they have over the drop zone may give them a little breathing space, but with only two points in four games and 19 goals to their credit all season, the former Cagliari Coach knows his team can’t affhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=164http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=164Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTFast on the heels of Football Italiano’s first ever writers’ discussion comes our second attempt at reasoned debate. This time we turn our attention to the fascinating battle to stay in the league, by asking, “Which three teams will be relegated from Serie A this season?” Puds: 40 points should be enough to see a team avoid the drop, however none of thhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=165http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=165Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT At this time every year, the traditional festival of San Remo is broadcast throughout Italy. This consists basically of a music contest, held in the Ariston theatre in San Remo, north-west Italy, and is extremely famous in the Peninsula. This year’s version, like those preceding it, has been controversial for a nuhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=166http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=166Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT Wednesday February 18 2009 Sampdoria 0-1 Metalist Kharkiv Serie A strugglers Sampdoria were shocked by Ukrainian team Metalist Kharkiv, losing 1-0 at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Wednesday. In a sluggish game often played out in the midfield, Dennis Oliynyk headed in to score deep into first-half stoppage time to take a precious one goal lhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=167http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=167Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe top six sides all won in Week 25, but it wasn’t plain sailing for Inter, Roma or Juventus in preparation for their midweek Champions League ties. Saturday February 21, 2009 Bologna 1-2 Inter Milan Jose Mourinho’s side will be relieved to have come away from this game with three points after an evenly-matched game at league strugglers Bhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=168http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=168Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTChampions League football this week meant that three Serie A games, instead of the regular two, took place on Saturday in Week 25. All of Italy’s representatives in Europe’s top competition were given a helping hand by the Lega Calcio and assigned these earlier slots. The fact that a key tie against Manchester Utd looms just days away did not seem to bother Inter Coach Jose Mourhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=169http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=169Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT Two of Europe’s biggest clubs meet in the Last 16 of the Champions League as Scudetto holders Inter host Premier League and European Champions and Manchester United at the San Siro. With both clubs leading their respective league by a considerable margin and on course for yet another title to further their domestic dominance, we lookhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=170http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=170Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT It is only too easy to draw analogies between Roma and Arsenal. Both teams have spent the last few years offering smooth and beautiful football, both have provided surprises in the recent editions of the Champions League, taking out big guns Real Madrid and Milan respectively, and bothhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=171http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=171Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT What a difference a day makes, goes the old adage. Only a short while ago, the talking point of the Old Lady taking on the Russian-owned west London club was the fact that Big Phil Scolari would be able to resurrect his dwindling tenure in the Stamford Bridge hot-seat with the premierhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=172http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=172Tue, 24 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho prepare to lock horns once more in the most anticipated tie of the Champions League. Holders Manchester United travel to the San Siro on Tuesday where they will be confronted by a stubborn Inter side looking to gain an advantage for the return leg at Old Trafford two weeks later. Usually, when these two ghttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=173http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=173Tue, 24 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT When this pairing for the Champions League second round was drawn out on UEFA’s glamorously decorated stage in Nyon in December, all of the talk was of Claudio Ranieri’s return to Stamford Bridge, the ground where the Roman occupied the home dugout for four years between 2000 and 2004 - now though, the attention is on the Londoners’ latest boss. http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=174http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=174Tue, 24 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Champions League gets back in full swing this week with an amazing line-up of games, highlighting exactly why qualification for the tournament is so coveted. This season’s Serie A race for fourth spot is as close as it has ever been, with Roma and surprise package Genoa hot on the heels of Fiorentina. Football Italiano’s finest writers tackle yet another Calcio question, answering http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=175http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=175Tue, 24 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt has returned. The feature described as “ahead of it’s time” and “fearless, scathing and above all, correct” - Should he stay or should he go? is back and this time takes aim at one of Serie A’s longest servants, Carlo Ancelotti. The fans are venting their frustration at players and coachihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=176http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=176Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT Every week Football Italiano brings you a translation of one of la Gazzetta dello Sport's interviews with a major name from the world of Italian football. This time it is the turn of Juventus winger Mauro Camoranesi… Mauro Camoranesi Camorahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=177http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=177Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT The English Premier League came out on top in the first legs of the Anglo-Italian ties after three stellar match-ups produced tight, cagey affairs. Tuesday February 24, 2009 Inter 0-0 Manchester United Tuesday saw the match of the two country’s respective Champions anhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=178http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=178Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTLeague Leaders Inter look to maintain their nine-point advantage at the summit when they host a resurgent Roma at the San Siro this weekend. Tuesday night saw both sides in Champions League action. Jose Mourinho once again came up against his old foe Sir Alex Ferguson as the Nerazzuri held current holders Manchester United to a goalless draw. Roma, meanwhile, were narrowly defeahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=179http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=179Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis Saturday will see the Derby di Sicilia match take place between fierce rivals Palermo and Catania. Walter Zenga’s men will travel to the north-western side of Sicily to meet up at the Renzo Barbera Stadium which will surely be packed out for this encounter as usual. Catania will try to make it three straighhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=180http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=180Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt’s a bit sad that Inter-Roma, a match which for the past two years has represented the best of what Italian football can offer, should now present itself in such grey garbs. The team from the capital has been powerfully impoverished this year and is languishing seventeen points behind the Nerazzurri rivals, who in turn enjoy a nine-point lead over second-placed Juventus and seem all set to swhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=181http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=181Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe fire and passion of Sicily will be well and truly brought to life again at the weekend when Catania make their shortest trip of the season to pay a visit to island neighbours Palermo. The victory over Reggina last weekend ended a run of five games without a win for the Rossazzurri, but Walter Zenga’s men, denied by a late Giuseppe Colucci equaliser in their last away game at Chievo, have yehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=182http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=182Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe games between Inter and Roma have become a modern classic, taking on the same kind of rivalry as some of the Italian derbies. The matches between those teams always count and even if the win does not change their league position they will fight for honour and victory to the last whistle. br http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=183http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=183Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTThey couldn't agree every time and this week's discussion has truly divided Football Italiano’s writers as they debate Who is the best Coach currently working in Serie A? Chris Sloley: Narrowly pipping Cesare Prandelli and Edy Reja in my eyes is Gian Piero Gasperini. img src="images/articles/gasperini.jpg" style="float: left; height: 165phttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=184http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=184Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt has been a sad night for Italian clubs and their fans, with three from four Serie A sides failing to progress to the next round. Milan, Fiorentina and Sampdoria had to say goodbye to the UEFA Cup, leaving Udinese as the only team to defend the honour of Italian football. Ajax 1-1 Fiorentina (2 – 1) img src="images/articles/fiorentinaout.jpg" style="http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=185http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=185Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis Sunday’s encounter at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris in Genoa will pit Sampdoria against Milan in a match-up between sides whose UEFA Cup campaigns both prematurely ended in midweek. The Blucerchiati crashed out against Ukrainian side Metallist Kharkiv 3-0 on aggregate whilst the Rossoneri suffered a heartbreaking defeat to German side Werder Bremen on the away goals rule in a game after going http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=186http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=186Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis weekend sees carnival time in the streets and piazzas of Milan, as the Milanese version of the Catholic festival to approach Easter begins. Il Carnevale Ambrosiano, named after the Saint of Milan, is not however quite as exotic or indeed as extravagant as Carnival time in Brazil for example, but like the similar chttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=187http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=187Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTInter showed the spirit of champions while Milan are plunged deep into crisis on an eventful Week 26 in Serie A. Juventus 1-0 Napoli Sebastian Giovinco was given a rare start as Juventus claimed a fortuitous victory over free falling Napoli. As one would expect, the home side had much of the early going, forcing Nicolas Navarro into saves from Alhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=188http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=188Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTCriticism of the level of officiating in Italy has been rife in recent weeks, with claims that the standard has dropped backed up by some dreadful decisions from referees and linesmen. It is only right then, that we should praise the same group when they manage to get it right, especially when the calls they make prove so vital to the outlook of the league table. Not for the firhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=189http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=189Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Scudetto race became just a little closer as Inter stumbled at home to Roma, and Milan confirmed their absence from said race with a poor 2-1 defeat to another Antonio Cassano inspired Sampdoria. The competition for the Champions League spot between Genoa and Fiorentina took a week off as both managed only draws, whilst Chievo, Catania and Reggina gained important points in the lower half ohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=190http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=190Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTIn the 1990s one man turned goal scoring from a delicate but random art-form into a series of well-timed, bloody assassinations - and that man was the golden haired, hawk-eyed Gabriel Omar Batistuta. For those seduced by this particular golden age of Serie A, no single figure better represents the explosive dynamhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=191http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=191Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTSerie A Story tells you everything and anything about your favourite club and their record in one of Europe’s toughest leagues. In the autumn of 1926, the two old Florentine clubs of CS Firenze and PG Libertas merged as one – Fiorentina. Luigi Ridolfi, a National Fascist Party member, initiated thttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=192http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=192Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT Football Italiano’s writers return to talk all things Serie A. This week they thrash out a solution to Who is the best Italian player currently playing in Serie A? Mark Jones: Is Amauri Italian or Brazilian for this question? Doesn’t matter, the award goes to his Juve team-mate Alessandro Del Piero. img src="images/articles/delpihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=193http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=193Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt was Italian football's darkest hour. The world looked on as a great nation’s history blew up in flames as we witnessed what some thought would be the death of the Italian game. But the cracks were papered over, new rules enforced, the system changed – for the better. Now we look back to that dark summer in 2006 and ask - did it actually change anything? img src="images/articleshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=194http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=194Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTClub Focus is a new regular feature on Football Italiano that aims to bring you up-to-date with your favourite clubs from the Peninsula. Each week we bring you the latest news, previews and commentary focused solely on an individual club. We aim to provide you with well-formed, in-depth debate on the latest events surrounding some of Serie A’s biggest clubs. This week sees the first sehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=195http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=195Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTClub Focus is a new regular feature on Football Italiano that aims to bring you up-to-date with your favourite clubs from the Peninsula. Each week we bring you the latest news, previews and commentary focused solely on an individual club. We aim to provide you with well-formed, in-depth debate on the latest events surrounding some of Serie A’s biggest clubs. This week sees the first sehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=196http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=196Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT Every week Football Italiano brings you a translation of one of la Gazzetta dello Sport's interviews with a major name from the world of Italian football. This time it is the turn of Inter striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic… Zlatan Ibrahimovic APPIANO http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=197http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=197Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis weekend we witness a clash between the remaining two sides to still hold unbeaten home records in Serie A this season. In many ways, this is arguably Inter’s hardest away game of the season. You can be sure not many would have said that at the start of the campaign. Genoa is this season’s surprise package and despite only picking up 17 out of a possible 42 points on the roadhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=198http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=198Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTIn what both sides may view as something of an eerily similar reworking of last weekend’s respective fixtures – high-flying yet unfancied side taking on battling relegation strugglers - a repeat of last weekend’s results seems unlikely. Even with reality against them, Chievo will be striving to emulahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=199http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=199Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTRoma travel to a resurgent Udinese as the race for the prestigious Champions League hots up. The Giallorossi stand two points behind fourth-placed Fiorentina while Milan’s recent slump has seen their place amongst Europe’s elite in threat - with sixth placed Roma just four points adrift of Carlo Ancelotti’s men. img src="images/articles/spalletti4.jpg" style="float: left; height: 1http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=200http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=200Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTWe’ve heard who the writers believe to be the best Italian currently playing in Serie A, but what of the imports from across Europe and South America? Football Italiano’s team talk Who is the best foreign player currently playing in Serie A? Mark Jones: Tough choice, a very tough choice. Serie A has some of the greatest foreign talent from all corners http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=201http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=201Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTWith both teams reeling from the last round’s crushing defeats, and unable to string together anything like consistency, this is very a tough game to call. Atalanta would have been disappointed to drop points at home to lowly Chievo, but their dire performance and come-and-get-me defending made http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=202http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=202Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTImagine a cross between You’ve Been Framed, Punk’d, and Rio Ferdinand’s World Cup Wind-Ups, and you have a weekly television show on Canale 5 - Scherzi a Parte - where celebrities from all genres are led to believe all sorts of wild and wacky scenarios are occurring, when really it is a prank that much of the cohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=203http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=203Sat, 07 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT I’d like to believe that one of the reasons why Football Italiano exists is that football fans as a whole are smarter than they’re normally given credit for. Sports journalism, and specifically football journalism, seems to garner less resphttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=204http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=204Mon, 09 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTYet another long-running David Beckham saga finally came to a close this weekend, with the official announcement that he will be staying at Milan until May 31, before returning to LA Galaxy in July to join in their MLS campaign, which ends in November. After that, nobody really has any idea what will happen. No doubt the player would love to return to Italy, especially as the 2010 World Cup wouhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=205http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=205Mon, 09 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT Inter continued their progress at the top of the table, again with a little help from the men in black. Their main rivals Juventus triumphed in the Turin derby thanks to Giorgio Chiellini's header, and Milan beat local rivals Atalanta 3-0 thanks to a vintage Pippo Inzaghi hat-trick. Fiorentina failed to take advatange of Genoa's defeat by losing 2-0 at home to Palermo, and another hat-trick, thttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=206http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=206Mon, 09 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT After a narrow 1-0 victory for Arsenal in the first leg of the Champions League last 16, the deciding match is tentatively poised and shrouded in anticipation. The Gunners take a slender lead to the Stadio Olimpico through a Robin Van Persie penalty, but whether the Londoners can hold on to their advantage againshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=207http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=207Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTClaudio Ranieri welcomes his former club Chelsea to the Stadio Olimpico di Torino on Tuesday evening hoping to scupper their desperate chase for European glory. Didier Drogba’s 13th minute strike handed the Blues a slender advantage going into the second leg, but the Bianconeri will be in confident mood after impressing for long periods at Stamford Bridge. img src="images/http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=208http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=208Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTSir Alex Ferguson and José Mourinho will again lock horns as Manchester United host Inter in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League showdown. The first leg in Milan saw United dominate for long periods of the game, but they were unable to convert their possession into a crucial away goal. Ferguson, howehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=210http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=210Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTWhen Paolo Maldini kicks his last ball as a professional footballer, an era will not just draw to a close, but come to a juddering halt. At 40, he is not the player he once was, but his performances in big games still earn him a place in the line-up of one of the best teams in Serie A. The Milan man is unquestionably ahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=211http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=211Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT Jose Mourinho may have seen his fierce rival, Sir Alex Ferguson, pick up his second trophy of the season a week ago, but in United’s penalty triumph over Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley and subsequent victories over Newcastle and Fulham, so too would Mourinho have noticed a weakness in the European Champions’ armour. img src="imhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=212http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=212Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT Let us all take a step back. Two weeks ago, when I wrote the preview for Arsenal–Roma, I stated that “this first conflict will be concluded with one of two results - either a moderate advantage for Roma (one which will almost certainly be capitalised upon in the return leg), or a decisive one for Arsenal.” On this account, I went on to say that “the return lehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=213http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=213Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt has been a hectic week for the San Siro press office, but the story dominating the headlines is the future of David Beckham. The, will-he-stay or will-he-go saga has been rumbling on for some time, but came to a head at the weekend in light of his loan spell coming to an end. Many of you are probably sick tohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=214http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=214Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTLike a wounded bear, the Bianconeri will either be out for retribution when Bologna come calling on Saturday evening, or prime picking for the relegation battling Rossoblu. No longer in the hunt for their first post-Calciopoli European title, Juventus will want to reassert their focus and put all their remaining efforts into mounting one last challenge for the Scudetto. A heavy victory against http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=215http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=215Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTSo there we have it then - England 3 Italy 0. The superpowers from the Premier League all faced their Italian jobs and didn’t so much ‘blow Serie A’s doors off’ as steamroller it entirely. Where does that leave the Italian teams? Well with a lot of thinking to do obviously, but things could have been different if they’d just believed in themselves a bit more. Inter looked like ahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=216http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=216Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTWith the furore surrounding the UEFA Champions League ties this week, you may be surprised to know that Thursday sees the return of the UEFA Cup. A quick glance at the fixtures will show you a distinct lack of Italian clubs in the final 16. The last round was described as a horror show for Calcio, with high flyinhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=217http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=217Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTLazio was originally founded as the Societa Podistica Lazio, or Lazio Track and Field Club on January 9, 1900 in the elegant Prati district of Northern Rome. The clubs nine original members wanted to embrace a wider area of Rome so chose the name Lazio to represent the region in which the city was located. Soon afterhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=218http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=218Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT Every week Football Italiano brings you a translation of one of la Gazzetta dello Sport's interviews with a major name from the world of Italian football. This time it is the turn of Fiorentina president Diego Della Valle… Diego Della Valle “As http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=219http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=219Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt’s an unlikely and considerably unthinkable scenario but following the exits in the earlier rounds of Milan, Fiorentina and Sampdoria and a hat-trick of midweek defeats at the hands of English opposition in the Champions league, Pasquale Marino's Udinese now find themselves as the sole representatives of Italian football in continental competition. img src="images/artihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=220http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=220Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTSo all of the Italian clubs are now out of Europe’s premier competition, all knocked out by English clubs. Yet this hides the fact that Serie A has shown an improvement this year in their ability to compete with the Premier League sides. All three games were close affairs - Juventus may have got the result theyhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=221http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=221Sun, 15 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT Resident writer Paolo Cabrelli gives his opinion to the midweek Italian exodus from the Champions League. Much has been written now about the ignominious exit of Italy’s three Champions League representatives. But what can Inter, Juventus, Roma and the rest of Serie A really learn about their disastrous Euhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=222http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=222Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTHaving ventured into Week 28 under a cloud of disappointment and negativity following the midweek Champions League humbling at the hands of the English Premiership, there was a depression lingering around Calcio akin to that of Aaron Beck’s Cognitive Triad (negative feelings of the self, of the world, and of the future). Fortunately, young Sebastian Giovinco turned in a performance to lift Italhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=223http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=223Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe top three all won on an eventful and entertaining weekend in Serie A in which 34 goals were scored. There were shocks, thrashings and plenty of controversy as we reach the business end of the season with every result, every goal, every decision more important as the Serie A season reaches it’s run-in. Just 10 games remain and the stakes are high – who will feel the heat? Inhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=224http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=224Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTAs the season enters the final stretch, Football Italiano takes a look at the run-ins that matter. The title race, race for fourth spot and the relegation battle all throw up some intriguing battles in the final ten weeks of the season. Part one looks at the teams fighting it out at the top of the table. Inter - 1st, 66 points Target - Scudetto:http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=225http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=225Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT Inter both got back to winning ways after Champions League defeat in midweek, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic bagging a brace for the Nerazzurri against Fiorentina. Juventus also got all three points, with a Sebastian Giovinco inspired 4-1 victory over Bologna. Milan destroyed Siena 5-1, with Pato and Inzaghi getting two goals each, the latter reaching the fantastic milestone of 300 professional goalshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=226http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=226Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTImagine playing in the best league in the world. Imagine playing in one of the best teams ever to play professional football. Imagine being one of the best players in that team. Welcome to the career of Ruud Gullit. In full flight, Ruud Gullit was a blistering force of nature, the complete box to box footballer able to dribble, cross, beat a man, strike a ball and finish a move whttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=227http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=227Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTShould He Stay or Should He Go? returns to haunt Inter - it was only a matter of time before the beast that is SHSOSHG? was unleashed again at the San Siro to ravage the managerial integrity of the latest Coach at the Nerazzurri. As Jose Mourinho trudged along the Old Trafford touchline lashttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=228http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=228Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe resurgence of Filippo Inzaghi in the front-line of the Milanese strike force could leave you forgiven for thinking that the man once lamented by Sir Alex Ferguson as having been “born offside” was enjoying an Indian Summer in a league often perceived as slow or methodical. However, when Gianhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=229http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=229Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTUdinese can take heart from Zenit St Petersburg’s poor record against Serie A opposition as the Zebrette travel to Russia for their UEFA Cup Round of 16 second leg holding a two-goal lead and seeking a place in Friday’s draw. A late strike by Fabio Quagliarella and a penalty from Antonio Di Natale turned the tie in Udinese’s favour last week, just as it seemed Italy’s remaining Ehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=230http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=230Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTAs the season enters the final stretch, Football Italiano takes a look at the run-ins that matter. The title race, race for fourth spot and the relegation battle all throw up some intriguing battles in the final ten weeks of the season. Part two looks at the teams fighting it out at the bottom of the table. Siena - 15th, 31 points Target - Survihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=231http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=231Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTDifferent types of footballers provoke different emotions. There is the raw, visceral force of the committed central defender, the mesmerising, almost balletic skills of the creative midfielder and the rush of blood and passion that goes with the speedy winger as he powers towards goal. Nothing though, comes close to the feeling of putting the ball in the back of the net, which means that thosehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=232http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=232Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT A lot of things can change in football in just a short space of time - just ask any Rosanero fan. After displaying one of the poorest performances of the season in the Derby di Sicilia, the club’s management was forced to put the squad into a pre-match training cahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=233http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=233Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT Bye-bye Europe, and farewell to one of the prettiest dreams this team has had in a while. Winning the Champions League at the Olimpico was going to be an epic conquest. It was also never going to happen. From the very start of the season it was only too clear that this iteration of http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=234http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=234Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt’s been a topsy-turvy week at the San Siro. Injury concerns ahead of the game with Siena were boosted with the availability of key players David Beckham, Kaka and Ronaldinho, only to be tempered with further additions to the casualty list with the loss of Christian Abbiati and a fresh injury for Kaka. However, five goals in an scintillating performance and landmark career goals for veteran sthttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=235http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=235Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT Two giants of Italian football go head to head in the Stadio Olimpico this weekend and if recent encounters are anything to go by we are in for a captivating clash. Past meetings between the capital side and Italy’s most successful club have produced some extraordinary matches, but two of the most recent encountehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=236http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=236Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT To say a lot is riding on this game is a complete understatement, because everything hangs on this clash between two of Serie A’s most intermittently beguiling and frustrating teams. If either club loses this key encounter, they can pretty much wave goodbye to their highest ambitions for the season. http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=237http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=237Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTA derby match alone is usually enough to send shivers through the spines of every fan, but couple this with the contrasting implications the result may have on Champions League qualification and relegation and this season's Tuscan derby should be a spectacle well worth watching. Il Derby Toscano needs nhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=238http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=238Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT Every week Football Italiano brings you a translation of one of la Gazzetta dello Sport's interviews with a major name from the world of Italian football. This time it is the turn of Milan's Filippo Inzaghi, fresh from securing his 300th professional goal… Filippo Inzaghi phttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=239http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=239Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTWith Roma, Juve and Inter all falling foul of the English in the Champions League along with UEFA Cup favourites Milan being dumped out of the cup by Werder Bremen and it has been left to Udinese to fly the Italian flag in Europe. The Zebrette made light work of the reigning champions, Zenit, at the Stadio Friuli, chttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=240http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=240Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT They say you have never tasted Guinness until you have tried a pint pulled in Dublin. Well a similar thing can be said for Parmesan cheese and Prosciutto ham from Parma. Having ventured south of Milan last weekend on extended family duty, I took the opportunity to visit the small city of Parma. The city was rechttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=241http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=241Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTAs good as Inter is - as much of a unit of solidarity, sleek passing and machine-like efficiency Jose Mourinho’s men can be painted as - they are a side heavily reliant on their stars and their stars are too few and far between - namely Julio Cesar at the back and Zlatan Ibrahimovic at the front. img src="images/articles/intercelebrate22032009.jpg" style="height: 200px;"/http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=242http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=242Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT Juventus gained a valuable three points away to Roma, with Vincenzo Iaquinta inspiring the Bianconeri to a 4-1 victory. Zlatan Ibrahimovic made sure that Juve's win didn't affect Inter's lead, bagging another brace at home to Reggina, and Milan failed to break down Roberto Donadoni's Napoli. Meanwhile Lecce held Atalanta to a 2-2 draw, Torino were defeated 3-1 by Sampdoria, and Chievo were ohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=243http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=243Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe millionaire from Cremona was one of the most spectacular and gifted strikers of the last 20 years - known more for the breath-taking quality of his goals than the quantity. While the stats may tell the story of a less than prolific forward, in reality, Gianluca Vialli could put the opposition to the sword from ahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=244http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=244Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTIntroducing a new regular feature for Football Italiano, Enigmas in Calcio will take a look at those players to have had as much of a cultural impact on Serie A, if not for the same reasons as their colleagues providing us with Lessons in Calcio. There is no more of an enigma to start the ball rolling than the Uruguayan master, Alvaro Recoba. img src="images/articles/recohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=245http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=245Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTIn the summer of 1927 three Italian Football Championship (now Serie A) clubs from the nation’s capital merged as one. Italo Foschi was the man initiating the merger on behalf of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, who wanted to give the country’s capital a club strong enough to compete with the dominant Northehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=246http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=246Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT Select few players can, with a flash of insight - even genius - turn a game on it’s head with the defest of passes or neatest of finishes. When Serie A’s most iconic No.10s, Alessandro Del Piero and Francesco Totti retire, who will take their place? Will there be any fantasiste left in Italian football? Lohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=247http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=247Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt is nearly ten years since a 17-year-old from the deprived Bari Vecchia area took control of a long ball on the heel of his right foot, beating Laurent Blanc and Christian Panucci of Inter with ease to score a fantastic goal to announce himself to the footballing world. Antonio Cassano has spent the vast majority of this decade appearing to be on the brink of being Italy's next great fantasishttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=248http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=248Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Tinkerman, El General, Il Mister - the list doesn't end here for the Coach who seems to have accrued more nicknames than your old science teacher. But we have to ask ourselves, is there really enough substance behind this Italian's ever-more-charming disposition to deliver the kind of success that fans of the Bhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=249http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=249Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt’s been a quiet week at the Renzo Barbera with nothing major to report on but there has been one topic that has been dominating the Rosanero in the past week - UEFA Cup qualification. The recent Rosanero surge has propelled the Sicilians from an average mid-table position to those qualifying places. At present the Pink-Blacks currently sit in eighth place in the table, four points back from Rhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=250http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=250Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT By Milan standards it’s been a relatively quiet week in the San Siro. There has of course been the customary transfer links and the deepening of shadows cast over the future of Carlo Ancelotti’s future at the club. This week the Milan Coach has been quoted by the Italian Press as saying he wilhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=251http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=251Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTBehold Roma, ye mortals. Inter scored four goals against them in the first half of their campaign, and Juventus did the same in the second half. This wreck of a Roman season has come full circle. Most supporters will be glad to see the back of it, but Luciano Spalletti (and the rest of his team) know that the truly important battle takes place in the here and the now. The fourth place is not imhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=252http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=252Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTWhen compared to the recent shenanigans that have been occurring in and around Inter in recent weeks, this past seven days have been a relative calm. Much of that, naturally, is down to Coach José Mourinho for staying away from making any controversial remarks for what is possibly his longest period since he crossed the Italian borders. His main press action this week has been to demonstrate hohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=253http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=253Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTLast month’s friendly encounter at the Emirates Stadium in London pitted two of the greatest footballing nations head to head. Even though the game was labelled as a friendly, Brazil vs. Italy will always be more than that. It is an entrenched battle against two formidable foes where the victor will possess huge bragging rights over the other. It is the kings of offence vs. the kings of defencehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=254http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=254Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTHard times seem to have befallen the football of the peninsula. Italian teams have been dropping from international competitions like flies, and the last outing of the Azzurri squad saw them outplayed, outran and ultimately defeated by a markedly more promising Brazil team. The time to reform and rebuild has come, and the game with Montenegro should be seen as a first step in that direction. Lehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=255http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=255Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT Every week Football Italiano brings you a translation of one of la Gazzetta dello Sport's interviews with a major name from the world of Italian football. This time it is the turn of Inter Coach Jose Mourinho… Jose Mourinho Mourinho, do you hope to stay 7 pointshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=256http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=256Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe coming two games will be the perfect platform upon which a couple of players can really showcase both their ability and their adaptability - two things which do not by any means go hand in hand. The obvious example would be Angelo Palombo, the central midfielder for Sampdoria who is rumoured to be in line for a start alongside Daniele De Rossi and Andrea Pirlo. De Rossi and Pirlo do not plahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=257http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=257Sun, 29 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe first of two vital World Cup qualifiers saw the Azzurri fly out of Montenegro with their first objective complete, taking all three points from the Balkan side. Ireland’s draw with Bulgaria may have eased some of the pressure from the Italians, but when their Coach Giovanni Trappatoni watches the tape of thhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=258http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=258Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt could be a battle for the ages as two of the best Coaches in Italian football history go head to head on Wednesday night - Marcello Lippi, the tightlipped tactician seeks to keep the ship steady on course and practically guarantee qualification with a win. While Giovanni Trapattoni, the supreme results man, hophttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=259http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=259Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMTItaly welcome back former Coach Giovanni Trapattoni to his native country this week, as the top two in Group Eight face off in a mouth watering clash. The well-travelled veteran will lead out his current troops at the Stadio San Nicola in Bari on Wednesday evening hoping to halt Marcello Lippi’s march to South Africa. The Azzurri opened up a two point gap at the top of Group Eighttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=260http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=260Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTWorld Cup qualifiers have meant a short break from Serie A and, thankfully in the eyes of some, José Mourinho. With attention directed firmly towards the Azzurri, the Portuguese Coach has had to put up with a period out of the limelight. Nevertheless, it would take a global catastrophe to keep Mourinho quiet for any longer than two days, and an international break has certainly not stopped him http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=261http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=261Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTIf Milan Coach Carlo Ancelotti has a plan to keep himself in the headlines in order to protect his players, it’s working. At a critical stage in the season, none of the Rossoneri players have been splashed across media headlines and can thus concentrate on their football - which is how Ancelotti would want it. img src="images/articles/ancelotti101042009.jpg" style="float: left; hehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=262http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=262Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT All eyes were on Marco Motta after his surprise Azzurri call-up, but Romanisti onlookers had to bring their feet back to the ground once it was revealed that the young right-back would not start. The bench, in this case, is only fair - the Italian tradition offers the national starter’s shirt to players with a cohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=263http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=263Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTWith the international break upon us, the world of Calcio has been relatively quiet throughout the Peninsula this week but step into the world of the Rosanero and you will find it's anything but that. There has been any number of transfer links involving players that could be leaving the island-based club in the foreseeable future. Furthermore, Club President Maurizio Zamparini recently made hhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=264http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=264Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT Every week Football Italiano brings you a translation of one of la Gazzetta dello Sport's interviews with a major name from the world of Italian football. This time it is the turn of Milan Coach Carlo Ancelotti… Carlo Ancelotti MILANO. Carlo Ancelotti knows thahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=265http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=265Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTAny Azzurri fans watching Italy vs. Ireland on Wednesday evening would have been forgiven for thinking their team had been transported back to 2004 and were playing under Giovanni Trapattoni, instead of current Coach Marcello Lippi. What was meant to be a World Cup qualifying match essentially became an exercisehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=266http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=266Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT On Monday this week, Andriy Shevchenko announced that he will be leaving Milan at the end of the season. The muted reaction is in stark contrast to the situation of two years ago when he made his ill-fated move to Chelsea. Then banners at matches and fans picketing at training begged for him to stay, now there is barely a peep even on the club's fan forums. Thttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=267http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=267Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTInter travel to Udinese this Sunday looking to maintain their seven point lead at the summit of Serie A and with their opponents preparing to embark on another European adventure, this weekend could well see the Scudetto sealed, academics aside. It has been an indifferent season forhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=268http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=268Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis weekend sees two sides with contrasting objectives go head to head as title chasing Juventus host a resurgent Chievo at the Stadio Olimpico. With nine games still left to play, it would be foolish to assume the outcome of this crucial game could prove to be decisive in determining bohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=269http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=269Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTAs eyes across the continent draw themselves away from the past week's World Cup qualifying, there is still a veritable bevy of club fortunes still to be decided on the domestic scene. This season more unlikely sides have pressed for a place in the league standings, whilst the middle ohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=270http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=270Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe best indication Jose Mourinho is not ready to walk away from Serie A quite yet came this week when he made an unprecedented appearance on a primetime, non-sporting chat-show, Chiambretti Night - ‘Only for Number Ones.’ Mourinho has been forced into a charm offensive against the Italian phttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=271http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=271Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTFootball and politics - it is said, go hand in hand, and perhaps no player better illustrates this than Croatian midfielder, patriot and freedom-fighter Zvonimir Boban. Ask any Croatian what single incident prompted the beginning of the bitter Balkans conflict in 1990, and the chances are that they’ll choose a kick by then 22-year-old Dinamo Zagreb captain Boban - not a kick of a football, buthttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=272http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=272Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTUdinese take on Werder Bremen at the Weserstadion on Thursday evening as their quest for European glory reaches its most trying test. It is the last-eight stage of the UEFA Cup and every team left is in it to win it. Beforehand, some teams were fielding weakened sides with a view to other priorities, buhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=273http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=273Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe good news is that they won. The bad news is that everybody else did too. The victories of Genoa and Fiorentina leave the team in a position of very dire appearance, but one which it is still not impossible to get out of. This is the moment to fight, as Francesco Totti declared last week. If those words were anything more than fluff, then this is exactly the time to prove it. The fourth plachttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=274http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=274Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTWith the international break done and dusted, Calcio fans across the peninsula can turn their attention back to the domestic scene and their respective team’s issues. Crunch time has arrived for many sides in Serie A with several clubs fighting throughout the table for different targets - the Scudetto, European qualification or the right to be in the league next season. There’s still lots to plhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=275http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=275Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTMore rumours abound from the San Siro this week, most of them inevitably revolving around Carlo Ancelotti, but also, somewhat more surprisingly, Kaka. After a brief flirtation with Manchester City in January, the 26-year-old was wooed into staying by hordes of adoring Milanese tifosi. Contracted to the Rossoneri uhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=276http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=276Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe lack of attention must have been getting to Inter this week. With Coach José Mourinho’s latest outburst largely ignored (we are all getting bored of it now), Adriano took it upon himself to thrust his club right back on to the front pages by going AWOL after international duty, reportedly missing his flight bhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=277http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=277Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis Sunday will see the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara host a contest between two teams languishing at the wrong end of the Serie A table. With only seven games remaining on the Serie A calendar both of these teams know that they can ill afford anymore slip-ups from now on in. The Rossoblu almost certainly cannot afford to drop anymore points as they now find themselves right in the thick of the releghttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=278http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=278Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis weekend sees two bitter rivals attempt to rekindle their seasons and qualify for Europe as Lazio host Roma in the infamous Derby Della Capitale. This heated fixture is one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the Calcio calendar and both sides’ current predicament looks set to ensure that it takes on an added sense of importance. Failure to qualify for Europe would be an unthinkable shttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=279http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=279Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTWith Roma trailing Genoa by five points in the race for Serie A’s fourth Champions League berth, victory in this weekend’s Derby della Capitale is imperative for the Giallorossi. I Lupi have, however, lost the last two ‘away’ derbies and have won only once in their last five matches, 2-1 against Bologna on Sunday. If this has caused an air of trepidation to hang over the Curva Sud, a DVD re-runhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=280http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=280Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis week Italy was left shocked by the Abruzzo earthquake. These are the words of the Red Cross: “In the early hours of April 6 2009, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 on the Richter scale struck the city of L'Aquila in central Italy, 120 km northeast of Rome. According to the Ihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=281http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=281Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTA glancing header at the weekend saw Mario Balotelli notch his fifth goal of the campaign for Inter and help enhance the burgeoning reputation of a player many Italians are hoping could turn into a legendary figure on the Serie A scene. Unfortunately, following a series of spathttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=282http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=282Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTBefore the likes of Michael Essien, Patrick Vieira and midfield powerhouses alike, the blueprint for an animalistic presence in the centre of the park was created by one of French football’s most successful Serie A exports - Marcel Desailly. A European Cup, UEFA Super Cup, two Scudetti and of course the World Cup all within five seasons at the San Siro are unprecedented accolades, but these jushttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=283http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=283Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTUdinese have one last chance to salvage some Italian pride from what has been an otherwise forgettable season in Europe when they host Werder Bremen in the UEFA Cup quarter-final on Thursday, trailing 3-1 after the first leg in northern Germany last week. With no representatihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=284http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=284Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTEven when they mess up, they still manage to extend their lead. If ever a weekend epitomised Inter’s season, and indeed that of their supposed challengers, this was it. Having thrown away a 2-0 lead at home to Palermo, one was hoping that Juventus might actually make a late fist of this championship lark and win their game later on that evening against Genoa. Yet, rather predictably I must say,http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=285http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=285Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTTurn off the lights. Close the ticket-stands. The age of gold is over, and there will be no Champions League for Roma next year. There could have been no more rueful way of closing the present Roma cycle than this weekend’s collapse against Lazio in the derby. And it truly is the end of a cycle - without the financial income of the Champions League, how Roma is going to keep up the high standarhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=286http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=286Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Derby d’Italia is seen by many as the premier occasion on the Italian football calendar. The infamous journalist Gianni Brera came up with the name in the sixties, as they were the two most successful football clubs on the Italian domestic scene, and up until the Calciopoli scandal, they were the only two sihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=287http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=287Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTAll eyes will be at the top of the table this Saturday as two of the biggest names in Italian football go head to head. It is the clash of the titans as second placed Juventus host leaders Inter and the stakes could not be higher. It is a must win game for the Old Lady if they are to reduce the ten point gap ahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=288http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=288Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTTorino’s battle to beat the drop continues this weekend as Giancarlo Camolese’s men travel to the San Siro faced with the daunting prospect of Carlo Ancelotti’s Milan. Cesare Natali’s dramatic late winner against Catania has dragged il Toro out of the relegation zone for the time being and given the Turin sidehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=289http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=289Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt's a genuine shame that the result of this year's Derby d'Italia will have no impact on anything further than pride as last week's results all but mathematically handed Inter the title. That said, we know all too well just how fragile even the most seemingly unassailable leads can be in football and neither http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=290http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=290Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTFor another year at least, Italian football will have to wait for the opportunity to celebrate potential continental cup competition success as a valiant Udinese effort fell just short of securing a UEFA cup semi-final place. Trailing 3-1 from the first leg of the quarter-final tie with German outfit Werder Bremen, Pasquale Marino's Zebrette went into the second leg knowing a 2-http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=291http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=291Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT Milan continued their good run of form with a 5-1 demolition of relegation strugglers Torino, inspired in no small part by David Beckham and Filippo Inzaghi. Inter all but secured the Scudetto with a 1-1 draw with main rivals Juventus, leaving a 10 point gap between the two. Palermo heaped more pressure on Bologna witha 4-1 thrashing, Napoli again struggled as they get used to new boss Roberthttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=292http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=292Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTControversial, problematic, petulant - call him what you wish but you will find few better strikers in Italy at present than Fiorentina’s Adrian Mutu. The Romanian’s career may be as interesting off the pitch as on it and he may not be the shy-retiring type that his Coaches could wish for but Mutu is a man worth his weight in gold. img src="images/articleshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=293http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=293Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT When former England Coach Sir Bobby Robson famously labelled Paul Gascoigne 'daft as a brush,' anyone who had played against, with, or quite simply witnessed a fully-fit Gascoigne in his prime would have found more suitable superlatives for one of the most gifted players of their generation. img src="images/articleshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=294http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=294Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT Have the kind of slurs Mario Balotelli was subjected to last Saturday night in Turin become acceptable in Serie A? Balotelli has done nothing to endear himself to Calcio fans from the start. His attitude and arhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=295http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=295Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTAccording to a bevy of media outlets, one-time Juventus captain and corner stone Fabio Cannavaro is set to make the short hop from Real Madrid back to Turin at the close of the season. The World-Cup-winning Azzurri-armband wearer left in the bleak aftermath of Calciopoli, trading treks to the mindful of mid-level tehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=297http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=297Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTLuciano Moggi, the disgraced ex-Managing Director of Juventus, sensationally hit out at his former club’s current management last week. Bellowing his disapproval at the management’s sugar and spice attitude to Juve’s current campaign he roared: “Inter are always winning and I think it's because the Juventus directors are too nice.” One is usually inclined to dismiss all comments dishhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=298http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=298Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTFrancesco Totti scored twice against Lecce this Sunday, bringing the total quota of his goals in Serie A to 175. A measure of what this means: until this weekend, only ten men in the entire history of the league had scored as much or more. Of these, seven played more than thirty years ago and none had spent the mahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=299http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=299Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTKaká has had a lot to say recently. Having kept relatively quiet for most of his time at the club, his recent comments (first an attack on the medical staff, followed by his belief this week that the current cycle is over at Milan) are something of a surprise, if only due to the out-of-character nature of the remahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=300http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=300Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis weekend sees two sides bidding for Champions League qualification go head-to-head at the Stadio Artemio Franchi as fifth placed Fiorentina host sixth placed Roma. Fiorentina currently trail Genoa by two points, but victory could see them reclaim the coveted fourth spot, whilst a Rohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=301http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=301Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTContrasting fortunes is something of an understatement when categorising the meeting of Napoli and Inter at the Stadio San Paolo on Sunday evening. A comprehensive 2-0 defeat at surprise-package Cagliari saw Roberto Donadoni’s side plummet further from the fringes of European football and closer to the yawning ahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=302http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=302Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTRacism came back into the spotlight this week after Inter’s Mario Balotelli fell victim of the Juventus Ultras. The Serie A authorities were quick to make a stronger decision than normal this time, ordering the Bianconeri to play in an empty stadium as a consequence. It was also a week when the British National Party (Ahhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=303http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=303Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt proved to be an exciting, if not shocking, weekend in Serie A as Napoli stunned Inter in spectacular fashion and rock-bottom Reggina drew with fallen Juve. With the Partenopei’s stunning goal, the Scudetto race is now back on as Milan have edged ever closer to the top leaving disheartened Juve in third place. With José Mourinho admitting his side were outplayed, it would behttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=304http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=304Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT The possibility of top of the table drama in the remaining games increased very slightly after an uninspired Inter were beaten by Napoli by one goal to nil. Milan continued their great form with a 3-0 victory over Palermo, Pippo Inzaghi back on the scoresheet once again. Fiorentina produced one of the top performances of their season, defeating Champions League rivals Roma by 4-1, all but endhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=305http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=305Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe mercurial, gifted and at times volatile Frenchman sat at the top of world football for a generation, dazzling not only Serie A but also the world stage in what was a glorious 18-year career. Zinedine Zidane ended his career with an explosive head-butt on Italy’s own Marco Materazzi, but bar that and a few other ihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=306http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=306Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTHaving recently caused outrage in Italy due to his exclusion from the Azzurri by Marcello Lippi, the self-confessed closet fat boy and sex-crazed footballer, Antonio Cassano, is quite possibly the greatest footballer of the modern era. Blessed with an outrageous set of skills, his abilities are better suited to that of a demigod. But his famed insubordination and scandalous off pitch behaviohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=307http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=307Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt would be fair to say that Juventus have had a rocky few years. From the depths of the Calciopoli scandal and relegation, to the rebirth of the ‘new’ Juve, we look at changes both on and off the pitch and see if the club will ever recapture it’s glorious past. ‘The Triad’ - Antonio Giraudo, Luciano Mohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=308http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=308Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt is a measure of the lacklustre season that Milan has endured that there is more going on off the pitch than there is on it. The club seem to have confirmed their automatic spot in next season’s Champions League. Genoa and Fiorentina do have considerably easier remaining fixtures, but the nine point gap that separates the latter from the Rossoneri (as well as another team in the shape of Juvehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=309http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=309Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTFor a man that demands perfection, Jose Mourinho may feel a little unnerved at Inter’s faltering finale. The Scudetto will almost certainly arrive, but as the Nerazzurri dropped more points this weekend, what was looking like a handsome precession is turning into a workmanlike plod. Workmanlike is also the best way to describe the performance during the 1-0 defeat at Napoli. Labhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=310http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=310Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTWatching the likes of Gigi Buffon issue an apology to fans after he and his teammates threw themselves wholeheartedly on the pitch against Lazio last Wednesday was hard to endure. What is even more disconcerting is watching the so called Bianconeri fans jeer their players off the pitch hurling insults at the squad, management and Coach. Some have even threatened to turn their back on the Old http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=311http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=311Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTLet’s call a spade a spade. Those who still entertained hopes for a fourth place saw those hopes being incinerated by the finishing power of Alberto Gilardino. Fiorentina played a better game and had a better season. They deserve the Champions League more than Roma do, and frustration is out of place among true sportsmen. param name="moviehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=312http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=312Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT Every week Football Italiano brings you a translation of one of la Gazzetta dello Sport's interviews with a major name from the world of Italian football. This time it is the turn of former Juventus hero Lilian Thuram… Lilian Thuram PARIS. Rahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=313http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=313Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis weekend sees top of the table Inter bidding to take a giant step closer to regaining the Scudetto as they host an unpredictable Lazio at the San Siro. Inter The Nerazzurri saw their lead at the summit reduced to seven points after a surprise defeat at lowly Napoli, courtesy of a second half strike from Marcelo Zalayeta. The defeat leaves Inter without ahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=314http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=314Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTAs the depleted ranks of Juventus limp towards an increasingly realistic proposition of finishing third behind the red and blue sides of Milan, the visit of Lecce should be seen as a springboard to recovering the verve that had the Old Lady snapping at José Mourinho’s heels up until the recent slump in the club’s fortunes. However, following two high-scoring draws against underdohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=315http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=315Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMTSay hello to the two strangest, most intriguing teams in Serie A at the moment – both from the same city. Sampdoria are on the rise and at the centre of a media storm due to their inveigling attacking duo, that of Giampaolo Pazzini and Antonio Cassano. The former just made it into the national team, the lhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=316http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=316Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTItalian football is set to mirror the business model of the English Premier League as the country’s top league looks to breakaway from the lower levels. This week 19 of the 20 Serie A clubs agreed to break-away from the current system (Lecce the only ones not to support the venture) and join the Lega Calcio Serie A, set-up by former journalist Maurizio Beretta. There is still a year of negotiathttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=317http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=317Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTAn ill-tempered Derby della Lanterna and Juventus’ continuing plight were the headlines on Matchday 34 with Inter also back to winning ways. All eyes were on the Sunday evening match between fierce local rivals Genoa and Sampdoria in what was certain to be an emotional, full-blooded affair. With il Grifone in the unaccustomed role as favourites and 16 points ahead of their rivalshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=318http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=318Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT Inter put to bed any whiff of an end of season collapse by beating Delio Rossi's troubled Lazio, Milan meanwhile continued their excellent end of year form, with SuperPippo Inzaghi scoring his 11th goal in 8 outings. Diego Milito bagged a hat-trick for Genoa as they overcame Samp in the big derby match, thanks also a little to the man in black. Juve could only manage a draw yet again, and Palhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=319http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=319Tue, 05 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt isn't easy to begin an article about Francesco Totti without drowning the reader in a flash-flood of superlatives, so after a thorough work out of one’s thesaurus, this writer will impose upon you just one - absolute. With an unrivaled on-pitch arrogance to match his effortless footballing grace, Roma's talisman, is well-deserving of his place at Italian football's top table. http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=320http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=320Tue, 05 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTMarcello Lippi’s national side may be struggling to convince their doubters of their World Cup winning capabilities on their path to defending the trophy in South Africa, but the young Italian cubs of tomorrow are proving there is life beyond the current crop of Cannavaro, Buffon, Pirlo and co. Italy’s Underhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=321http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=321Tue, 05 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT No one can deny the passion of Italian football fans. The Italian ultras devote their heart and soul to calcio following their teams as if it were a religion. Their fervour is unrivalled and their love is absolute. Despite their ritualistic support, many blame them for the recent demise of Italy in Ehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=322http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=322Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT “Whatever happens now it will have been an excellent year,” Nicola Legrottaglie informed Tuttosport in late March. Oh how he must cringe when reflecting back on those earlier comments regarding Juve’s current campaign. March 21 marked a glorious day in Juve’s push for their 28th Scudetto. With a spectacular five goal thriller which saw Juve score four in Rohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=323http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=323Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTWins for Fiorentina and Genoa mean the Champions League battle is likely to go down to the wire. Week 34 proved to be less crucial to the race for that fourth Champions League spot than the tifosi of la Viola were hoping, with both Fiorentina and Genoa recording home victories. Cesare Prandelli's players did their bit by overcoming a stubborn Torino side 1-0 at the Stadio Artemhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=324http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=324Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTMore of the same, as the dictum goes. Roma were supposed to raise their heads after the Florence massacre, but if they did then it was only to offer the other cheek. To think that the midweek meeting between the players and the President was supposed to have cleared the waters a little, with promises on the squad’s side that they would end the season on a note as dignified as possible. A goallehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=325http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=325Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTSeven wins in eight games, with six clean sheets in that period. Onlookers must be wondering why there is such speculation over the position of Carlo Ancelotti as Coach, especially when glances are cast towards Turin to chuckle at the mess that Juventus is currently in. Unfortunately, rumours of the Coach’s departure continued this week despite the good form of the side, and Adriano Galliani’s http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=326http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=326Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTEnigma: One that is puzzling, ambiguous, or inexplicable. The word derives from the Latin meaning of a mysterious puzzle. You must wonder whether one of the great philosophers of the time came up with the word after predicting the existence of a tall, Swedish footballer roaming the land, hundreds of years later. For all the adjectives used to describe Zlatan Ibrahimovic, enigmahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=327http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=327Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT Every week Football Italiano brings you a translation of one of la Gazzetta dello Sport's interviews with a major name from the world of Italian football. This time it is the turn of Genoa Coach Gian Piero Gasperini… Gian Piero Gasperini Genova. http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=328http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=328Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTCould this be the week that Inter secure the Scudetto? It is a possible outcome, as José Mourinho's men take on relegation-battlers Chievo at the Bentegodi stadium in Verona. A victory for the Nerazzurri would mean that if Milan slips to defeat against Juventus, the fourth consecutive Serie A title would go to the blue and black half of Milano. However, considering Chievo's hard-fought point awhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=329http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=329Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTJuventus was out to silence it's critics last week but came up agonisingly short once more as lowly Lecce grabbed an injury time equaliser to heap yet more pressure on the under-fire Claudio Ranieri. Following three successive draws that have seen Juve fall further behind Inter, it is now time for the Old Lady to salvage something from a season that once promised so much. And no better time thahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=330http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=330Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis weekend sees in-form Milan host a troubled Juventus as both sides look to consolidate their claims for Champions League football next term. Last weekend saw Milan continue their devastating form, with goals from the in-form Filippo Inzaghi and Kaka giving them a comfortable 2-0 win over lhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=331http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=331Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTWith Sunday’s clash between Milan and Juventus set to play a major role in who finishes runner-up to champions and champions-elect Inter, Football Italiano looks back at two previous clashes between the Serie A superpowers of yesteryear. Milan 1-6 Juventus April 6, 1997 is the date of one of the more surprising and one-sided results between the two shttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=332http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=332Fri, 08 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTAs he counts down the weeks to a return to LA, there are reports in Italy that David Beckham is looking to legal channels to sever links with the Galaxy and remain in the peninsula with Milan for good. It could so easily have happened two years ago, were it not for the persuasive http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=333http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=333Fri, 08 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe major news in the peninsula this week has been the less than amicable break-up between the Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, and his long-suffering wife Veronica Lario. The pair have had an eventful recent history, most notably when Silvio was forced to make a very public apology to his wife due to his inhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=334http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=334Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTTwo goals in three second-half minutes saw Sunday evening’s blockbuster clash ended all square as a troubled Juventus came from behind to earn a battling point in the San Siro. It was billed as the battle for second with Milan holding a four-point advantage over their rivals in a bid to become Inter’s closest challengers. Juve hadn’t won in over a month and Claudio Ranieri’s poshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=335http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=335Tue, 12 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTWhen asked what his girlfriend got when they got engaged, Zlatan replied: “What she got? She got Zlatan.” This reported response perfectly demonstrates the Swede’s arrogance and whilst he may seem egotistical, one cannot help but find his character rather comically endearing. Ibracahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=336http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=336Tue, 12 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTBlessed with an extraordinary talent that he would claim is a gift from God, Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite - better known as Kaka - is one of the iconic players of the 21st century. There is almost certainly more to come from this creative Brazilian, nonetheless his achievements at the age of 27 are already enough to justify his status as one the greatest footballers in Serie A history. http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=337http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=337Tue, 12 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTShould He Stay or Should He Go? returns to lead the way in speculating the future of another Serie A Coach. This time Cesare Prandelli comes into our sights with possible opportunities away from current club Fiorentina looming on the horizon. “I'm happy in Florence, I love the people, the city loves me and there are no problems.” So says the mastermind behind Fiorentinhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=338http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=338Wed, 13 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTFiorentina's resolve continued to impress this week as they comfortably dispatched their Sicilian counterparts Catania 2-0 at the Stadio Angelo Massimino. Their consistency of late was finally rewarded, with draws to rivals Genoa and Juventus, meaning that Champions League qualification is now more a probability than a possibility. There are even faint whispers amongst la Viola supporters of anhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=339http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=339Wed, 13 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt's like waiting for a bus. You know it is coming, it will be here any minute and yet it is not here. You check your watch and have another look before reassuring yourself it will be along any time now…very soon...just a little longer and then it'll be here... Reflecting on that opening gambit, it does seem a little harsh, not to mention discrediting, to compare Inter winning ahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=340http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=340Wed, 13 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTThat it should have been a bit of a flat week in terms of news around Roma is nothing to concern ourselves about. What seems a little bit worrisome is that this state of calm winds gives signs that it may protract itself for a considerable period of time. Roma is in a situation which is unlikely to be resolved before mid-June at the earliest. If that is the case, then get ready for weeks over whttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=341http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=341Wed, 13 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT “I have never officially confirmed that Ranieri will be our Coach for next season,” President Cobolli Gigli advised the public. “It is linked to results.” This past month has been a somewhat tempestuous time for the Old Lady and this statement was possibly the first time the Coach felt his position on the bench threatened. Surely he wasn’t expecting to be guaranteed the reignhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=342http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=342Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTFiorentina and Sampdoria are two teams with very bright prospects. The former has only been growing for the past five years, managing to pick itself up from the Calciopoli penalisations better than anyone else and finding themselves a step away now from conquering their second Champions League qualification in a row. Sampdoria has enjoyed a season of highs and lows – perfectly epitomized this whttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=343http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=343Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTAs the season winds up, everyone would think that the word on the lips of the tifosi of Serie A would be the indomitable rise of Giuseppe Gasperini and his merry men to the foothills of European qualification. Having started the campaign as mid-to-lower table candidates, Genoa has remained consistent throughout the season and are still within touching distance of pipping Fiorentina to the covethttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=344http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=344Sat, 16 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTOne of the biggest ongoing rumours in the UK and Italy has been the will-he, won’t-he debate surrounding Carlo Ancelotti. Now I will avoid making a prediction about the likelihood of this move going ahead - some newspapers have Ancelotti already lining up summer signings for Stamford Bridge, and claim he has a contractual agreement - chances are neither of these things are true. La Repubblica chttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=346http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=346Sat, 16 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT Inter have won their 17th Scudetto following Milan's defeat away to Udinese. Goals from a Gaetano D'Agostino penalty and Cristian Zapata early in the second half gave Udinese a 2-0 lead before Massimo Ambrosini grabbed a consolation in the 90th minute. Inter are now seven points clear of Milan, who have just six points to play for, meaning that the 2009 Scudetto goes to the Nerazzurri. http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=347http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=347Mon, 18 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTInter secured their fourth consecutive Scudetto and 17th in total without even having to kick a ball thanks to Milan’s 2-1 defeat at the hands of Udinese on Saturday evening. Before kick-off, seven points separated the two Milanese giants with just three matches of the season rehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=348http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=348Mon, 18 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTThere can be only one major focus point following this week’s round of matches and that is obviously congratulating Jose Mourinho and his Inter side on recapturing the Scudetto for a fourth successive time. Inter’s convincing 3-0 drubbing of Siena once again proved the quality and somewhat merciless juggerhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=349http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=349Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT “I think this Scudetto is Massimo Moratti's after all the games and suffering he endured as a fan and as the President of this club.” Inter board member Marco Tronchetti Provera beamed on the day Inter clinched their fourth consecutive Scudetto on Saturday night when Milan lost to Udinese. img src="images/articles/moratti119052009.jpg" style="float: left; height: 180px;"/http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=350http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=350Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT With the UEFA Cup final due to be contested this year between Shakhtar Donetsk and Werder Bremen in Istanbul on Wednesday May 20, Football Italiano reflects on the Italian contribution to the competition. This season's UEFA Cup had Italy's names all over it. With Udinese, Napoli, Sampdoria and most notably Milan involved, the line-up looked good enough that all the sidhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=351http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=351Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTIn the summer of 1995, Juventus decided to dispense with a legendary No. 10 as they already had a replacement in mind. Fast forward to 2009, and the very replacement in question is now the talk of being replaced himself. Or is he? After a strong first-half of the season, all signshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=352http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=352Wed, 20 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTIf someone had told me at the beginning of the season that Catania was going to score six goals against Roma over the two games this season, I would have laughed the notion off. Now, the weekend’s 4-3 result seems not only plausible but logical. So consumed has become the spirit of the Romanisti by now that even the team’s (semi-miraculous) victory at one breath from the final whistle passes ashttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=353http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=353Wed, 20 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTOk, so the title suggests that the deal to sign Hernan Crespo from Inter has been officially confirmed which isn't true, but the noises coming out of Italy suggest that the Argentine's move is a nailed-on certainty. Famous last words perhaps, but more than anything the transfer makes sense for everyone involved, considering Crespo's lack of playing time at the San Siro this season and Cesare Prhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=354http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=354Wed, 20 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT “We cannot go on like this,” Coach Claudio Ranieri cried after Juventus drew, yet again, on Sunday squandering their chance to close the gap on Milan to just one point in the fight for second place. No we certainly can’t Ranieri, and with that, the Juve board called Ciro Ferrara on Sunday night to ask if he would be available to take over as caretaker Coach until the end of the seasohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=355http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=355Wed, 20 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTCongratulations Internazionale, the champions of Italy. After ten long months, 36 games, blood, sweat and tears, the Nerazzurri have been crowned champions of Italy once again. It is the fourth season in succession Inter has proved to be the top club side in the peninsula, and perhaps more importantly, especially for the Interisti, this Scudetto brings the total won by the illustrious club to 1http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=356http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=356Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt’s firmly a case of looking over their shoulders from now until the end of the season for these two giants of the Italian game, as both clubs’ distant ambitions became mathematically impossible in recent weeks. Milan’s loss in Udine ended any hope of them landing the Scudetto for the first time since 2004, although any realistic hopes of the title were laid to rest as early as February in allhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=357http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=357Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTWithout putting too much of a negative spin on this fixture, it is safe to say that both Cagliari and Inter have had more important matches to play in the past. With Inter crowned Scudetto champions last week and Cagliari sitting comfortably in ninth position, with little probability of moving up or down before the league's final standings - the pressure will be off on both teams. Optimists wilhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=358http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=358Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTManchester United Manager Sir Alex Ferguson once referred to it as “squeaky bum time”, and for Chievo Coach Domenico Di Carlo and his counterpart at Bologna, Giuseppe Papadopulo, Sunday afternoon will be exactly that. With the serious threat of an immediate return to Serie B looming over last season’s second tier Champion’s Chievo and runners-up Bologna, a defeat for either team could hasten thhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=359http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=359Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTThese are troubled times for Juventus. Another draw last weekend at home to Atalanta allowed Fiorentina to gain more ground on the Old Lady in the chase for third place, while also failing to take advantage of Milan’s shock reverse in Udine. Their winless streak, stretching over two months, coupled with the very serious threat of playing Champions League qualifiers, threw the Juve management inhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=360http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=360Fri, 22 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis week has seen the first full week of uninterrupted sunshine in Milan, with temperatures averaging at around 26 degrees, and the sight of a cloud in the sky has become as rare as a Juventus victory. The arrival of summer however, signals the end of the season, and as such, we have of course been treated to the beginning of long and ever entertaining transfer talk. This week Fabio Cannavaro http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=361http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=361Mon, 25 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTChievo secured their Serie A status for another season with the point they required against fellow strugglers Bologna at the Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi. The Flying Donkeys kicked off proceedings knowing a win or draw would be enough to ensure them safety from the drop. Meanwhile the Rosshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=362http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=362Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTStanding just five feet eight inches tall, Alessandro Del Piero certainly would not be described as a man mountain. He would however, in terms of stature on a football pitch. The Juventus legend is the club's all-time record appearance holder and goal scorer (having just played his 600th game), notching up over 250 goals. Del Piero burst onto the scene with lowly club Padova. http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=363http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=363Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT With the Champions League final due to be contested this year between Manchester United and Barcelona in Rome on Wednesday May 27, Football Italiano reflects on the Italian contribution to the competition. This season’s Champions League campaign saw Inter, Roma, Juventus and Fiorentina allhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=364http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=364Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt's one of life's many wonderful idiosyncrasies that some people just don't get the credit they deserve. We can certainly move the analogy over to football, and any fan of any club can reel off names of players whom they perceive, never receive the sort of praise and acclamation their efforts merit. More often than not these players take the form of diligent fullbacks, marathon-men midfieldershttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=365http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=365Wed, 27 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTLast Saturday the Inter players and staff stayed up long into the night to toast winning the Scudetto. The celebrations didn't affect their performance too much the following night during an entertaining 3-0 victory over Siena, however the hangover did come - a week later during a trip to Sardinia to face Cagliari. The game was largely inconsequential with the Nerazzurri having http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=366http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=366Wed, 27 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTBloom, beautiful flower. You can end the season on a low note, on a high note, or you can end it with fireworks. Sunday's match against Milan gave us the latter. It does not redeem one of the most dreadful campaigns in the last decade, it does not mend what’s broken nor answer all questions. But it shows that the team is not dead, and that beneath all the robes of mourning and the veils of scorhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=367http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=367Wed, 27 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTWhat an exciting week it has been for the Bianconeri as not only did they thrash Siena away from home, they have now automatically qualified for the Champions League and could secure second place on Sunday. President Giovanni Cobolli Gigli and cohorts Jean-Claude Blanc and Alessio Secco must be rubbing their hands with glee. Their swift decision in sacking Claudio Ranieri has paid dividends anhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=368http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=368Wed, 27 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTIf Milanisti thought no more nonsense could possibly engulf this club, what with the ongoing saga surrounding Carlo Ancelotti’s future, then Sunday forced us all to think again. What was meant to be a heart-warming farewell to Paolo Maldini, one of the greatest players in the club’s history, turned into something of a farce with banners unfurled containing some rather unsavoury messages for il http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=369http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=369Thu, 28 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT It’s January 20, 1985, and the Udinese and Milan players are filing back onto the pitch after their half-time breather. A set of boards are raised to indicate Milan right-back Sergio Battistini is to be substituted. His replacement is a tall, slim 16-year-old with a famous father. He comes on and performs well if unspectacularly in a 1-1 draw. It is the first match of a distinguished playing chttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=370http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=370Thu, 28 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTNerves were clearly praying on the minds of the Fiorentina players, as they just about managed to scrape a draw away to Lecce, thus acquiring the point needed to ensure Champions League football at the Stadio Franchi for the second consecutive season. An abject display was not in the script for Cesare Prandelli's men, and were it not for an inspired performance by goalkeeper Sebastien Frey and http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=371http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=371Thu, 28 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTRelegation threatened Torino travel to Roma this weekend needing to better Bologna’s result against Catania. With both sides level on points it is the Rossoblu who is in the box seat as they hold a superior head-to-head record over Giancarlo Camolese’s men. Roma Whilst Camolese’s side face an anxious 90 minutes, Luciano Spalletti’s side will have nothing but http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=372http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=372Thu, 28 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTWhen Milan snatched a one-nil win over Fiorentina in January at the San Siro, the focus wasn’t on the hallowed turf of the Rossoneri. Brazilian wonderkid Alexandre Pato pocketed a seventh minute drive to land Milan third in the table but the attention of the tifosi was fixed firmly on his compatriot Kaka and his ongoing saga of potentially becoming the world’s most expensive footballer, with a http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=373http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=373Thu, 28 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTInter supporters find themselves in the privileged position of being able to celebrate their title glory for the second time at the San Siro. Atalanta are this week's visitors, a team that sit comfortably in mid-table following another satisfactory season, and who will want to test themselves against Italy's finest to see how far they can go in the future. Rumours persist that Orobici Coach Luihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=374http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=374Thu, 28 May 2009 00:00:00 GMTJuventus square up to Lazio on the final day of the season at the Stadio Olimpico looking to secure the win which will render Milan’s result against Fiorentina meaningless as the two rivals vie for runners-up spot. The match will be Ciro Ferrara’s second in control of the Bianconeri and with the world watching, a win could prove vital if he is to be considered for the job on a permanent basis. http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=375http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=375Fri, 29 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT The send-off for long-standing club servant Paolo Maldini, by some sections of the Ultras, was extremely disappointing. The reasons why this reaction came about have been well documented on this site, however quite what the members of Brigate Rossonere hoped to gain is unclear. Another worry was that such medhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=376http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=376Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTBologna can look forward to another season in Serie A after overcoming Catania 3-1 to condemn Torino to relegation. Giuseppe Papadopulo’s men kicked-off the matching knowing a win would guarantee their safety although just matching il Toro’s result would also have proven sufficient. br http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=379http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=379Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTOn August 12, 2001 Inter played Real Madrid in their annual pre-season fixture, the Trofeo Santiago Bernabéu, and produced a fairly unremarkable match. Yet it will be remembered and recounted for the 89th minute, when a 19-year-old Brazilian striker by the name of Adriano stepped up and scored a free-kick to win the match for la Beneamata. phttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=380http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=380Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT Football Italiano’s Game of the Year 2008/09 There were a fair few contenders for Football Italiano’s Game of the Year, with the voting split between season-deciding encounters and high-scoring thrillers, both of which were common place in the 2008/09 campaign. Ultimately there was a stand-out game that defined the magic of Serie A perfectly, with goals, a red card http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=381http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=381Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT Football Italiano’s Team of the Year 2008/09 The Football Italiano Team of the Year was always going to throw up a few surprises, but the first choice XI - featured in a 4-3-3 formation - are all worthy selections. Scroll down to see the names that kept players such as Danielhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=382http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=382Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT Football Italiano’s Coach of the Year 2008/09 Gian Piero Gasperini Chris Sloley: Gian Piero Gasperini - The man went from being popular just for getting the Grifone back into the top flight to really earning admirers this season after some careful http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=383http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=383Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT Football Italiano’s Young Player of the Year 2008/09 Salvatore Bocchetti Italian youngster Salvatore Bocchetti collects the Young Player of the Year title after an impressive season in Genoa’s back-line. The competition was a close-run thing with Mauro Zarate, Alexhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=384http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=384Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT Football Italiano’s Player of the Year 2008/09 Zlatan Ibrahimovic The accolade the players, fans and critics eagerly await each year, Football Italiano’s Player of the Year award is the one most desired by any ambitious international star plying his trade http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=385http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=385Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTWelcome to Football Italiano’s inaugural End of Season awards. After a fascinating year in the peninsula, we have felt it necessary to celebrate all things great that Serie A had to offer us in the 2008/09 season. The awards were all hotly contested in their respective fields and the winners’ list will no doubt pull a few surprises. The Italian teams may have come up shttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=386http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=386Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe objective of automatic qualification for the Champions League set by Milan Vice-President, Adriano Galliani, has been fulfilled thanks in no small part to UEFA making it easier for big clubs in the three major leagues to access Europe’s top competition. You could be forgiven for thinking that was all that was expected of the players if you listened to the club’s hierarchy at the moment. It http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=387http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=387Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTSecond place was achieved at last by a scramble. Mission accomplished and the direct Champions League qualification is Juve’s. This article will delve deep into the major issues surrounding the Bianconeri’s rather disappointing season as once again they end a campaign without any silverware. The Old Lady started the season on a positive note, picking up seven points from threhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=388http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=388Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTInter wound up another Scudetto-winning season last weekend with a highly entertaining seven-goal game against Atalanta. In one of those end of year games which resemble a Harlem Globetrotters exhibition match, chances and entertainment were plentiful, and a 4-3 victory for the Nerazzurri - two goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic landing him the Capocannoniere - was a rich reward for the Interisti whhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=389http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=389Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt was supposed to be Roma’s year. The team which had been the only one to challenge Inter for the Scudetto over the last two years was reinforced and ready to take on the world. The Champions League final was going to be played in Rome, giving the team an extra boost in motivation, and the Coppa Italia virtually belonged to the Giallorossi by tradition. They wanted it all, and they wanted it nhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=390http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=390Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTCesare Prandelli, Pantaleo Corvino and the Fiorentina players can all relax on whichever sunny beach takes their fancy, safe in the knowledge that they have achieved their goals this season - truly a job well done. With the big three of Inter, Juventus and Milan still dominating http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=391http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=391Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTComing off the back of a World Cup Qualifying draw with the Republic of Ireland in early April, la Nazionale will be hoping to avoid any embarrassment when they come up against the Emerald Isle’s neighbours, Northern Ireland, in a friendly in Pisa on Saturday evening. While Robbie Keane’s strike bagged the Republic a last-gasp equaliser and valuable point in a tense and incident-filled evening http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=392http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=392Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt is always difficult to assess games such as the one the Azzurri participated in on Saturday evening. So much excitement and over-reaction occurs at good individual performances, and very little thought is given to the standard of opposition. There is a clear danger of this surrounding Marcello Lippi and his mehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=393http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=393Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTIn the final warm-up match before the FIFA Confederations Cup kicks off next week, Italy prepare to meet fellow competition participants New Zealand in Atteridgeville, South Africa. The Azzurri will be hoping to build upon their positive display against Northern Ireland in Pisa last Saturday and set the tone for a successful stint on the African continent. img src="imageshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=394http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=394Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTAfter leaving a week or so for the dust to settle, and in a follow-up to the dissection of Fiorentina’s season in last week’s piece, it’s time to go all psychoanalytic and take a good, hard look at the squad, in an attempt to predict what the summer and next season may hold for the Tuscan outfit and its loyal supporters. Let’s begin with the obvious - Fiorentina has had a very ghttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=395http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=395Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTIf Rome wasn't built in a day, then Jose Mourinho's Inter certainly won't be built in a season. The foundations have been laid, the plans chartered, the objectives clear, but the construction will take time, patience and understanding. At the risk of sounding repetitive, we all know what haphttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=396http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=396Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTAnd now for the future. The key word is ‘reconstruction’ - the key question is money. All the rest are peripheral predictions - and ninety percent of these will be wrong, including our own, for the simple reason that Roma’s impending fate is at a crossroads. Very much will depend on questions of ownership, and on whose hands will be holding the rudder of the red and yellow battleship. Rumours ohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=397http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=397Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT “I have no doubt that next year we will see beautiful things.” Gianluigi Buffon excitedly commented when asked about Juve’s upcoming season. Juventus is still recovering from their last minute revival that secured second place and this article will focus on what the club have learnt in order to return to trophy winning days. The year was not entirely disastrous for thehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=398http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=398Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTHow happy are Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani at this moment in time? The latter finally has the money he has craved for so long (reported to be £56m), whilst the former can now get to see Ronaldinho play every single week, something which he did not experience last season and an issue he has been moaning about all week. Individually, they have both got what they wanted, but at a potentihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=399http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=399Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTItaly warmed up for their Confederations Cup campaign with an amazing 4-3 win over fellow tournament participants, New Zealand in Pretoria on Wednesday evening. The game was far from plain sailing for Marcello Lippi’s world champions, with the Azzurri having to recover from a goal down on three separate occasions during the match to eventually come away with the win. Hardly the stuff of champiohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=400http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=400Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis summer the eyes of the footballing world will focus on South Africa for the Confederations Cup. The tournament acts as a scaled-down, test run for the following year’s World Cup, and with question marks still hanging over the host’s preparation for the event, those eyes will be prying. Privately, if not publicly, a number of FIFA executives have expressed concerns about the planning, organhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=401http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=401Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTLock and load, sportsmen - the stars are leaving their constellations and descending into the football pitches. The Confederations Cup is a delightful opportunity to see some of the world’s best teams clash in something other than a friendly atmosphere. Italy walk into the tournament as one of the favourites, but they will have to keep their eyes open against some pretty interesting competitorshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=402http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=402Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT Serie A may be over and lo Scudetto locked away in Inter’s trophy cabinet for another summer, but the fun is not over for football obsessed fans. Over the next few weeks, Football Italiano will be keeping loyal readers entertained and up-to-date with our coverage of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, including previews of all the Azzurri’s games, news from the Italian camp, tactical fehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=403http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=403Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt is a shame the Confederations Cup gets viewed with so much cynicism. It is generally perceived as a tournament put together to enable FIFA to peruse the preparation and facilities of next years World Cup host. What often gets overlooked is the fact that the Confederations Cup offers competing nations some very useful match practice in tournament format prior to 2010's main event. What cannothttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=404http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=404Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT It’s kick-off time for the Confederations Cup, and the gigantic shadow thrown by the World Cup (suddenly so imminent) seems impossible to shake off. Gennaro ‘the Growl’ Gattuso recently growled that the team is not there for fun’s sake and that they genuinely aim to win the Cup. It was a response to the statehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=405http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=405Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe first round of group games at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup produced 16 goals with Brazil and Italy nervously edging out their Group B opponents and Spain playing some scintilating football in Group A. Group B June 15, 2009 Italy 3-1 USA A weak Azzurri first half showed little of the squad’s promise to compete for thttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=406http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=406Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTItaly is in a period of transition, apparently. A transition that involves five of the XI that started against the USA in the 2006 World Cup starting once again in a game against the same opponents in 2009. A further six of the squad for the game against the USA yesterday were also involved in the successful 2006 campaign. As such, it is very difficult to spot where the development in this squahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=407http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=407Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTAs Italy’s senior squad do battle in South Africa at the Confederations Cup, the youngsters are also carrying the nations hopes across in Sweden with the UEFA European Under-21 Championships gets under way this week. Pierluigi Casiraghi’s men kick off their campaign today against Serbia and will be hopeful of at least http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=408http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=408Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTA week has passed since Kaka’s much-publicised £56m move to Real Madrid and the fact that it still remains the subject of intense debate amongst supporters and the world’s press speaks volumes about the man himself. His professionalism and work ethic is something of a rarity ihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=409http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=409Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTItaly goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was quoted recently as saying the Azzurri would be the ‘ambassadors’ of Italian football in light of Serie A clubs’ under-achievement in European competition over the past two seasons. Whilst la Nazionale came away with the three points courtesy of a 3-1 win against the USA ihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=410http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=410Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt was a tough 90 minutes to endure for the Azzurri fans as Italy (it might as well have been Juventus as five of the Bianconeri formed the starting line-up) faced USA. The match, as it did in the 2006 World Cup, proved to be as competitive as ever as we saw a penalty, ridiculous tackles, a red card (when perhaps there should have been two) and a heartbroken USA. As ever, Italy suffered againshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=411http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=411Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTWe cannot say that it has not been coming. The 1-0 defeat to Egypt on Thursday night was fully deserved, if only for the continued stubbornness of Coach Marcello Lippi. A string of sub-standard performances could not keep resulting in victories. Indeed, it was only in this column on Tuesday that we mentioned there is only so many times you can get away with half-time deficits. The loss leaves Ihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=412http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=412Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT Spain secured a place in the final four after seeing off a tough challenge from Iraq with relative ease in the second round of group games, while the free-scoring Brazilians recorded their second win from two matches in South Africa with a 3-0 win over the United States. However, the round will ultimately be remembered for Italy’s dire performance and defeat at the hands of Egypt. http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=413http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=413Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTIf you thought Italy had a point to prove after their hard-fought win over the USA in their opening group game, you would be wrong. The Azzurri went into the match with Egypt knowing a draw would be enough to see them through to the semi-finals, and they seemingly played for one. Marcello Lippi surprisingly retained the 4-3-3 formation. However, the Tactician did ring the changes with Fabio Quahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=414http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=414Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTCould it be that the Italy team - current owners of the world’s most prestigious footballing trophy - can be thought of as one of the worst teams to ever play with the tag “current World Cup holders?” The past week will not have helped anyone looking to discredit such a bold question. http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=415http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=415Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTAs strange as it sounds, we should be thankful to Brazil. A result such as the one on Sunday night has been needed for a long time, needed to jolt Marcello Lippi into action, into change. He claimed pre-match that whatever happened, he would not deviate from his plan. Surely now he must start to show more pro-activity in introducing new players. The 3-0 scoreline is a true reflection of the gaphttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=416http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=416Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTItaly, Iraq and Egypt all missed opportunities to move in to the last four in the final group matches, as Brazil and Spain once again won comfortably, but this weekend will forever be remembered for America’s surprising exploits. Overcoming all odds, USA stormed to a three-goal win and, with Italy’s defeat, progressed into a seemingly implausible semi-final with Spain. Group Bhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=417http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=417Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTMarcello Lippi, we do no longer believe in you. Your team is a castle of dust and your players would drink from a river of mercy. You have given us what no supporter of the Azzurri could have expected. You have shown us breathlessness, in the gaze of captain and conqueror Fabio Cannavaro as the team fell apart around him. You have shown us entropy and age in the legs of Luca Toni, slow and burdhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=418http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=418Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT Semi-final June 24, 2009 Spain 0-2 USA Spain started with their full-strength side with Sergio Ramos and Joan Capdevila restored as the full-backs in an attacking 4-4-2. David Villa started up front, looking to out-score his partner Fernando Torres as they remain joint-top scorers in the competition so far. Tim Howard, who has made more sahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=419http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=419Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT Semi-final June 25, 2009 South Africa 0-1 Brazil Brazil made just one change to the starting XI that beat the Azzurri, lining up in their familiar 4-4-2 formation. Luisao replaced Juan, who has now been ruled out for the rest of the tournament, at centre-half while Kleber, Elano and Dani Alves all had to settle for places on the bench. Souhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=420http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=420Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT3rd Place Playoff June 28, 2009 Spain 3-2 South Africa Following their shock semi-final exit to the United States, Spain surprisingly made just four changes to the starting XI, with Carles Puyol, Xavi, Sergio Ramos and Cesc Fabregas making way for Alvaro Arbeloa, Raul Albiol, Santi Cazorla and Sergio Busquets. For the second time in the compehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=426http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=426Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTWith the Azzurri now out of the tournament embarrassingly after defeats against Egypt and Brazil in the group stages, all the signs pointed towards a Brazil-Spain final. But as the old saying goes ‘football is funny old game.’ Semi-finals Nobody predicted that the Americans could possibly pull off another upset to oust the favourites but an impressive showinhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=427http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=427Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMTItaly qualified for the Confederations Cup as World Cup holders. Thrown into the ‘harder’ group, Italy were amongst favourites Brazil, a burgeoning Egypt and a physically strong United States outfit. Meanwhile Euro 2008 winners Spain, found themselves in a group comprised of a team who have not qualified for next year’s World Cup – Asian champions Iraq, South Africa, who only qualified as thehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=428http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=428Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTKicking off Football Italiano's build-up to the World Cup next summer, Lessons in Calcio goes Azzurro for 2009/10. Throughout the season we will endeavor to bring you lessons on some of the greatest players to have played in Serie A and for the Italian national team. Kicking things off, we have current captain and legend, Fabio Cannavaro. An English myth stateshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=429http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=429Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Confederations Cup is over and after some amazing football played out to the vuvuzela soundtrack, South Africa 2010 cannot come fast enough. Except that is, for Marcello Lippi and his Italy squad after a desperate showing that saw them drop out of the tournament with some dismal displays. Football Italiano was there following the entire event and we hope you enjoyed our coverage ofhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=430http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=430Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTBetween June 15 and June 29, the UEFA European Under-21 Championships took place in Sweden. Historically it has been a competition that has acted as a springboard for the superstars of tomorrow. Pierluigi Casiraghi took an experienced group of players to the finals with hopes of bringing the trophy back to the peninsula for an unprecedented sixth time. The Azzurrini were placed in a group contahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=431http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=431Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTContinuing Football Italiano’s build-up to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Andrea Tallarita takes a look at the Azzurri’s all-time top 20 players. No 20 - Paolo Rossi Paolo Rossi is a notoriously difficult player to categorize, given a controversial career which included a two-year ban for alleged involvement in the 1980 betting scandal, buhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=432http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=432Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTBorn in 1944 in Leggiuno in the province of Varese, Lombardy, Luigi (or ‘Gigi’) Riva displayed both artistry and power in a career spanning 15 years. An iconic footballer, who was once described as the most handsome man on Earth, became a legend to all followers of the beautiful game. His playing career started in 1962 with Leggiuno, his local provincial club in Lombardy where hehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=433http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=433Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTAs attacking full-back play becomes more and more important in the modern game, Marco Motta is a prime example of the new breed of player coming to the fore in the peninsula. His pace and power is attracting rave reviews across the football fraternity and with the World Cup just under a year away, Marcello Lippi could opt for this unassuming young man from Merate to bolster his squad in the quehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=434http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=434Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTThey came, they saw, they conquered, or at least left the nation in tears. We are of course talking about the select few men given the unenviable task of leading the Azzurri into battle. Football Italiano reflects on past Coaches to have tried their hand at one of football's hardest tasks as Coach of the Italian national team. Milan during the late 1980s and early 1990shttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=435http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=435Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT Football Italiano continues the countdown of the all time top 20 players to have played for Italy. 19 - Andrea Pirlo Italy’s greatest talents have traditionally been drawn from defence or offence, so there is some sense in the fact that Andrea Pirlo, despite not occupying one of the highest positions in this list, should be the only active midfihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=436http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=436Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTJonathan Swindlehurst witnessed the 2009 Confederations Cup first-hand, whilst working at the event. As a writer for Football Italiano's newly-launched sister site A Different League, he provides an insight into what worked and what didn't for the 2010 World Cup hosts in their dress rehearsal. The world’shttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=437http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=437Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTOver the next four weeks, Football Italiano will be looking in-depth at the long, historical relationship between Juventus and the Azzurri with a series of articles detailing the very early years of la Nazionale, right up to the present day. “It’s just like being at home”, quipped one player http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=438http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=438Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT Advancing through the list of all time top 20 Azzurri players and No brings up a name as familiar in the UK as the peninsula. 18 - Gianfranco Zola One important difference between Italian football and that of, say, Brazil or Argentina, is that the peninsular culture is very hermetic. While other countries often send ohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=439http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=439Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT17 - Marco Tardelli Doubtlessly among the most beautiful distinguishing features of football as a sport is the Dionysian celebration that follows a goal, when all garments of composure and professionalism are cast off and the player runs like a bird about to take off. It is then only too apt that Tardelli should be remembered above all for his scream of joyous fury aftehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=440http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=440Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT16 - Alessandro Del Piero To anyone bearing the Bianconeri badge upon the heart, Alessandro Del Piero is nothing short of a titan. Captain of the most successful Italian club for more than 10 years, record-man in terms of goals scored and loyal enough to descend with the club to Serie B after Calciopoli - the very least that can be said about this man is he stands for shttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=441http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=441Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT15 - Bruno Conti ‘The real Brazilian on that pitch,’ they later said, ‘was playing in a blue shirt.’ Several names deserve tribute for their performances in the 1982 World Cup. Bruno Conti is worthy of mention if not as the most iconic, then surely as the most technically gifted. A prince among wingers, Conti possessed dribbling skills well beyond their age and which inhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=442http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=442Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTWith the 19th World Cup in South Africa just under a year away now, Football Italiano looks back at the Azzurri’s performances at recent tournaments. Today, we remember the glorious 2006 World Cup campaign. Qualifying Italy arrived at the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany after emerging as comfortable winners of a qualifying group containing the likes of Nohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=443http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=443Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTContinuing Football Italiano's build-up to the World Cup next summer, Lessons in Calcio today remembers a true maverick genius. There are many words to describe Giorgio Chinaglia. Conventional is not one of them. From humble beginnings to world superstar, Chinaglia’s story has it all. He was a maverick in every sense of the word, a true footballing celebrity. But behindhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=444http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=444Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT14 - Gianluca Zambrotta There is always a name one forgets, in a team - the unsung hero, the hard-worker behind the scenes who allows for everything else to work more smoothly. Gianluca Zambrotta will most likely fall into that category after he retires, lacking the pristine class or iconic status which defined colleagues of his like, say, Paolo Maldini. Yet the man deshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=445http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=445Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTToday on Football Italiano we take a closer look at fascism and its presence in Italian football throughout history and up to the current day. In December 2005, following Paolo Di Canio’s infamous fascist salute to the Lazio ultras during a Serie A league match against Livorno, the enigmatic Italian merely stated to the media: “I will always salute as I did yesterdahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=446http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=446Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT13 - Gaetano Scirea Italy’s reputation for defensive excellence truly flourished in the 1970s and the men most responsible for this were those forming the back-line of La Vecchia Signora (Juventus, in one of its brightest epochs). Among these, one of the most respected names was that of Gaetano Scirea, a central defender whose strong technical attributes were coupled wihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=447http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=447Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Azzurri was not only used as a means of propaganda and a vessel for Italy to unite through, it was also symbolic as it represented Italy as a country and the regime which was shaping it. Naturally the regime's close identification with the Italian football game as a whole meant that Italian clubs and the national team especially were perceived to be fascists. This was most evident when the http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=448http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=448Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTContinuing Football Italiano’s Azzurri coverage, Rishi Verma presents the second in his series of four articles looking at the relationship between Juventus and the Italian national team. Il Ciclo Leggendario (The Golden Cycle) After Italy were taught a footballing lesson by Bhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=449http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=449Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT12 - Luigi Riva With 35 goals to his name, Gigi Riva stands as the most prolific goalscorer in the Azzurri shirt. The figure does him justice - when it comes to pure raptorial instinct, perhaps only Silvio Piola can claim to have had a greater talent for finding the back of the net. Even though his first years were in lower leagues than Serie A, the fact that he scored http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=450http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=450Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT No 5 World Cup Round of 16 - Estadio Olimpico, Mexico City - June 17, 1986 Italy 0-2 France Italy came to Mexico as defending champions with high hopes of retaining their crown. Enzo Bearzot had kept faith with the spine of his all-conquering 1982 squad. But in the sweltering heat of Mexico City, their dreams were ripped apart by a scintillating Frenhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=451http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=451Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTFootball can be a cruel, cruel game and over the years the Azzurri have had their share of heartbreaks. Moments, frozen in time, as hopes of glory are dashed in the most unforgiving of circumstances. In researching this feature we have encountered footage that will send a shiver down the spine of Calcio’s most hardened supporters. Let Football Italiano guide you through 10 moments thathttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=452http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=452Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTTo say that Marcello Lippi picked up an Azzurri team which subsisted in a state of difficulty would be an understatement. The debacles of the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 had left severe dents on the confidence of the players, coupled with a shameful sense that the men were not doing justice to the nation’s brilliant heritage and reputation. It was left to the technician from Viareggio, armed whttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=453http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=453Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTLa Formica Atomica - Atomic Ant in English - is the Hanna-Barbera cartoon superhero that depicts a little ant that possesses extraordinary powers. His supersonic speed and amazing strength, all packed into a diminutive ant body, makes the little hero quite the paradoxical character. The man whose nickname is la Formica Atomica needs no introduction. Standing at only 5'4" and poshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=454http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=454Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT11 - Fabio Cannavaro Even as the greatest duo of central defenders in Italian history must remain that of Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini, the most impenetrable all-round defensive pair is probably that of Gianluigi Buffon and Fabio Cannavaro. Their partnership began in the ranks of Juventus and was faithfully transplanted into the national side, allowing for the set-uphttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=455http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=455Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT10 - Dino Zoff Even for a goalkeeper, having been called up by one’s national side for a period that covers 16 years (1967-1983) is an exceptional feat. The achievements of the Azzurri in that period owe a lot to him, perhaps more than to any other single player of the time. They include two World Cup finals (one lost, one won) and one European Championship, although athttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=456http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=456Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTAs Marcello Lippi looks to secure qualification for next summer’s World Cup finals in South Africa, his defensive line needs reinforcing. The peninsula has always produced some of the world’s greatest centre-halves and fortunately for Lippi, the next generation has arrived. Step forward Marco Andreolli. Born on June 10, 1986 in Ponte dell’Olio in the province of Piacenza, Andreohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=457http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=457Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis week, we focus on a goalkeeper who has firmly established himself as one of the best, if not the best, goalkeeper in the world – Gianluigi Buffon. Buffon was born on January 28 1978 in Carrara, to sporting parents Maria Stella and Adriano – his mother a discus thrower and his father a weightlifter. It was no surprise that young Gigi would become enamoured with sports http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=458http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=458Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT9 - Paolo Maldini In a world of mercenaries and prostitutes, it is the richest who write the laws - except when someone like Paolo Maldini holds the guns. Bred and forged in the pitches of Milan since his first trial in 1978 and never abandoning the team to these days that are running now, this man stands less as a football player than as a red and black flag whipping in thhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=459http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=459Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT8 Gianni Rivera Watching football matches from several decades ago is an amusing pastime. The tactics and techniques appear very unrefined, and if the match is old enough for the recording to be in black and white, the athleticism is reduced to a brutal, almost primordial act. Gianni Rivera is the signpost for the phase of transition from football as a matter of strengthttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=460http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=460Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTFootball Italiano presents part three of Rishi Verma’s series of four articles looking into the history that exists between Juventus and the Azzurri. A Sort Of Homecoming A revolution took place when Azeglio Vicini took his place as Azzurri Coach in 1986, while Rino Marchesi started his daunting and ultimately unsuccessful reign as Juventus Coach in the sahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=461http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=461Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTWith less than a year to go to the big kick-off in South Africa, Football Italiano’s writers sat down to discuss who Marcello Lippi should take to the 2010 World Cup. Below is the result of our heated debate and as you can see, there are a few surprise choices in there, as well as a certain No 10. We will follow the Azzurri and the players mentioned below closely throughhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=462http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=462Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT7 - Silvio Piola Football is, when the hurly-burly’s done, about sending a ball into a net. In this particular specialisation, no Italian ever outshined the raw instinct of Silvio Piola, the unsurpassed top goal-scorer in Serie A. Unfolding his career between the 1930s and the 1950s, Piola boasts an absolutely monstrous record of 274 goals to his name (290 if we count thttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=463http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=463Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT6 - Gianluigi Buffon In the long and illustrious list of great Italian goalkeepers, from Enrico Albertosi and Gianluca Pagliuca to Walter Zenga and Angelo Peruzzi, two names normally stand out in debates as to who deserves the title of the best - Dino Zoff and Gianluigi Buffon. We choose to favour the contemporary in our list not as a consequence of abstract technical chttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=464http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=464Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT “I don’t take lessons in dignity from Mr. Berlusconi,” muttered Dino Zoff upon his resignation after Italy’s last-gasp defeat to Zinedine Zidane’s France in the final of Euro 2000. Italy were left devastated by Sylvain Wiltord and David Trezeguet’s killer goals and mourned the loss in usual, melodramatic fashion. But as fans wept, there was one other emotion hanging in the air – one ofhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=465http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=465Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT5 - Francesco Totti All fantasisti need to possess elevated skills in a variety of fields, from passing and dribbling to shooting, and so it is said of all fantasisti that they are versatile football players. Francesco Totti probably transcends that category among the fantasisti to become the universal football player. There is simply no figure in Italian histohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=466http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=466Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTIf the old cliché about genius and madness being closely related is in fact true, then it is safe to say that Antonio Cassano is probably the finest example of a genius Calcio has ever known. The young man known as ‘Fantantonio’ for his sublime footballing ability, and ‘Cassanata’ for his equally impressive histrionics, is a player whose history threatens to ruin his international career. His chttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=467http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=467Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTDuring Italy’s recent under-21 European Championship match against Sweden, one of the most exciting young talents in the world showed why he is considered so by opening the scoring for Italy early on with a stunning curled effort. However, just 15 minutes later he was trudging off the pitch after being dismissed for kicking out at an opponent. Welcome to the talent and suspect temperament of Mahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=468http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=468Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTThey say that good strikers come in small doses. Nothing could be more true about Salvatore Schillaci, or ‘Totò’ as he was more commonly known, who for a brief while became one of the most talked-about strikers in world football, but equally became one of the most forgotten strikers in the history of the game. Schillaci’s rise to the top was not as sudden as most people think, ashttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=469http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=469Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT4 Franco Baresi It is a truth universally acknowledged, as old Jane would have put it had she worked in our trade, that it is much easier to win fame, cash and fortune in football by playing as a forward than in the backline. Just scan the Ballon D’Or almanacs and count the defenders. There is some justice in this - football is a sport that prizes technique, and generalhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=470http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=470Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTFollowing yesterday’s Part I and ahead of tomorrow’s final instalment of our Antonio Cassano vs. Marcello Lippi debate, Football Italiano today brings you a chronological order of Fantantonio’s turbulent club and international career. 2004 June – Giovanni Trapattoni’s Italy side eliminated from Euro 2004 after some poor, defensive performances. Anthttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=471http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=471Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTIn 1998, Dino Zoff picked up the Italian national team after the bitterness of a World Cup defeat to France, one which felt particularly pungent after the two excellent tournaments in 1990 and 1994. It was the end of an era, and a time to rebuild. The glorious nineties were over, and the next stop was the new millennium. img src="images/articles/zoff280709.jpg" style="float: right;http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=472http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=472Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT3 Giacinto Facchetti Solo un capitano, sing the Italian tifosi from their stands, always and everywhere. Yes, there can only be one captain. The man who takes up that mantle for Inter - la Grande Inter, as they called it back then - was also the greatest captain that the Azzurri side has ever had. Solo un capitano. Facchetti was a leader through and thhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=473http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=473Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT Part II: Marcello Lippi – The boss After the shocking performance at Euro 2008 which culminated in the sacking of the quite frankly inept Roberto Donadoni, Marcello Lippi’s return to the Azzurri was billed as the return of the man who would lead Italy back to the pinnacle of world football. For a while it did look as though Lippi had managed to stop the provhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=474http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=474Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis week Football Italiano presents the final part of Rishi Verma’s series of articles investigating the historic link between the Juventus and the Azzurri. The Shroud of Turin The Juve connection continued with the arrival of Trapattoni as the new Coach of la Nazionale. His squads frequently consisted of six seasoned Juve players (Gianluigi Buffon, Mark http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=475http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=475Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT2 Roberto Baggio Some players are difficult to categorize on account of their ambiguous or inconstant tactical roles. As writer Alessandro Baricco once put it, Roberto Baggio is hard to pin down because a conventional term such as ‘forward’ seems reductive. It would be like saying that Mozart was a piano player or Napoleon an army officer. Yes, Baggio was comparatively http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=476http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=476Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT1 - Giuseppe Meazza The brush of time often runs with the least kindness over those who are the most deserving of its honours. They all go into the dark, wrote Eliot. No more fitting words, and no more moving image, could be employed to talk of Giuseppe Meazza. The greatest Italian footballer of all time played before television, before football became the arenhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=479http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=479Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTGennaro Gattuso is one of a small number of extraordinary players who are never quite appreciated until they get injured or suspended. There is nothing glamorous about Gattuso nor is there Coach who would turn him down. He is his team’s drive, their passion and their commitment - the fans’ ambition embodied. Now at the age of 31, Gattuso is a World Cup winner, holds two Champions League medals http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=480http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=480Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTWe always talk about players primarily in terms of how they determine victory and defeat on the field. Success is the fuel that the media thrive on, the nourishment by which they grow. Today we are going to talk about a player who has embraced values which transcend the polished sheen of trophies, and who has consequently been denied the saurian attention of the media. Most of the public will bhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=481http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=481Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTInter arrived in Beijing on the weekend to prepare for the 22nd edition of the Italian Super Cup, where they will face Coppa Italia champions Lazio. The Nerazzurri alternatively will be lining up in the Birds Nest Stadium by virtue of winning the Serie A championship. It was a long road to Beijing for la Beneamata, which began 12 months ago in the same competition. That night, ohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=482http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=482Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTAs Italy crashed out of Euro ‘96 time was up for Coach Arrigo Sacchi. The national federation looked in house for his replacement, and opted to give Cesare Maldini a shot at the big time. After ten years managing the Under 21 national side, the former Milan legend took on the considerable taking the senior team to the next level and bring glory to his homeland. img src="ihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=483http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=483Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Italian Super Cup kicks off on Saturday August 8 in Beijing, China. Serie A winners Inter will take on Lazio, winners of the Coppa Italia. The Super Coppa Italia has looked to distant shores to host it’s season opening show piece with Washington, Tripoli and New York all hosting the event in years gone by. The Bird’s Nest in China will no doubt fill its 80,000 capacity and try to imitate thhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=484http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=484Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTRecently, the tired old cliché about Italian defending has taken a battering. Unconvincing displays in the Azzurri’s last two major tournaments has set alarm bells ringing around the peninsula. The rock-solid foundation in which all great Italian teams have been built, has recently been reduced to rubble as a creaking backline has leaked goals at an alarming rate. But a new generation has arrivhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=485http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=485Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTLazio will enter the bird’s nest on August 8 feeling quietly confident. They are somewhat used to finals and will use the Coppa Italia experience to help them take on Inter. Lazio started off the Coppa Italia campaign in 2008 with a bang. A home draw against lowly Benevento was exactly what the Biancocelesti needed and it was Stefano Mauri who put them ahead on nine minutes, withhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=486http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=486Sun, 09 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTComing into the game in rather patchy pre-season form (following a 13-0 victory against local side Cortina d’Ampezzo, they then proceeded to crumble 3-0 against French side PSG), Fiorentina took on an Aston Villa team who had beaten Serie A outfit Juventus during their pre season and, like la Viola, lingered in the Champions League places for the majority of last season in the English top flighhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=487http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=487Mon, 10 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTConsidered one of the greatest deep playmakers in the world, Andrea Pirlo was once an offensive midfielder. It was a master-stroke from Carlo Ancelotti who had him play in front of the back four in what would prove to be one of the most incredible and shrewd moves by the Coach. Since joining Milan in 2001, Pirlohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=488http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=488Mon, 10 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT Summer surprised us, coming over the Starnbergersee with a shower of rain – in our case, the cold shower of a disastrous Confederations Cup. It is time to go back to formula, and the upcoming friendly against Switzerland provides a chance to witness what directions the clogs in Marcello Lippi’s mind have been turning towards. The first reaction to the call-ups must be mixehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=489http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=489Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTIn the sweltering heat of East London, Napoli’s pre season campaign continued with a high profile friendly match against former Azzurri legend Gianfranco Zola’s West Ham side. The match was played in honour of Hammers legend Bobby Moore in an effort to raise money for the cancer charity named after him. Roberto Donadoni took an almost full strength squad to Upton Park to see if hhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=490http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=490Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTFrom shoe salesman to a Coach who pieced together one of this century’s greatest club sides, Arrigo Sacchi was appointed national team coach in 1991. During a six year tenure with the Azzurri, his diligent tactical awareness almost brought him the game’s biggest prize. An honourable man, hard but fair, Sacchi remains one of the most iconic figures of Italian football. img src="imaghttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=491http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=491Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTYoung Italian forwards are something of a rare breed as mainstays of Serie A strike-forces. Save for the explosive Mario Balotelli’s continual outings for Inter, Fiorentina cast-off Pablo Osvaldo making headway at Bologna and 19-year-old Ettore Mendicino at Lazio, there is little exposure for young Italian attacking talent. On the final weekend of the season, in which 39 recognised front men tohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=492http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=492Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTFIFA’s decision to book out a date in the international calendar before the majority of European club seasons had commenced was met with fierce criticism from former players and club managers alike – most of which was directed towards the respective national FA’s for actually taking advantage of the date and arranging a fixture. In any case, Italy’s friendly in Switzerland, played at St. Jakob-http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=493http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=493Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTThere is only so much that you can learn from a friendly against Switzerland. Italy played one immediately before the World Cup in 2006 and they drew 1-1, offering little inkling of the powerhouse that the Azzurri were about to become. Wednesday’s friendly ended on 0-0, a result which leaves no-one particularly happy. On the plus side, we saw Claudio Marchisio and Domenico Criscito in action. Ihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=494http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=494Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT 2008/09 - Chievo’s main concern for last year must have been to prevent an immediate return to Italy’s second division. However the Mussi Volanti managed only one win in the first 13 games leaving them deep in relegation trouble by November. A 3-0 defeat to Palermo saw Coach Giusseppe Iachini dismissed and Domenico Di Carlo was brought in to try and improve the fortunes of the club. Byhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=495http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=495Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT 2008/09 - The 2008/09 season was tough for the Rossazzurri. The some what risky appointment of Walter Zenga, Inter’s legendary goalkeeper in April 2008, had most of the Catania faithful wondering what to expect from the 2008/09 campaign. The Serie A season was a hard lesson for Zenga who helped Catania finish 15th, nine points off the relegation zone. This however, could be seen as a suhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=496http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=496Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT 2008/09 - Quite simply put, a superb season for the team from Sardinia. A ninth place finish, for a club that usually fights relegation, was a fantastic result. Some fans may even be disappointed that they didn’t secure a Europa League place, after a very poor start had them playing catch-up. No win till seven games in meant that Cagliari looked doomed for another tough year just thttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=497http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=497Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT 2008/09 - With Sinisa Mihajlovic at the helm Bologna started the season off in good fashion beating Milan 2-1 away from home. However the Rossoblu’s luck soon changed and after some lacklustre results found themselves at the bottom half of the table. Eventually finishing 17th after a long relegation battle. On a plus note if it were any consolation Bologna’s striker Marco Di Vaio finishhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=498http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=498Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT 2008/09 - Last season saw Bari promoted in early May - a 2-2 draw away to Piacenza guaranteed them the Serie A with three games left to play. The Serie B season was as always hugely competitive with several teams chasing automatic promotion positions from the off. A controlled start by the team saw them slowly chip away at early leaders Livorno, until wins against Mantova and Sassuolo ihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=499http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=499Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT 2008/09 - Atalanta enjoyed a successful last campaign, considering the Bergamo-based club have been back in the top flight for two seasons, many critics wrote off the Orobici’s chances of staying in Serie A. Despite this Atalanta prevailed, exceeding their targets managing a solid 11th place. The Nerazzurri have built a reputation for being a tricky team to beat, during the 2008/09 seashttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=500http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=500Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT 2008/09 - Fiorentina followed up a fourth-place season finish and a place in the Champions League with an exact replica, underlining another successful year in charge for Coach Cesare Prandelli. Azzurri talisman Alberto Gilardino transferred over from Milan to spearhead the attack - scoring an impressive 19 league goals in his debut season. The former Parma man was ably assisted by teamhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=501http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=501Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTIn a wonderful 19 year career Giuseppe Bergomi remained loyal to Inter Milan. Born and raised in the city of Milan, the immaculate defender would become a symbol of Italian football throughout the eighties and nineties. If there has ever been a finer exponent of the art of defending in the history of the game, then this writer is yet to see them. Bergomi was simply outstanding, a true icon of thttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=502http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=502Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTIn Florence, a shirt bearing the No.10 on its back leads to great expectations. “Behind me I hear the footfalls of a giant,” a young composer once said of Beethoven – and since Roberto Baggio, born and bred in the colour purple, could rightfully be called the Beethoven of Italian football, any youth product in the Fiorentina team could make that phrase his own. Federico Carraro is the fihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=503http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=503Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT 2008/09 - A third-place finish represented something of a failure for Milan when you consider that Serie A was supposedly the focus for the season. What will rankle is the way that second place was thrown away in the last few games of the season. The four point gap that separated the Rossoneri and Juventus was closed to the extent that the Bianconeri managed to snatch second spot based http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=504http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=504Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT 2008/09 - The 2008/09 campaign was all about bouncing back to Serie A at the first time of asking for the Tuscan outfit. Led by Leonardo Acori for 41 of the 42 weeks in Serie B, Livorno were already assured a spot in the play-offs, but decided to sack Acori for missing out to Parma and Bari on automatic promotion after a season-long battle (and two-month winless run). Gennaro Ruotolo wahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=505http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=505Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT 2008/09 - Given the performance of the 2007/2008 season, Lazio’s year went relatively well – improving the league position and bringing home their first trophy in four years. Finishing in 10th, it is obvious from the season statistics that Lazio failed to draw enough games – losing as many as Lecce is certainly cause for concern. However, an impressive run in the Coppa Italia – beating http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=506http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=506Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT 2008/09 - A dramatic season for the Bianconeri saw them start well, mounting a challenge for the Scudetto. Amauri, the hotly anticipated signing, had a phenomenal start to the campaign and Juventus were on fire as they thrashed Real Madrid in the Champions League. This was followed up with a courageous effort against Chelsea that saw them undeservedly knocked out. A massive dip in form http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=507http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=507Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT 2008/09 - With Milan and Juventus still reeling in the wake of Calciopoli scandal, Inter were the favorites to win the Scudetto for a fourth consecutive time. They duly obliged and conquered the league without a single hiccup. As it became clear that it would be a two-horse race between Inter and Juventus, the Nerazzurri completely overpowered Juventus at the San Siro and showed why thehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=508http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=508Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT 2008/09 - Take into consideration that in the 2005/06 season, Genoa were playing in the third division of Italian football - Serie C1 - and add to that the limited budget the club operates on. Then one can clearly comprehend the magnificent season Genoa had. Fighting for a Champions’ League spot right till the end, many would say that il Grifone have overachieved this season. Not many chttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=509http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=509Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTThere is nothing quite like the build-up to a new football season. Any lingering despair from the previous campaign suddenly disappears, replaced with optimism and renewed expectation. Well at least that is how it is meant to be. Throughout the majority of the summer, it has been a vastly different story at Milan. Question marks over the new Coach, the sale of their best player, the subsequent http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=510http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=510Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe loss to Lazio in the Supercoppa Italiana has been dismissed by those in the Inter camp as an aberration, and with the Nerazzurri being the better side for long periods in the contest, that may well be a justifiable conclusion. Captain Javier Zanetti claimed that the team played “a great match”, and – albeit predictably – José Mourinho says he sees a team that plays much better football thanhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=511http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=511Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTCessna-born Azeglio Vicini has the ignominy of being relatively forgotten in the grand scheme of Italian football, despite having led the Nazionale to semi-finals in both major international football tournaments during his five-years as coach. These near misses and failure to qualify for the 1992 European Championships ultimately lead to the Italian Football Federation calling time on his tenurhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=512http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=512Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT2008/09 - To say Udinese’s 2008/09 season was a bit “up and down” would be a massive understatement. They started off quite impressively, and then embarked on a huge slump between November and the New Year before ending the campaign in great form. They finished the season in a decent 7th place, which given the horrendous pre-Christmas run was an excellent league position. They reachedhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=513http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=513Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT2008/09 - The Robur’s annual objective to avoid relegation was made easier last season thanks to the astute tactical know how of Coach Marco Giampaolo. The wonderful performances of Moroccan midfielder Houssine Kharja seemed to inspire teammates around him. Striker Massimo Maccarone’s nine goals also helped Siena to a 14th place finish, a full 10 points from the danger zone. Notable homehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=514http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=514Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT 2008/09 - An indifferent start to the campaign saw Luciano Spalletti’s side slip to second bottom after the first four weeks. But a renaissance was triggered by a wonderful victory at the Stadio Olimpico against Chelsea in the Champions League. A win over city rivals Lazio in October put the Giallorossi into the top six but then defeat to Arsenal at the resumption of European competitiohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=515http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=515Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT2008/09 - After just one solitary season stuck in Serie B wilderness, Parma are back in the big time. Although the Gialloblu were pipped to top spot by Bari, their passage back to the top-flight football was relatively smooth, as they comfortably finished eight points ahead of third-placed Livorno. Promotion is always a laudable achievement, particularly at the first attempt – but perhaphttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=516http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=516Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT2008/09 - Last season did not start particularly well for the Rosanero as they exited the Coppa Italia in the third round and lost their first game of the season to Udinese. Stefano Colantuono was replaced by Davide Ballardini shortly after these losses and the club pulled together to establish itself firmly in the top half of the division. Improving on 2007/08 was a massive achievement http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=517http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=517Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT2008/09 - Expectations were running high for Napoli as they had secured a spot in the UEFA Cup and held a number of emerging stars in their squad. True to expectations, the Partenopei had a great start to the campaign with notable domestic performances, overcoming giants Fiorentina and Juventus. They lost in the first round of European competition, but the disappointment was short lived http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=518http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=518Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT2008/09 - Last year gave us a season of inconsistent highs and lows for Sampdoria. The constant injuries in their defensive sector meant that we seldom saw their ideal starting XI. As importantly, Walter Mazzarri, their Coach for that campaign, was quite dull as a Tactician, and his under-par management of the Blucerchiati culminated in a result crisis twice during his management (the behttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=519http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=519Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTSiena will have bad memories of their recent encounters with Milan - whom they face this Saturday. Last season Marco Giampaolo and his men lost both encounters to the Rossoneri - and the return leg, played at the Artemio Franchi, was the side’s heaviest home defeat of the season, as the Diavolo crushed them 5-1. Nevertheless, last season saw the Bianconeri obtain a sixth consecutive confirmatiohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=520http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=520Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTOf all the opening weekend fixtures in Serie A, Genoa vs. Roma promises to be the most intriguing. The Stadio Luigi Ferraris plays host to the battle of two teams with legitimate Champions League ambitions. Genoa, Italy’s oldest club, were excruciatingly close to making their debut in Europe’s premier club competition, one point the difference between fourth, and their eventual fifth placed poshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=521http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=521Thu, 20 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTDespite Inter losing Zlatan Ibrahimovic over the summer, this fixture on paper looks to be a foregone conclusion. The Nerazzurri are favourites to win this years Scudetto and have bolstered their already impressive squad with an array of talent this summer - the fact that they are at home in the Giuseppe Meazza also makes this fixture look bleak for Bari. The Biancorossi are the new boys in Serhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=522http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=522Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTBoth Juventus and Chievo go into the new campaign with optimism - both sides enjoyed a positive run-in to the 2008/09 season. Still, Juventus have had the better of the Gialloblu in recent meetings, with the Turin based side winning four of their last five matches. The odd game out however, was this tie last April. Chievo were on a great run which would eventually guarantee them their place ihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=523http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=523Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTLast season, all the blame fell on Juventus’ management following another trophy-less season. There were continuous complaints by the media at the inadequacies of the club’s hierarchy - and the fans demanded a change. If there was ever a way to truly silence the critics, then the new Juventus Triad certainly managed it - much to the surprise of most onlookers. An ambitious and stunning transferhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=524http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=524Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe new Serie A season kicked off in Bologna at the Stadio Dall’Ara where Fiorentina were the visitors. Less than half an hour into the first half and Paolo Osvaldo exposed the Viola’s poor defending as he jumped for a free header to put the Rossoblu in the lead. Fiorentina responded with a fabulous strike from Adrian Mutu but there was no further break through and the game finished in a tie. Thttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=525http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=525Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe knives were already being sharpened for Leonardo, the new Coach of Milan, as they went into Saturday night’s tricky opening fixture against Siena in the compact Artemio Franchi stadium. After a disastrous pre-season campaign, a trip to face Marco Giampaolo’s side was the last thing the newly installed Coach would have wanted. President Silvio Berlusconi had predicted a Rosshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=526http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=526Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTRoma lost to Genoa on the first game of the season, and the skies are already looking very dark. In some ways this may be for the good – if anyone was nurturing unrealistic expectations, within or without the team, then that person has probably already sobered up. It should also be noted that the future is not necessarily as bleak as this defeat may suggest. We made this argument at the end of http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=527http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=527Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe opening game of the season is generally a tense affair for any team, but the performance from Inter on Sunday afternoon was not what José Mourinho would have wished for. A home tie against a newly promoted Bari side was, theoretically, a simple three points to gently ease the Nerazzurri into the new season. Unfortunately, the best laid plans of mice and men go oft awry, and Bari certainly dhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=528http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=528Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Italian domestic season kicked off on Friday night with 10 of the 11 Serie B fixtures taking place. Hot favourites for immediate promotion Torino, had an excellent start to the campaign with a 3-0 victory at Grosseto. A brace from Rolando Bianchi and David Di Michele ensured Stefano Colantuono’s side got off to a flying start. Another one of last season’s relegated sides Lecce also got off http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=529http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=529Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTWe probably should not be at all surprised. An atrocious pre-season, albeit capped off with a penalty shoot-out victory over Juventus, presented some serious warning signs for the coming campaign. Yet, upon the start of the new season, the Rossoneri were able to produce a win to kick start the campaign. More important than the three points however, was the performance - which unlike those in prhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=530http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=530Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis is the 271st Derby Della Madonnina but the ferocity is as evident as ever and the microscopic scrutiny of Inter and Milan remains. Nothing concrete can be drawn from a single outing but the Rossoneri will be more confident having snatched all three points from the opening weekend. A Ronaldinho inspired 2-1 victory in a tricky tie away to Siena will have given Coach Leonardo buoyancy aheahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=531http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=531Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTSerie A is up and running for the 2009/10 campaign, and two of the peninsula’s sides picked up two very eye-catching results on the opening weekend. After a hard fought 2-2 draw in the Portuguese capital against Sporting, Fiorentina may be forgiven for feeling a little tired as they began their season in Emilia-Romagna, but the Viola faithful would have hoped for a better results than the eventhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=532http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=532Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTIf Siena were too weak an opposition team to judge whether Leonardo’s Milan are capable of challenging for honours this season, then a Week 2 clash against Scudetto holders Inter will certainly provide us with the opportunity to really run the rule over the side. The Derby della Madonnina is upon us, even if it does feel a bit too early for this sort of game. Indeed, you could argue that such ihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=533http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=533Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTBoth Roma and Juventus go into Sunday’s big match after very different starts to their season - the Giallorossi lost their opening game to an inspired Genoa outfit that came from behind to win 3-2 in a thrilling but controversial game. The Bianconeri, it would be fair to say, comfortably won their opener against Chievo. I Lupi are beset by injuries, are low on confidence and the whole world it http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=534http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=534Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTHello and welcome to the first Gazzetta Football Italiano of the new season. As with all the best Milanese bars, restaurants and offices, the Gazzetta returns at the end of August, having taken much of the holiday season off. A Milanese summer is not a typical Italian, holiday-like experience. During Ahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=535http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=535Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTA team like Juventus walk hand in hand with the weight of extreme pressure. Great things are expected from this new look squad and much is demanded from the new Coach, Ciro Ferrara. To further add to the pressure, the Azzurri Coach, Marcello Lippi, has publicly predicted that Juventus will win the highly coveted Scudetto this term, much to the annoyance of José Mourinho. The ‘Special One’ has ohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=536http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=536Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTOne of the most common inscriptions which can be read on Roman banners at the Stadio Olimpico is the phrase ‘Nun c’è problema.’ It is Roman dialect for ‘No problem,’ and it is a truly endearing phrase as it expresses a sense of cool and Roman confidence while simultaneously reminding us that football is no more than a game. Unfortunately, ‘Nun c’è problema’ is one of the last things passing thrhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=537http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=537Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe talking point of the week for fans from both sides of Milan is, of course, the impending Derby della Madonnina, which will be the first real test for either side this season. This is the time for the Nerazzurri to put the performance against Bari behind them and focus on getting the desired result against their city rivals and fellow Scudetto contenders. Predictably, anyone http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=538http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=538Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTAlthough the Serie A season has only just started, many yesterday will have taken a brief mental break from it and, holding their breath, will have awaited their European fate. Once again Italy boasts four teams in Europe’s premier club competition. There is a return to Championhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=539http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=539Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Derby della Madonnina was the first of two titanic encounters in the second week of Serie A action - Milan faced bitter city rivals Inter at the San Siro. Jose Mourinho’s men had a point to prove after a slow start, managing only a draw against Bari - Milan on the other hand would establish a considerable gap on their cousins should they mange a second win after earning all three points in http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=540http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=540Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMTWeek 2 of the new championship gave us a couple of blockbusters to salivate over. The fixture computer, whether you believe its validity or not, brought together four heavyweights as the season really moved into top gear. In the Milan derby on Saturday night, José Mourinho took a huge gamble by thrusting his new €16m acquisition, Wesley Sneijder, straight into his starting XI, a http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=541http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=541Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe first real test for the “new” Milan and they failed, quite badly as it happens. We spoke last week of the difference in quality of Siena and Inter, and the champions highlighted that gulf in class. The chasm that exists between the Rossoneri and their city rivals will not be closed this season unless the Nerazzurri’s performance levels drop dramatically, and that just will not happen with Jhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=542http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=542Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTAll hail the Brazilian legend, the master of Turin and the King of Serie A, Diego! The Brazilian import guided his team to the top and ensured a perfect start to their hopeful campaign. Juventus travelled to Roma knowing that only a win would suffice should they look to snatch thehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=543http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=543Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT‘Milan colpito e affondato L’Inter ne fa 4 nel derby’ (Milan hit and sunk, Inter score 4 in the derby) was the way La Gazzetta Dello Sport described the events that transpired in the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on Saturday night. It was a remarkable game for la Beneamata and their fans, and one that really sums up the change in fortunes that have befallen the Milan teams over the last http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=544http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=544Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTWeek 2 of Serie B saw most of the games kick-off on Saturday evening. Early pace setters Lecce were derailed in Piacenza. The hosts went into a three goal lead thanks to two goals from Tommaso Bianchi and one from striker Alessandro Tulli, but a renaissance by the visitors in the last 20 minutes saw them score two quick goals, Marino Defendi’s strike was quickly followed by a Guillermo Giacomazhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=545http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=545Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTRoma lost by 3-1 to Juventus, playing at home. It was predicted, so we shall not indulge in lamentations. This is not the season for anger or frustration, for Romanisti. This is the season for mending and patience, the year of a woman’s hands weaving and unweaving a weary tapestry. The team must endure this phase of transition to its end, working with what they have until the time comes for rejhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=546http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=546Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTIn what is the first major competitive game since the embarrassing showing in the Confederations Cup, Marcello Lippi needs more than just a win in Tbilisi - he needs an emphatic performance from his Azzurri. Having been castigated and written off by critics following the dismal showing in South Africa, August’s frustrating goalless friendly in Switzerland did little to soften the consternation http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=547http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=547Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt has happened - Luciano Spalletti has left the Giallorossi. It has been part of the ongoing soap opera that is AS Roma - a club that currently has no money to spend on players, that is looking to be sold one minute and then isn’t the next, where the manager is being confirmed as untouchable in one breath but then is out the door a moment later, a club that was playing Champions League footbalhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=548http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=548Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTAs Italy prepare for a delicate game against Georgia, the Azzurri can enjoy the unusual situation of the media not focusing entirely on them. Recent developments in the domestic game have allowed Marcello Lippi and his men to prepare for this tie in a reasonably tranquil environment - extraordinary given the dismal performances the reigning world champions have given over the summer. br /http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=549http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=549Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTLast weekend’s humiliating loss to cross-town rivals Inter left many of Milan’s supporters in disbelief. Although many fans of the Rossoneri expected a tough season and voiced their disapproval of the club’s hierarchy due to the poor transfer campaign, not even the most pessimistic expected such a mauling by Inter. img src="images/articles/milan04092009.jpg" style="heighthttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=550http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=550Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTFor once is seems that everything in the Nerazzurro half of Milan is tranquil. The team are winning and playing well, Jose Mourinho is experiencing an unusually quiet week, and, finally, President Massimo Moratti is happy. A brief recap of Inter’s business in the transfer window may well be the anshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=551http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=551Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTA left-back has finally been captured and just in the nick of time. Fans breathed a sigh of relief when Juventus announced that they had secured the services of Fabio Grosso from Lyon for €2m with an additional €1m to be paid dependant on athletic performances. Many said that the only thing that would potentiallhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=552http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=552Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTCome take this badge off of me, Ranieri, I can’t wear it anymore. Luciano Spalletti may not share Bob Dylan’s hairstyle, but he seemed to have a lot in common with the American singer when it comes to tone of voice, last Tuesday. ”I am lacerated,” he told the papers, “Rome had become my city. I have had everything here. These four years were wonderful.” He is right about the fihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=553http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=553Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis week saw the surprise/forced resignation of Luciano Spalletti, as he left Roma to be replaced by former Juventus Coach Claudio Ranieri. The decision would not have been a huge surprise if it were to happen in the summer, however it occurred just two games into the season. About everything that can go wrong ihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=554http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=554Sun, 06 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTAfter another week of questioning as to why Marcelo Lippi continues to overlook Antonio Cassano, it was finally down to business in the imposing Boris Paichadze stadium in Tbilisi. There had been much speculation in the build up to the game that Lippi would start with a 4-4-2 system to accommodate Marco Marchionni. That was exactly what happened as the Fiorentina midfielder made his first appeahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=555http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=555Mon, 07 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT Should He Stay or Should He Go? returns in devastating form with only two weeks of the 2009/10 played. Predictably, it is one of the top club’s new boys to face the glare of our spotlight - Leonardo of Milan. Milan's Coach has been under fire following the stunning loss to city rivals Inter last weekend. Talk of discontent amongst the Rossoneri fans cannot be overstatedhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=556http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=556Mon, 07 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTAfter the lacklustre display by the reigning world champions in Tbilisi on Saturday night, Marcello Lippi will be looking for a more convincing display on home soil. The Azzurri welcome Bulgaria to town on Wednesday night as they look to all but guarantee qualification by beating Dimitar Berbatov and co, before the clash of the Italian elders in October between Lippi and Giovanni Trapattoni in http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=557http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=557Mon, 07 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTEven though this early season international break has curtailed club football for a week, there has been plenty to keep the interest of Inter fans - aside from hoping that their star players will not pick up any injuries. Speaking of players acquiring injuries on international duty, Wesley Sneijder was taken off on a stretcher during Holland’s victory over Japan on Saturday (afthttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=558http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=558Mon, 07 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTFollowing the ceremonials by which Claudio Ranieri was welcomed as the new Roma Coach as well as the inevitable declarations of delight and satisfaction by everyone involved, Trigoria has fallen under a cape of silence. It is only logical. Time is not on the side of the Giallorossi and Ranieri must be squeezing experience out of every minute he has to absorb his new reality. Chatting with the phttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=559http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=559Mon, 07 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Rossoneri have had a tumultuous week dealing with the ramifications of a bruising defeat to their cousins Inter. The co-tenants of the Giuseppe Meazza met over a week ago in a one-sided affair which dampened the spirits of Il Diavolo's faithful. Milan is still reeling from the crushing loss and the lack of fixtures last week due to the international break implied that every detail pertaininhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=560http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=560Mon, 07 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTThere are three different types of Coaches - the selfish, the unlucky and the great. The selfish Coaches, much like Jose Mourinho, are men more interested in their own credentials and future prosperity than the welfare of their teams. The unlucky is a man who has the necessary skills and the right ideas but a man for whom trophies will always remain elusive. Perhaps one could say Luciano Spallehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=561http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=561Mon, 07 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTMarcello Lippi's statement that Italy have never been outstanding in qualifying and always 'rise to the occasion' during tournaments is no excuse for Italy's poor showing against Georgia. After a disastrous Confederations Cup showing, wholesale changes were demanded by the Tifosi and the press alike. Looking at current roster and past few performances, not much has changed. Kakhaber Kaladze's thttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=562http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=562Mon, 07 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTA win is a win, goes the old adage. However, the 2-0 victory in Tbilisi has done little to dissuade those seeking an Azzurri overhaul following the summer of disappointment. Fortunate to depart the former Soviet Bloc with three points thanks to two bizarre own goals by Milan’s centre half Khaka Kaladze, the Italian press has not held back on venting its frustrations that the national team was dhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=563http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=563Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTWell, if nothing else, Italy has found its dexterous striker at last. With two goals to his name last Saturday, Kakha Kaladze is the player who has scored the most for Italy in the last four games. If he had actually been wearing the Azzurri shirt, it would have given us cause to celebrate. “We deserved our good fortune,” Marcello Lippi declared after the match. The stahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=564http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=564Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTWeek 3 of the championship saw a reduced fixture list due to international commitments. Frosinone remain the only team in the second tier of Italian football with a 100% record after a breathtaking 3-1 victory in Lecce. In a first half goal frenzy, the hosts took an early lead through French marksman Alain Baclet, who scored his third goal of the season, but Francesco Moriero’s men hit back withttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=565http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=565Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT “Solo vincere!” (Only victory), was the morning headline on the front of La Gazzetta Dello Sport as Marcelo Lippi took his troops into battle at the Stadio Olimpico in Turin. There had been much anticipation of what the starting line-up would look like after last weekend’s lacklustre performance in Tbilisi. Lippi opted for a 4-3-1-2 with Andrea Pirlo playing just behind the sthttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=566http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=566Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTAfter the opening two matches this really is the tale of two front-lines. Sampdoria sit proudly at the top of the Serie A table whilst Atalanta are second from bottom, two defeats for the Bergamaschi whilst the Blucerchiati are yet to drop a point. The form book could only predict one winner here even if Sampdoria have to travel to the notoriously hostile Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia, it woulhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=567http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=567Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTParma’s return to Serie A has started extremely well. A good away point at Udinese was followed by three points in the Stadio Tardini against Sicilian club Catania. In fairness neither Udinese nor Catania have started well this term but that should take nothing away from Parma as one can only confront the teams the calendar commands and although slightly out of spirits, they are both good sideshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=568http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=568Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTTwo teams in search of an identity will cross paths this Sunday as Catania travels North to challenge Udinese. The teams share an uncanny parallel - they both confronted Parma and Sampdoria in their first league games. Both teams fell to the magic of Antonio Cassano’s Dorian army, and both scraped some rather fuzzy results with Parma, disallowing for conclusive statements on the form and ambitihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=569http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=569Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTBoth teams go into this exciting early-season encounter with a 100% record after respectively winning their opening two games. After an uncertain summer with a change of Coach, and breakdown in relations between certain players and club, Lazio has quietly set about its task in the quest to become the dominant side in the Eternal City once again. Juventus are still enjoying theihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=570http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=570Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTFor the first time in more than a year, Italy played the way they are expected to play when confronting minor opposition. They held the ball, made their own luck and ultimately won by a rotund 2-0 over the Bulgarians. Good news, but also puzzling news for a number of reasons. The shttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=571http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=571Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTTwo weeks have passed yet it is quite hard for Milan’s players to deny the residual effect of the trouncing at the hands of Inter. Rossoneri captain Massimo Ambrosini, who just renewed his contract till season 2010/11, has publicly blared that the club is still reeling from the lopsided defeat in the Milan derby. img src="images/articles/ambrosini10092009.jpg" style="http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=572http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=572Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTClub football returns this weekend with a full round of Serie A games, with the Inter players returning to their day jobs for a home tie against Parma. This will be welcome relief for the fans, many of whom question the wisdom of an international break so early in the season. Pahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=573http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=573Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe international week has proven successful for the Azzurri, who will now more than likely be on their way to South Africa come the summer. A battling, unconvincing victory over Georgia, and then the performance of the year at home to Bulgaria on Wednesday. The latter was very encouraging for fans and players alike, to see that the ability and potential is still there. Admittedly they were onhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=574http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=574Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe big game of the weekend was at the Stadio Olimpico and featured Lazio taking on Juventus. The Bianconeri have been in unstoppable form so far and this continued as Lazio went down by two goals to nil. It could have been very different though, as Lazio had a goal ruled out for a very questionable push in the box. Martin Caceres and David Trezeguet went on to score for Juventus and maintain thttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=575http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=575Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTJuventus travelled to the capital for the second consecutive fixture. Having dispatched Roma prior to the international break sealing Luciano Spalletti’s fate, the Bianconeri faced an equally tough assignment against a rejuvenated Lazio. Biancocelesti Coach Davide Ballardini had taken note of how the Turin giants had dismantled Roma and set his team up to try to suppress their opponents. Missinhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=576http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=576Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT The Bianconeri travelled to Rome again to face a Lazio side that have had a perfect start to the season, and while it was not a vintage Juventus performance, it was enough to secure three points. They started the game with great intent and several chances, and none were as sublime as the one in which Amauri chested down the ball, passed to David Trezeguet, who struck powerfully, only to see Fehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=577http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=577Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe latest round of matches in the Cadetti kicked off on Friday evening as Modena entertained Lecce at the Stadio Alberto Braglia. A turgid affair ended goalless leaving both sides on four points from four games. On Saturday afternoon early pacesetters Frosinone dropped their first points of the season as they were held to a 2-2 draw at the Stadio Matusa. Simone Basso put the hosts ahead afterhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=578http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=578Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt is too early to draw any definite conclusions, and this is the only one that we may take home from the weekend match against Siena. For the rest, the way the team looked during that game would be best left unspoken. Newfound Coach Claudio Ranieri fielded the team in a 4-4-1-1 composed only of experienced players - precisely those kind of brittle-boned players whom Roma is trying to get rid ohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=579http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=579Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTCoach Leonardo might have put on a brave face following his side's mediocre draw with Livorno, yet the unconvincing performance does not ease the intense pressure weighing on the Brazilian’s shoulders. The Rossoneri had two weeks to make the necessary adjustments and recapture some of the pride lost following the Milan derby fiasco. The Brazilian Tactician made a number of expechttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=580http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=580Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Florence based club currently lies fifth in Serie A following a positive result against Cagliari over the weekend, yet the team continues to struggle against opposition both home and away. La Viola has yet to register an official away win this season although that only amounts to a total of two away games played in its Serie A and Champions League encounters. More significantly however, thehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=581http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=581Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTMid-week hero Filippo Inzaghi and Milan will look for a repeat of the mid week display in the Champions league when they entertain Bologna this weekend. There have been suggestions that Milan can only turn on the style when playing in the limelight of Europe’s premier competition, however, it is up to Coach Leonardo to disprove this and produce the goods in the domestic league. Both teams had ahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=582http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=582Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT It is common knowledge that an incompetent Coach is capable of turning even the best of teams into an ineffective force. The match between Napoli and Udinese gives us an interesting conflict in that both are very good teams, yet both are handled by Coaches who come short of their tasks. While ‘incompetent’ may be too harsh a term to describe Roberto Donadoni and Pasquale Marino, their opening http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=583http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=583Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTWeek 4’s tie of the round sees Roma host Fiorentina in what will be Claudio Ranieri’s first big test as i Lupi Coach. The club from the capital picked up their first win (and points) of the season away to Siena last Sunday, in a lacklustre 2-1 victory. But fans will be happy just to be off the mark and put a halt to the rot that had set in just before Luciano Spalletti’s departure. http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=584http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=584Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Champions League came and went, leaving its stardust on the pages of newspapers and its drama on the marked faces of the supporters. We watched it from a distance, as if waving from a bombed-out building. It does no longer belong to us. We shall re-conquer it one day, but until then, we can leave the striped or purple supporters to greet the stragglers from their returning armies. br/http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=585http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=585Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTFiorentina’s opening match in the Champions League turned sour following Alberto Gilardino’s sending off against Lyon. The Italy striker was red carded just before half-time for an alleged elbow with the score tied between the two teams. His sending off certainly influenced the rest of the encounter and the French club ended up winning by the narrowest of margins. img srhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=586http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=586Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis week, as a football fan, it has been impossible to avoid talk of the match between Inter and Barcelona. Even the usually insulated English Press have been interested, with the Sunday Telegraph running a story about Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s chances of success at Barca. The match, of course, took place on Wednesday night and it would be remiss of Football Italiano to dedicate mhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=587http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=587Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe goal Bordeaux scored was offside, the rain hindered their performance and both Claudio Marchisio and Christian Poulsen squandered magnificent chances at goal but was it simply a case of bad luck when Juventus played Bordeaux in the Champions League? Going into their first match at home, the team and Coach Ciro Ferrara knew that it would not be easy. Bordeaux are, by all means, a formidablehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=588http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=588Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTParma versus Palermo this Sunday at the Stadio Tardini is a vital game for both teams as they look to continue their impressive start to the new season. Last weekend Parma suffered a 2-0 away loss to current champions Inter. Francesco Guidolin was disappointed with the result but was generally pleased with his side’s performance at the San Siro. Jose Mourinho’s men were far from their best aftehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=589http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=589Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt was a disappointing start to the Europa League for Italian football fans, as of the three Italian sides competing in the UEFA Europa League group this season, only Genoa won, as both teams from Rome lost. Genoa 2-0 Slavia Praha Genoa entered the Europa League group stage having won all four Serie A matches this season, and they continued this form http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=590http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=590Sat, 19 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTSo he did it. Something none of us ever believed would happen. He has been poor for nearly 18 months now - for both Barcelona and Milan - but few genuinely believed Ronaldinho would be legitimately dropped, without an injury excuse, by Leonardo. Yet on Tuesday evening, against Marseille in the Champions League, the Brazilian Coach dropped his compatriot to the bench. The result was a 2-1 victorhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=591http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=591Sat, 19 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe midweek tie between Inter and Barcelona was a fantastic tactical match between two sides that should be there or thereabouts come May. For 45 minutes, Inter displayed their own attacking abilities to a degree, in what was a very open start to the game, however the second half showed the weaknesses in this Nerazzurri side. img src="images/articles/interbarca19092009.jhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=592http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=592Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTOn the first day of the new Champions League campaing all eyes in Italy were fixed on the encounter in Turin between Juventus and French Champions Bordeaux. The Italian side has considerably changed from last year with a new Coach, new formation and several new players. Young Sebastian Giovinco started in the trequartista role instead of the injured Diego. Bordeaux’s midfield managed to restrihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=595http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=595Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTSo Roberto Donadoni still has trouble winning, which is not good news for the Neapolitans. Who knows how many of them have personal memories of the times when Diego Maradona made them the best team in the world. It must be like remembering Napoleon. The golden age has shifted and now it is Inter that seemingly reap the benefits, at least judging by their recent streak of domestic titles. José Mhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=596http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=596Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTSampdoria succeeded in making it four wins out of four and staying top of Serie A after routing Siena 4-1 at the Stadio Ferraris. An Angelo Palombo strike from the edge of the box put the home team in front, followed not long after by an exquisite chip from Daniele Mannini. The third goal came as Antonio Casshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=601http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=601Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTBari will be looking to continue their fine form since returning to Serie A and maintain their unbeaten streak when Cagliari visit the Stadio San Nicola on Wednesday night. Bari, who had accrued three draws in three games before the weekend, hammered a sluggish Atalanta side 4-1 on Sunday and even had the gall to miss a penalty in a convincing win. Conversely, last year’s surprihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=602http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=602Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTA trainer realises his position is under threat the moment his team fails to deliver results on the pitch. Napoli’s Roberto Donadoni must be feeling the heat following an abysmal start to the season, having lost two out of three games played. The pressure is intensifying on Donadoni with names of potential replacements already being dropped by the media. First it was ex-Juventus player Antonio http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=603http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=603Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTWhen Luigi Del Neri took over the reigns at the Blucerchiati in the summer, many eyebrows were raised. A Coach whose main achievement had been guiding Chievo to the dizzy heights of Serie A for the first time in their history seemed an odd choice to succeed Walter Mazzari at the helm of one of Italy’s most iconic clubs. Del Neri’s unsuccessful spell at Roma and then a less than shttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=605http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=605Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis Wednesday’s fixture features two teams in the top four, each with serious ambitions of bettering their achievements of the previous two seasons. After six successive wins in Serie A since assuming his role as Juventus Coach towards the end of the 2008/09 season, Ciro Ferrara is still wondering what the fuss is all about. He not only steered his side to an automatic Champions League berth, http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=606http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=606Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTAn apparent lack in depth and a bruising schedule have begun to take their toll on Fiorentina. To make things worse, the club’s woeful away form is visibly jeopardising the chances of bringing Champions League football to Florence next season. Coach Cesare Prandelli started the match against Roma with three changes following the defeat to Lyon. Midfielder Cristiano Zanetti returnhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=607http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=607Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTPurple with bruises. That’s how they walked out of the Olimpico. No casual onlooker would have thought so after witnessing the events, but the game against Fiorentina was a very serious test. For Claudio Ranieri, it was only the second game of the league in his adventure to fix the broken team of Roma, a match which pitted him against a powerful and disciplined opponent and gave him very littlehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=608http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=608Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTInter fans will wake up this morning with somewhat mixed emotions after seeing their side beat Cagliari, because although the team got a win, it was the sort of performance that fans hope will not characterise their away games this season. Douglas Maicon had a poor game – which is rare for the Brazilian defender – and this was capped by giving away a foolish penalty that saw the http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=609http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=609Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTMilan’s first home win of the season was expected to silence the critics and tone down the rhetoric. It appears it will be quite hard to achieve some sort of stability both on and off the pitch this season with three main issues creating havoc for the Rossoneri. To start with, following rumours that Arab investors were interested in purchasing a majority stake, it is now believehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=610http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=610Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTWeek five kicked off on Friday evening with an early top of the table clash as Brescia visited Ascoli. The hero of the night was the Bianconeri’s Miko Antenucci who netted twice in the opening 14 minutes to give the hosts three valuable points. Second up on Friday was Torino’s visit to crisis clhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=611http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=611Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTLazio and Parma have both started the campaign in style and are in 7th and 6th place respectively, with an almost identical record. Lazio will be hoping that home advantage will aid the mission to gain all three points and help them get back on track after a few poor results. The Biancocelesti had started the season well with victory in the Super Coppa followed by back-to-back league wins againhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=612http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=612Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT"We have our own fantasista in goal, his name is Gigi Buffon. A great goalkeeper like him does nothing for an hour and then comes up with a decisive intervention." Marcello Lippi replied when asked how his Azzurri team can cope without a trequarista. And surely enough, in the absence of the Bianconeri fantasista Diego, along with all other creative forces meant that the man behind the sthttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=613http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=613Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTInter hosted Napoli at the Giuseppe Meazza hoping to continue their impressive form and things started brightly for the hosts. Within two minutes Inter were ahead, a towering header by Walter Samuel was nearly scrambled in by Diego Milito, but it was Samuel Eto’o who got the final touch. The Partenopei were stunned and this was evident as only three minutes later Douglas Maicon’s good work freehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=614http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=614Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTOn Saturday we shall see the season’s first Derby di Toscana between newly promoted Livorno and Cesare Prandelli’s Fiorentina. The last time these two sides clashed back in September 2007 at the Armando Picchi, la Viola ran out 0-3 winners thanks to Mario Santana and a brace from Pablo Osvaldo. At the end of the 2007/08 season, Livorno were relegated to Serie B but bounced straight back into thhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=615http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=615Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTSampdoria have been described as the surprise of the season, but a quick glance at their fixtures shows that their course is less outlandish than most would have it be. 12 points from the first four games were achievable, considering the rather unimpressive adversaries and barring Udinese, who were low in form. When Sampdoria was faced with the first big team of the league, the dream came to anhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=616http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=616Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTEven if Leonardo is keeping a cool head at Milan, it does not mean they are not in trouble. 11th in the league with two wins, one draw and two defeats, one of those a mauling in the derby by city rivals Inter, is simply not good enough for the Milanese faithful. Milan need to get a run of games together where they are consistent and have the individual performances to match - too many times thihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=617http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=617Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe breaking news came from the boardroom in the aftermath of Fiorentina’s positive performance on the pitch. Yesterday, Club President Andrea Della Valle resigned his post while maintaining, along with his brother Diego, ownership of the Florence outfit. Although the timing of Della Valle’s decision might come as a surprise, he probably chose to step down with the team enjoying a positive momehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=618http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=618Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Rossoneri's training sessions must be a frightening sight for many of the club's tifosi since the club's leadership has turned Milan into a senior center. Il Diavolo's supporters have been clamoring for an injection of fresh legs into a squad devoid of pace, athleticism and imagination. The once proud team is littered with older players who can only muster the occasional flash of brilliancehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=619http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=619Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTWith three league games in the space of just over a week, these have got to be busy days in Rome. It does not strike one as the kind of thing that an old man like Claudio Ranieri should be asked to handle, but perhaps his experience will compensate. There is much to do and little time to think. For us, this translates into much to discuss and little space to do so. Let us begin fhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=620http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=620Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTAs recoveries go, this was an emphatic one from the champions. After a poor performance against Cagliari on Sunday, la Beneamata reminded everyone of their class with a swift dismissal of Napoli at the Giuseppe Meazza on Wednsday evening. Without the injured Thiago Motta and everybody’s favourite defensive villain Marco Materazzi, the Nerazzurri put out a very strong squad for a http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=621http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=621Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTOne city, two teams. One heading in the right direction, while the other is fast approaching crossroads of their own. Inter strikers Samuel Eto’o and Diego Milito continued their prolific start to the season as they both netted in a convincing 3-1 win against a Napoli side low on morale. With the suspended José Mourinho looking on, his side took only two minutes to break the deahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=622http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=622Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT“È un’ingiustizia.” Cried Tuttosport, as Juventus were controversially denied a win in the game away to Genoa on Thursday. Prior to the match, tensions rose as Gian Piero Gasperini aired his grievances regarding Milan and Juve’s choice in entrusting two inexperienced men with the role of Coach- a slap in the face for those experienced Tacticians who earned their positions as Coaches of Serie A http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=623http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=623Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTMonday saw the funeral for the six Italian soldiers killed in last Thursday’s suicide bomb attack on Italian forces serving in Afghanistan, targeted by the Taliban. The attack has shaken Italy once more, taking the number of Italian soldiers killed in Afghanistan to 20 and leading to Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi conceding that it will become a priority to bring all remaining troops back to http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=624http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=624Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTSampdoria hosted and defeated Inter this week sending out a warning to the rest of Serie A, that despite defeat midweek the Blucerchiati consider themselves title contenders. Inter forced Luca Castellazzi into two good saves in the first half with Sampdoria replying with an effort of their own, however on 72 minutes Giampaolo Pazzini did break the deadlock with a well-taken goal from seven yardhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=625http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=625Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTAn undeserved 1-0 victory in the Tuscan derby against Livorno on Saturday night merely papered over the cracks that have started to appear at Fiorentina. The resignation of President Andrea Della Valle - citing reasons of disloyalty from the local authorities in regard to a new training complex and increasing animosity from the tifosi - is the culmination of some rather strange goings on at thehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=626http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=626Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTOnly one place to start this week’s round-up and that is at the Stadio Matusa, where Frosinone entertained Torino. It was a pulsating game that was a great advertisement for the second tier of Italian football. Torino led twice through Julio León and the league’s top marksman Rolando Bianchi, who also missed a second half penalty, but the hosts replied with strikes from Gennaro Troianiello and http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=627http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=627Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe theme of the Inter Club Focus so far this season seems to have been inconsistency – and Inter’s latest performance has confirmed that the Nerazzurri’s biggest obstacle this season could be themselves. Playing away at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris is not an easy prospect – eshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=628http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=628Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt was the same story as last year, Juve were denied maximum points by a last gasp goal due to the inadequacies of their defence. And it appears, four months on and after over €50m spent, the thorn that ruined Ranieri’s rosy Juve has not yet been buried. As has become the pattern, the Old Lady startedhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=629http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=629Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTTwo draws is not a particularly impressive booty for Roma to have conquered from the two Sicilian expeditions, but it will have to make do. There’s a very tough string of games coming up over the next six fixtures, so it is a shame that a few more points could not have been gathered. But the points are not the most pressing of our worries, at the moment. Our concern should be marshalling the chhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=630http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=630Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe once feared Milan has lost much of its luster under the tutelage of the current Coach Leonardo and the club’s management. The respect for the Rossoneri has diminished in the sense that other team players have little fear of Milan. The San Siro faithful have witnessed opposing clubs visit with a willingness to match their team blow for blow, and in some cases even take the game to the home thttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=631http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=631Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMTCoach Cesare Prandelli must have been delighted with Fiorentina’s first away win of the season - victory in the Tuscan derby. Prandelli had been concerned about the players having an eye on the Liverpool clash and losing focus against Livorno. However, the Tactician’s fears were put to rest as Fiorentina gave a solid, albeit unspectacular, display, in a scrappy match determined by a second halhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=632http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=632Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTFiorentina are in fine form at the moment and seem to be relishing playing against anyone right now. Only once this season have la Viola been cut down to size, by an in-form Roma and more importantly an in-form Francesco Totti. Victory over Liverpool on Tuesday night, even without the suspended Alberto Gilardino, will no doubt give Cesare Prandelli’s men renewed optimism and vigour when it comehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=633http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=633Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTFiorentina went into their second match of the Champions League group phase with troubles. Club president Andrea Della Valle had stepped down after falling out with fans, and target-man Alberto Gilardino was suspended for the game. However, the latter’s absence allowed Cesare Prandelli to showcase the abilities of emerging star Stevan Jovetic. The 19-year-old justified his nickname ‘Montenegrinhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=634http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=634Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTCagliari will be back in people’s minds this weekend after successfully derailing the Parma express train that looked set to reassert the Gialloblu as a legitimate Serie A side. The 2-0 win in the Stadio Ennio Tardini on Sunday not only brought Parma back to Earth with a bump, but it continued the mini-revival that Massimiliano Allegri’s men are experiencing after starting the 2009/10 so bleaklhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=635http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=635Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTLivorno will be fighting to stay in Serie A after a brief spell in Serie B and are relishing the opportunity to play amongst the elite. However, a poor start the season - two draws and four losses - has left them rooted firmly to the bottom of the table. They will be hungry for their first win as they hope for a longer stay in Serie A. Siena are likewise coming from an equally bhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=636http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=636Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis week Palermo star Fabrizio Miccoli made public his understandable hope that the weekend’s home tie with Juventus will be occupied mainly by fans of the home side. He told the Giornale di Sicilia newspaper: “I hope that of the 35 000 people in the crowd, at least 30 000 will be cheering us on and not 15 000 to 20 000 for Juventus.” Juventus have a large following in the south of Ithttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=637http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=637Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTAnother solid performance, capped by a decisive brace, has catapulted Stevan Jovetic into the spotlight once more and confirmed his rising star. The prodigy from Montenegro has displayed his immense potential on a number of occasions and, on Tuesday, he went a step further with his expertly executed double against Liverpool. Stevan Jovetic is a name that will be long remembered, http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=638http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=638Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT Juve’s shocking first half should have them worshipping at the temple of the Goddess Fortuna, having managed to escape the Allianz Arena virtually unscathed and armed with a crucial point. On Wednesday night, Ciro Ferrara rallied his troops and headed to Monaco (no, not the French Principality but to the Italian word for Munich) to take on the top seeded side in Group A, Bayern Munich. Having http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=639http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=639Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTRubin Kazan 1-1 Inter. If the Nerazzurri were criticised for their attitude in the draw with Barcelona then this performance will have done nothing to convince their fans that the Champions League trophy will be decorating the blue and black half of the Giuseppe Meazza museum this season. The performance from Inter on Tuesday was not the performance of a team who are desperate tohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=640http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=640Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTOn the second matchday of the Europa league Lazio and Roma secured their first victories in Europe this season while Genoa fell to a late penalty in Valencia. Roma 2-0 CSKA Sofia After the disastrous display against Basle on the opening day, Claudio Ranieri was looking for a marked improvement in his players and he wasn’t left disappointed as his team had http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=641http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=641Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe club will not be sold and the club will not sack Leonardo. Those are the statements emanating from various sources within the Rossoneri leadership. The tifosi were hoping for brighter news given the humiliating loss to Zürich in the Champions League. The home defeat against the Swiss side ranks up there with the demoralising loss to Inter since il Diavolo was supposedly going to seek refugehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=642http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=642Sat, 03 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTCoach Claudio Ranieri will soon begin to come under excess scrutiny as his welcome mat is stretched to the limit. The former Chelsea and Juventus Coach was not the Giallorossi’s favourite choice to say the least. The results so far under Ranieri’s charge have shown exactly why the Tactician never really endeared himself to the Bianconeri fans. Ranieri’s teams would often follow positive resultshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=643http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=643Sat, 03 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTKicking off a new regular column on Football Italiano, John Baines lifts the lid on the biggest stories from the last seven days in News from the Peninsula. This week’s Champions League action resulted in mixed fortunes for the Italian contingent. Despite Stevan Jovetic’s heroics earning Fiorentina a credible win and Juventus drawing away to Bayern, it was the http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=644http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=644Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTInter left it late in beating Udinese in the Giuseppe Meazza, as Jose Mourinho’s men needed three minutes of added time to steal all three points. The game had started well for Inter, Dejan Stankovic had been laid off by Samuel Eto in the first half and he thundered his shot into the top corner. It only took five minutes for Udinese to hit back however, through Antonio Di Natale, with the Bianchttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=645http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=645Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTJose Mourinho’s all-conquering Inter Milan are stuttering. On Saturday night his inspirational Dutch signing Wesley Sneijder scored with virtually the last kick of the match – winning the match for the Nerazzurri and denying Udinese a well deserved point. But the overall picture for the reigning champions is not good. Diego Milito is now out for at least a month, joining his former Genoa teammahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=646http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=646Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTAscoli entertained Sassuolo on Friday evening in a game that provided six goals, five of them for the visitors. After just two minutes, Sassuolo went in front thanks to Tiziano Polenghi, but seven minutes later, Marco Piccioni’s own goal gifted the hosts an equalizer. The game then turned into the Alessandro Noselli show as the striker grabbed a scintillating hat-trick. The rout was completed ohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=647http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=647Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe victory over Napoli could have a number of implications for i Lupi’s season and will likely serve as a building block for the next few games. As previously mentioned on many occasions, the Giallorossi are heavily dependent on star-man Francesco Totti’s form and he certainly underlined his importance to the club by bagging a brace on Sunday. Things are looking bleak for the Partenopei as Romhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=648http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=648Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTLa Viola’s draw with Lazio must have felt like a bitter pill to swallow for Coach Cesare Prandelli, with his team wasting a golden opportunity to be joint-top of the standings with Inter Milan and Sampdoria. The Gigliati hosted the club from the Eternal City at the impenetrable Stadio Artemio Franchi but failed to capitalise on Lazio’s inconsistent form, a plethora of injuries, including Julio http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=649http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=649Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTFormer New York Yankees pitcher Vernon ‘Lefty’ Gomez once famously remarked ‘I’d rather be lucky than good’, and this is a sentiment that could well be applied to Inter’s Saturday night victory over Udinese. It was a very entertaining game, and one which could have been won by either http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=650http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=650Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTIl Diavolo continued the appalling start to the season with a 1-1 draw away to low-lying Atalanta courtesy of a late Ronaldinho equaliser. On paper this match offered Milan an opportunity to steady the ship and get back on track against a mediocre side from Bergamo which is struggling to score goals. The reality, however, was a totally different story since the Rossoneri only managed to get levhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=651http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=651Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT“Juventus looked downright ordinary.” Those were the haunting words of the ESPN commentator at the end of the Old Lady’s match on Sunday. Has the bubble burst or were the fans overreacting as Juventus suffered their first league defeat since Coach Ciro Ferrara took over the reins? The Bianconeri travelled to Sicily to take on Palermo, who have been far from impressive this season. Having pickedhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=652http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=652Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Azzurri Coach Marcello Lippi has made it clear that his team is in Dublin to win. Italy will not be playing for the draw and are intent on tying up qualification for the World Cup at Croke Park on Saturday. Lippi’s last two World Cup qualifiers have ended in 2-0 victories away to Georgia and at home to Bulgaria. Sitting top of their group - ahead of Ireland by four points - the wily old foxhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=653http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=653Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTNow October asserts itself, bringing with it a flurry of media news and a legion of chrysanthemums. Autumn is the season of tragedy, according to Northrop Frye. The time when great empires and glittering cities bow down into nameless mud and murk. If that is the case, then it certainly befits the Italian national team at the moment - champions of the world and conquerors of everything in footbahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=654http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=654Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTLa Viola’s international break has, so far, been marked by Stevan Jovetic’s statement that he is happy in Tuscany and the temporary suspension of Adrian Mutu’s fine. In recent weeks, culminating with his brace against Liverpool in the Champions League, Montenegrin Jovetic has grabbed headlines, and for good reason. The skilled forward is even being compared to legendary Italy and Gigliati forwahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=655http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=655Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT“Fans shouldn't be dramatic. We have started the season well and obtained important results. Then we dipped a bit at home with Bologna and away to Palermo.” Insists Alessio Secco. Unfortunately for Juve, they simply cannot escape talks of a crisis as recent results coupled with announced changes to the Presidency have only aided in fanning the flames of despair. It has been announced that Giovahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=656http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=656Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis week a landmark ruling by the Italian Constitutional Court - the highest in the country - deemed that a law put in place by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s government granting him immunity from prosecution while in power was indeed unconstitutional. Basically, it has taken the highest court in the land to uphold the rule that nobody is above the law. Earlier in the week, during the builhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=657http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=657Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTAnother international break is upon us, and it is a good time to briefly recap what the first seven games of the Serie A season have held for the reigning champions, as well as look at some transfer rumours that have come about to take the place of the usual pre-match hype. Inter http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=658http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=658Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTWith no matches assigned in the domestic league and Europe for the next 10 days due to international fixtures, the attention has turned to some of the rumours emanating from the capital outfit. On a positive note for Roma, the International Football Federation of History and Statistics (IFFHS) has ranked i Lupi as number 12 in the world, while Juventus and Inter occupy positions 16 and 19 respehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=659http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=659Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTIl Diavolo owner Silvio Berlusconi has stated that he will not be selling the club amid increased speculation he will be forced to find a buyer following the hefty fine imposed on one of his holding companies. The intense rumours of interest from Albanian oil magnate Rezart Taçi and, to a lesser extent, some Arab investors have raised the question of whether the Berlusconi era in Milan will comhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=660http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=660Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Azzurri’s preparations ahead of their crucial Group Eight World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland have been hit, with news that captain Fabio Cannavaro has failed a drugs test. The 2006 World Player of the Year was allegedly treated with a banned cortisone substahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=661http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=661Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTConsidering the elation and magnitude of the celebrations, it would not be entirely silly of anyone who had not watched the game to think Italy confirmed their presence in South Africa with a triumphant victory over a relatively mediocre international side like the Republic of Ireland. This could not be further from the truth. A 2-2 draw against the Irish at Croke Park was incredibly disappointhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=662http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=662Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTBuilding a winning machine can be difficult, but Marcello Lippi is more than up for the challenge. He went into Italy’s World Cup qualifying match against the Republic of Ireland with a must-win mentality, despite ultimately settling for draw achieved by the hard work and never-say-die attitude from La Nazionale. Italy are currently sitting pretty at the top of their group with 21 points, this http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=663http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=663Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTStop all the clocks. The defending champions are boarding the plane for South Africa next June thanks to Alberto Gilardino’s last-gasp equaliser in the cauldron of Croke Park on Saturday evening. The Azzurri, after having seemingly fallen from the position at the top of the global game, find themselves in the luxurious position of having qualified with a game to spare and may use the opportunithttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=664http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=664Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTItaly will face Cyprus in Parma on Wednesday, safe in the knowledge that their place at the World Cup finals in South Africa has been secured, even if it took a last gasp winner from Alberto Gilardino to do so. Now they are back in Italy awaiting a Cypriot team who destroyed Bulgaria 4-1 at the weekend and will be wanting to continue their ongoing improvement by testing the Azzurri. Cyprus are http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=665http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=665Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTAnother round of games affected by international commitments kicked off on Sunday lunchtime as Vicenza hosted Cesena. Much was made of the unsociable start time and after a dull goalless draw, the spectators present in the Stadio Romeo Menti would have probably wished they had stayed at home. In the afternoon, at a more traditional time, Modena achieved a major shock by beating Torino in the Sthttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=666http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=666Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt will be interesting to see how Italy will perform against Cyprus tomorrow. If the players are not too hungover to stand on their feet after the post-Dublin celebrations, they should achieve a comfortable win. It will be, if nothing else, the first time that we shall see the team relaxed, playing free from pressure. If this is enough for the players to play like they know, then the result couhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=667http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=667Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Rossoneri’s poor start to the season finally seems to have caught the attention of the club’s management and has instigated links to a plethora of players, in particular in defense and attack. Il Diavolo continues to be linked with Brazilian defender Rafinha, who plies his trade in Germany, as well as Dutch left-wingback Royston Drenthe who currently plays for Real Madrid. Thhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=668http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=668Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTClaudio Marchisio is one more star who is in the nurse’s office. The Juventus midfielder will be out for the next six weeks while he recovers from an operation required to repair the lesion suffered to his meniscus ligament. The Italy camp reported Marchisio’s injury almost immediately after the player arrived, so one cannot help but wonder why he was sent off for international duty in the firshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=669http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=669Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe international break drags on, and all Inter fans have to talk about is a ‘B’ team friendly and a host of transfer rumours. The action this week comes from a friendly in which Inter faced Piacenza with a squad full of players who were not busy turning out for their national teams. The mezzo Nerazzurro contrived to lose a game to the Serie B outfit despite taking a first-half lehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=670http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=670Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTAlberto Gilardino made sure of the Azzurri’s qualification to the World Cup next summer by scoring a late equaliser against the Republic of Ireland. La Viola’s striker came on as a second-half substitute to notch goal number 13 of his international career. Gilardino confirmed his positive form which bodes well for the Gigliati with the next match featuring a duel with Juventus this weekend. /phttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=671http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=671Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe hostile Stadio Luigi Ferraris will host an Inter team looking to continue its title pursuit on Saturday night. Inter are joint top with Genoa’s arch rivals, Sampdoria, on 16 points, whilst Genoa themselves lie in 5th place on 13 points. A win for the Rossoblu would see them level with Inter and in turn help their city rivals perhaps go top. Inter will be in no mood to allow this to happen, http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=672http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=672Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTOne question has arisen from Italy’s display on Wednesday night against Cyprus – just how long were the squad celebrating their qualification for the 2010 World Cup? Judging by what took place in the Ennio Tardini, they were still popping the champagne and patting each other on the back minutes before they took to the pitch to face the Cypriots. For the first 70 minutes, the Azzurri were absoluhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=673http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=673Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTMilan Coach Leonardo has not had much success with the team so far, only winning three games in Serie A and losing to Swiss minnows FC Zurich in the Champions League. A couple of players may not be playing at 100% because of last weekends draw against Ireland - Andrea Pirlo and Gianluca Zambrotta may be too drained to make a decent contribution. Roma only had one player on international duty, thttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=674http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=674Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTImagine that the game had ended at the 75th minute, when Italy were down to Cyprus by two goals, or even at the 90th, on the draw. The current mood would be significantly different. The victory was ugly and somewhat undeserved, as most of Marcello Lippi’s victories tend to be. The reaction of the press can be summed up more or less as follows – Italy suffered the aggressive attitude of Cyprus fhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=675http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=675Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt would be nice if there were an adage to support us every time we make a categorical statement, but sometimes we just have to rely on personal judgment rather than popular wisdom. Here is our adage, coined for the occasion – football is relatively predictable when two strong teams play each other, and impossible to predict when two weak teams meet for a confrontation. The reasoning is elementhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=676http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=676Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTSebastian Frey began a war of words when he shared his feelings towards Juve during his time at Parma: “There were a few decisions against us that were so glaring that one had to ask ‘how is that possible?’ No wonder Calciopoli came along.” How rich coming from a Fiorentina player. Is it a case of amnesia, or has Frey momentarily forgotten that il Viola were deducted 15 points before the start http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=677http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=677Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTA few weeks ago, Inter lost in the Stadio Luigi Ferraris to Sampdoria. This weekend they once again make the short trip down to Genova but this time to face the team from the Rossoblu side of the city, Genoa C.F.C. This game will be another tough test for the champions, facing anohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=679http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=679Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTAlberto Gilardino was once again the savior for la Nazionale after firing a late hat-trick to spare Coach Marcello Lippi’s blushes. The Italy Tactician replaced his entire starting lineup in a move that almost backfired against Cyprus in Parma. Coach Lippi’s choices might have stirred some controversy but there is no doubting the Gigliati striker’s fine form. Gilardino secured the Azzurri’s quahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=680http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=680Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTIn true Italian style, even dead rubber games like Italy vs. Cyprus are able to stir up all manner of arguments and controversy. The opportunity for debate started well before the 90 minutes in Parma - as assured qualification for next summer's tournament in South Africa attracted the attention of former golden-boy Francesco Totti. He expressed a willingness to return to the Nazionale should Cohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=681http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=681Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTIl Diavolo’s owner Silvio Berlusconi has made it clear that he will not be selling the club despite rumoured interest from various parties. Berlusconi emphatically denied that he was contemplating selling the club and insisted that it was never about making money or profiting from the Rossoneri. He stressed that he has no intention of bringing in any new investors as part of some restructuring http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=682http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=682Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt is probably a good job that Diego Maradona isn't the Coach of la Nazionale. Anybody who has seen or heard his rather vivid proposal to the Argentine press pack to engage in a particular act to a particular part of his body, could only dream of what he would have come up with had he been in Marcello Lippi's shoes on Wednesday night. img src="images/articles/lippi1610200http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=683http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=683Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTInter were in top gear and smashed five past Genoa, including a momentous halfway line strike from Dejan Stankovic. The Nerazzurri scored after only six minutes through Esteban Cambiasso, and Mario Balotelli followed this up with a powerful strike 25 minutes later. Stankovic’s wonder goal put the visitors three up without reply at the end of the first 45 minutes. Second half goals from Patrick http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=684http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=684Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT“Scudetto Sabato” (Scudetto Saturday) was the morning headline from Gazzetta Dello Sport as four of Serie A’s heavyweights went head-to-head on a mouth-watering evening of top-flight action. First up was one of Italy’s biggest grudge matches as Juventus entertained Fiorhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=685http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=685Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTRound 10 started on Friday evening at the Via del Mare in Lecce as Luigi De Canio’s men entertained rock-bottom Salernitana. A Daniele Corvia strike on 22 minutes sealed all three points for the hosts and was a little harsh on the Granata, who are still searching for their first win of the season in what is turning into a disastrous campaign. No such problems for the team of the season so far -http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=686http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=686Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTIl Diavolo was able to obtain an impressive result in the league after beating Roma 2-1 courtesy of a Ronaldinho penalty and an Alexandre Pato winner. The significance of the match extends beyond the three points to encompass a number of factors. The victory has a number of ramifications ranging from the boost in morale to the fact Coach Leonardo has ensured his survival with the Rossoneri for http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=687http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=687Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTCoach Cesare Prandelli’s charges were able to once again make an important stand, albeit achieving only a point after a score draw against Juventus. Returning from a trip to Turin with a point is not an easy feat considering the Bianconeri boast players of high caliber such as Brazilian Diego and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, as well as the likes of Giorgio Chiellini. The result chttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=688http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=688Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTIf you have ever wondered how a great team can lose a title, Juve are an appropriate model to inspect. The Bianconeri have perfected a winning formula for dropping points, to ensure that Inter will, once again, be handed the championship on a plate. Juventus took on Fiorentina in a highly physical and frustrating match on Saturday in Turin and after dominating possession for much of the game, whttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=689http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=689Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTInter’s 5-0 victory over Genoa on Sunday was as brilliant as it was perplexing. How a team that has stuttered its way through the last few weeks of Serie A can beat such a talented side so convincingly perfectly sums up the current state of F.C. Internazionale. There is a lot of potential, but it is yet to be realised on a weekly basis. img src="images/articles/balo2010http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=690http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=690Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTFor once we must take positions with, rather than against, the quasi-unanimous verdict of the press and call the game what it was - an utter disgrace. Two penalties in Roman favour disallowed, a highly dubious one conceded to Milan. Enough to drastically compromise the result, and the laconic send-off of Massimo Ambrosini is nowhere near a sufficient alibi. ‘If I speak my mind,’ commented Davidhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=691http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=691Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTInter must be heading into Saturday night’s clash with Catania at the San Siro thinking “Thank God for domestic form”. The reigning holders of the Scudetto have had a week of different outcomes and will look to take more from their 5-0 trouncing of Genoa on the Grifone’s home turf than the heart-stopping 2-2 draw with Dynamo Kiev in mid-week. Although, with the Catania game coming in the same whttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=692http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=692Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis weekend the Rossoblu will play the Rossoblu - Gian Piero Gasperini’s Genoa travel to the island of Sardinia to play Massimiliano Allegri’s Cagliari. The visiting side have to contend with a Europa League match this Thursday before they can begin to focus on their Seria A tie. However, terrible home form has seen Cagliari fail to win a league match for five months, and the Grifoni will wanthttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=693http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=693Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTIn a limbo between Serie A and B, Parma will be happy to have grabbed all three points against a fiery Siena last weekend. Their opponents Atalanta might have finally come alive this season after a 3-1 victory over Udinese, and it could be followed by another against the Gialloblu, a team that have successfully mixed youth and experience with the likes of Alberto Poloschi and Christian Panuccihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=694http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=694Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt could not be a more exciting time to be a fan of Fiorentina at the moment. They currently occupy fourth spot in Serie A only four points off leaders Inter and are second in their Champions League group, three points ahead of Liverpool and looking in fine form in both competitions. phttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=695http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=695Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTAdriano Galliani predictably reiterated how winning Champions League games is in Milan’s DNA but last night, it really was. Leonardo finally took the courage to field his own vision of Milan and handed starting positions to Pippo Inzaghi, Alexandre Pato and Ronaldinho with Clarence Seedorf behind to support the attack-minded force. Refereeing mistakes were made on either side as the Rossoneri whttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=696http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=696Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTWhat a night for La Formica Atomica and what a campaign is has been for Gigi Buffon so far this year. Things just couldn’t get any better for Juve fans last night. Firstly, a comical Juventini handed Inter President, Massimo Moratti, a paper Champions League cup to add to his collection of paper Scudetti, giving his pals a real chuckle prior to their Champions League game. And then, Ciro Ferrarhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=697http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=697Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt is difficult to know where to place the blame for Inter’s Champions League problems. Whatever is wrong at the club is something that needs to be addressed urgently, because the Italian champions are quickly becoming one of the biggest enigmas in world football. The first personhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=698http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=698Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTWhile the Italian sides soared in Europe’s greatest competition, those in the Europa League stumbled as only Lazio managed a win last night despite their numerical disadvantage. Drama was certainly the common theme of a night that saw missed penalties, red cards and last gasp goals. Lazio 2 - 1 Villarreal Starting our night off were the Biancocelesti who werehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=699http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=699Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTMilan continued its impressive week with a stunning victory against a Real Madrid side missing Cristiano Ronaldo, yet spearheaded by the likes of Raúl and former tifosi idol Kaká. While the result is quite impressive, the performance left a lot to be desired in terms of defensive lapses. Both Brazilian goalkeeper Dida and full-back Gianluca Zambrotta could have cost il Diavolo precious points whttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=700http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=700Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTLa Viola’s victory in Hungary was an important one since it solidified the club’s position in the group while also providing further proof that the Gigliati are currently one of Italy’s on-form teams. Besides the positive result and the three precious points obtained away from Stadio Artemio Franchi, Fiorentina might have rediscovered its Romanian star Adrian Mutu. The Romania fohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=701http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=701Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe shortlist for the 2009 European Footballer of the Year was revealed this week, and it makes pretty grim reading for Calcio fans. Only four of the nominees currently ply their trade in Serie A, none of whom are actually Italian. The bulk of the shortlist was made up from the Premier League and La Liga - reflecting the dominance the English and Spanish clubs have had on the continent’s footbahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=702http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=702Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTNews regarding Inter is beginning to take on a rather familiar theme. On home soil, although far from perfect, things are pretty much going according to plan. An impressive 5-0 humbling of Genoa at the weekend kept the Nerazzurri safely sat in their resident top spot on the Serie A ladder. Unfortunately, ventures on the http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=703http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=703Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe tongue slowly becomes less bitter and our speech, correspondingly, becomes less incensed. Milan shred Real Madrid to pieces on Wednesday, proving that they do not need the pathetic crutches offered by Rosetti last Sunday. A renovation of some kind seems indispensable and the aid of technology in assisting referees requires nothing but the will to implement it. Refereeing mistakes are ‘part http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=704http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=704Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTInter continued their title challenge with a convincing 2-1 win at home to Catania. Sulley Muntari’s through ball beat everyone including the goalkeeper to give Inter the lead. It was Wesley Sneijder who sealed three points however, when his majestic free-kick found the back of the net just after the half hour mark. The Nerazzurri had more chances but failed to convert, instead giving Catania ahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=705http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=705Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTQuestion - your side has had a pretty poor week in Europe’s premier football competition, failing to despatch a side you were heavily backed to beat, what do you do? Answer - You play a side so scared to come to your stadium that they never have a real go at trying to breakdown your defences and stroll to three easy points. This is exactly what happened on Saturday night http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=706http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=706Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTThird win in three and for the third time Milan come from behind to take full points. Yet any travelling Milanisti hoping to greet the side that conquered Madrid were indeed left wanting as the first 45 minutes were entirely dominated by Chievo, who took the lead after just seven minutes through Giampiero Pinzi. From thttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=707http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=707Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis Wednesday’s fixture features two teams in hot pursuit of leaders Inter. After a slight loss of form, Juventus has gone back to winning ways, however, making hard work of their victories over Siena on Sunday and in midweek against Maccabi Haifa. Sampdoria are flying, and cannot stop scoring at the moment. In a similar vein to Arsenal, Coach Luigi Del Neri’s side play an exciting brand of athttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=708http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=708Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT After successful seasons last time around both Genoa and Fiorentina began the 2009/10 campaigns with high hopes, both with aspirations of making a top four finish. They got off to ideal starts but things have started to get complicated of late. Although they seem to have no trouble in scoring, Genoa are struggling massively to keep goals out. Last weekend they allowed Cagliari, who had only schttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=709http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=709Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTNapoli and Milan are both looking like they are starting to put together a run of form. Napoli have beaten Bologna and then followed this on by putting Fiorentina to the sword in a shock win this weekend. Milan have beaten Roma, Real Madrid and in the last minutes of the game Chievo. This and getting two draws before these games means they are unbeaten in five. Neither Napoli nhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=710http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=710Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTFriday night saw another managerial casualty as the axe was wielded on Reggina Coach Walter Novellino. His team were beaten 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico by a resurgent Torino. Luca Belingheri opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time and the hosts lead was doubled 22 minutes into the second-half with an absolutely superb strike from Rolando Bianchi, his ninth of the season. Reggina President http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=711http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=711Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTThere are times when being a supporter of a football team can be embarrassing, and for any Roma fan, the aftermath of the Livorno calamity is undoubtedly one of those times. We mentioned in our last Club Focus that the only way Roma could lose this match was if they chose to lose it. We won’t go as far as to say that the entire team partook in the choice, but Claudio Ranieri embarked ohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=712http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=712Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt was not pretty, but it was so very important. Beating Chievo 2-1 does not appear to be particularly noteworthy, but when placed into the context of the other Week 9 results, it is a scoreline that could prove to be the moment upon which momentum was gained. The three teams occupying 4th place down - Fiorentina, Parma and Genoa - all lost their fixtures, leaving Milan with a chance to draw lehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=713http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=713Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTJuventus have finally won again in Serie A but it feels like a defeat if you were one of the few that watched the game. Ciro Ferrara and his men travelled to the Tuscan city of Siena to take on the other Bianconeri in what could only be described as a tedious game. There are many excuses one could use to describe Juve’s uninspiring performance on Sunday. For one, vital members of the team were http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=714http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=714Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis Sunday brought another relatively straightforward victory for the Nerazzurri over Catania with a good performance, but not one to erase the Champions League form from the minds of the players and the Coach. Goals from Sulley Muntari and Wesley Sneijder - despite the fact that http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=721http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=721Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTNapoli hosted Milan in the Stadio San Paolo and saw their team go two goals down in five minutes, courtesy of Alexandre Pato and Pippo Inzaghi. Napoli fought hard and in the final minute of the game they scored through Luca Cigarini. Milan were down to ten and Napoli continued to press. Then unthinkable happened, three minuets into injury time, German Denis headed home and Milan went home in dihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=722http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=722Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTChange is in the air in Turin. A new President was confirmed this week, while Coach Ciro Ferrara finally rediscovered the art of winning. The Juve legend emerged from his recent sticky patch with his pride somewhat bruised, but his title ambitions still intact. As injuries, suspensions and a loss of form took its toll, he will hope to cap off a difficult month with a win and ease the pressure fhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=723http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=723Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt was billed as the most important game since the last most important game, as experts unanimously predicted that the losers of this mid-week blockbuster would be out of the title race. Perhaps those statements were a little premature, but this was a chance for one of the Nerazzurri’s closest challengers to lay down a marker for the coming months. Juventus went into the game ravaged by injuriehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=724http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=724Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe last time Milan hosted Parma was all the way back in 2007. However, much has changed since then. Parma had been languishing in Serie B last term but now find themselves a point ahead of Milan and fourth in Serie A after beating Bari 2-0 on Wednesday night. Milan have been getting the results of late, even if not being in the best form, and surrendering a two goal lead in injury time againsthttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=725http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=725Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTFiorentina are begging to be acknowledged as one of the best teams in Italy, however, after last weekend’s loss to on-fire Napoli, they will want to reassert their domestic ambitions in this game. The team from fabulous Florence may be flying high in Europe - an encouraging spark for the Italian league - but la Viola must prove that they are formidable domestically if they are to establish Florhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=726http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=726Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTCoach Cesare Prandelli made it a point to stress that he was proud of his players despite their narrow 2-1 defeat away to Genoa. The classy Tactician, a recent winner of the International Giacinto Facchetti Prize which is given to individuals in football who display remarkable and positive demeanour, praised the efforts of la Viola’s players and stressed he was satisfied with their performance.http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=727http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=727Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTIl Diavolo wasted two extremely valuable points which would have placed the club in the all-important fourth spot permitting qualification to Europe’s elite competition - the Champions League. The Rossoneri were up 2-0 till the dying minutes when Napoli was able to capitalise on Ignazio Abate’s sending-off as well as Milan’s sudden lack of focus. The San Siro outfit was also missing the injuredhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=728http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=728Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTThree games lost in a row, the last two of which should have been theirs for the taking. Roma is sick, and Udinese gave us part of the diagnosis. Claudio Ranieri knew it before it was given – Roma’s men are lost, in body and spirit, and they need to be recuperated. Some of the players are simply past their time, and nothing can be done about that other than using them to patch up the holes. Othhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=729http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=729Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis week in Serie A, it is like the reverse of the international break. Instead of having to sit through the tedium of the debate about Marcello Lippi’s team selection and another poor performance from the Azzurri, we have enjoyed an extra round of Serie A fixtures in mid-week. Although the prospect of watching their side play another mid-week fixture (given the last few Champhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=730http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=730Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTWhat a perfect game, what a Juve and what a result. On Wednesday, the Old Lady, who misplaced her winning character some time ago, rediscovered herself against Sampdoria. Simply everything about this Juve worked. The determination, the communication and the formation were splendid, as the players lined up in the most effective way to annihilate the whimpering Blucerchiati. But the greatest thinhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=731http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=731Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTAlmost a quarter of the season has gone and the second tier of Italian football is again proving to be full of intrigue and surprise. Five Coaches have already received their P45’s as Brescia, Triestina, Albinoleffe, Reggina, and Salernitana have sought a new direction at this early stage of the current campaign, and there are surprises aplenty at the top of the table. Let Football Italianohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=732http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=732Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis week’s fixture double-header took us past the completion of the first quarter of the season. The quarter-mark is one of those occasions - like a particularly unwelcome birthday or anniversary - which creeps up surprisingly quickly, and when it does arrive, it provokes a sense of worrying realisation - that this is it, this is the moment, this is how it's going to be - you'd better get usedhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=733http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=733Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTInter travelled to Livorno, ready to continue their title challenge and they did just that. A comprehensive 2-0 win saw Diego Milito’s good finish followed by a magnificent run from right-back Douglas Maicon - he swept through the Livorno defence unchallenged and put the game beyond doubt. For 55 minutes, there was a similar pattern to the match in Turin, between Juventus and Nahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=734http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=734Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTWalter Mazzarri has devised a new tactic for his Napoli team. Let the opposition go two goals ahead to lure them into a false sense of security and then start playing with enough time remaining to produce an incredible comeback. In the last two outings for his new charges, Mazzarri has seen his side make two dramatic recoveries in games that they had no right to come back into. In midweek, as fhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=735http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=735Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTFiorentina was able to get back on track with a 3-1 win over Catania at the Stadio Artemio Franchi following two disappointing and narrow defeats to Napoli and Genoa. The hero of the match was fit-again winger Marco Marchionni, who registered two goals against Catania after scoring once in the loss to il Grifone. The Italy winger has been in fine form since his return and Coach Cesare Prandellihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=736http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=736Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTMarco Borriello scored a brace to lead the Rossoneri to a 2-0 home win over Parma at the weekend. Despite the inconsistent start to the season, Coach Leonardo’s troops are now a mere two points behind the highly regarded Juventus, a prime candidate for the title according to the media and experts. Il Diavolo has 19 points to the Old Lady’s 21, while runaway leaders Inter are a further seven poihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=737http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=737Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis is what oxygen feels like. We were beginning to forget. When Bologna went up by a goal in the first half, anyone could have sworn that Roma were playing at the bottom of the Atlantic, deprived of air and light, crushed under a thousand tons of pressure. The victory owed something to the referee (Simone Perrotta’s handball), but after Roberto Rosetti’s antics in the match against Milan, it http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=738http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=738Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt has been a good weekend for Inter with regards to Serie A. Not only did they pick up another three points, away to Livorno, but Juventus managed to throw away a two goal lead against Napoli, extending the Nerazzurri’s lead over la Vecchia Signora. Sampdoria also drew, so now Jose Mourinho’s side have a seven point lead in the Championship after only 11 games. “Despite Livorno’http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=739http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=739Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt was like a thunderbolt to the heart as the Juve that thrashed highflying Sampdoria came tumbling down, falling prey to their ailing defence and perhaps destroying any hope of a league title this year. Saturday night in Turin saw Ciro Ferrara take on his former team, Napoli, in an entertaining and highly agonising match. This was the time to prove the critics wrong and demonstrate the consisthttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=740http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=740Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTWeek 12 kicked off on Friday evening as Cittadella hosted Padova at the Stadio Tombolato. The hosts went in front after 26 minutes thanks to an Emanuele Pesoli strike, but Padova secured a point when Vincenzo Italiano equalised seven minutes into the second-half. On Saturday, new leaders Ancona entertained fellow promotion contenders Cesena in a highly anticipated encounter. Sadly the game finihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=741http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=741Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTAndrea Tallarita follows up his studies of Fantasia and Furbizia to bring us the third installment in his Understanding Italian football series. In four sections, Andrea looks at the array of words that pepper the Italian game. Part I introduces terms used in tactical deployment. Prima punta (PP) - also Bomber, Cannoniere img src="images/articles/rossi041http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=742http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=742Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTThese two teams, who are worlds apart, share one thing in common - the fact that they have been highly erratic of late. The Orobici continue to tease their supporters by taking one step forward in their bid to stay up, then proceeding to take three steps back. The Bianconeri do the same, by following up wins with frustrating performances - the most obvious being the 5-1 win last Wednesday againhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=743http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=743Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTInter vs. Roma has always been one on the biggest fixtures on the Italian calendar and this year is no different. However, this Serie A clash of the titans sees the team’s poles apart in terms of current form and consistency. Inter have won nine league games, only dropping points in their opening day draw with Bari and in the defeat to Sampdoria. Meanwhile, Roma, who only a few years ago were chttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=744http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=744Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTLazio were lucky to draw with Siena last weekend and their fans will demand they play for all three points. The Biancocelesti are currently in 15th place, and after their draw last week, they will feel a responsibility to their fans to try and beat Milan. This will be a fixture of high emotions and entertainment. It is most definitely good times for The Rossoneri, after beating Parma by two ghttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=745http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=745Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTJose Mourinho will have breathed a sigh of relief last night as his Inter side played out a hard-fought but deserved win against a battling Dynamo Kiev side who will be ruing the two late goals which condemned them to the bottom of Group F. img src="images/articles/mourinho05112009.jpg" style="float: lefhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=746http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=746Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTThings near the foot of the table could get considerably tougher for Bologna as the winter evenings begin to draw in and we near the Christmas break. The 2-1 reverse at the hands of Roma on Sunday cast aside a lot of the good work done by the Rossoblu to overcome Siena the week before and condemned them to their sixth defeat of the season. With Inter, Lazio and local rivals Parmahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=747http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=747Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTFor a second consecutive matchday, the spotlight was on the encounter between the European heavyweights Milan and Real Madrid, who played out a 1-1 draw at San Siro. Kaka returned to familiar turf to try and trouble his former employers. Although shackled well by Massimo Ambrosini throughout the game, he was involved in the Madrid goal. At the stroke of half-time, Kaka’s powerful shot from 30 yhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=748http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=748Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Rossoneri’s week has been eventful with the 2-0 victory over Parma followed by the much anticipated clash with Real Madrid, which ended in an entertaining, albeit agonizing, 1-1 draw. Milan did well to recover from going down to a Karim Benzema strike but Alexandre Pato’s goal, called off for some imaginary infringement, remains a contentious point. Such calls can be quite costly and in thihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=749http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=749Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTWednesday night saw Inter finally get the victory that they needed in the Champions League. Winning away in Kiev is not an easy task for any team, and it went right to the wire for the Nerazzurri. Overall, Inter were clearly the better side on the field at the Lobahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=750http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=750Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt was an ugly win but it was a win nonetheless. Juve secured the vital three points against Maccabi Haifa to ensure their fate remains in their hands. Yes, it wasn’t a vintage performance, nor did this team play like they even deserved a place in this prestigious Championship but what every critic seems to forget is that these small European minnows make it impossible for a good team to play. http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=751http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=751Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTAn impressive 5-2 thrashing of Hungarian side Debrecen confirmed Fiorentina’s second position in a group which also features French club Lyon and English powerhouse Liverpool. The victory came courtesy of solid performances from Juan Manuel Vargas, surprise starter Adrian Mutu, in-form winger Marco Marchionni and red-hot goal scorer Alberto Gilardino. Mutu’s inclusion in the starting line-up wahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=752http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=752Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTIn we go. Romanisti need no introduction to the Inter-Roma confrontation, and the feelings involved in it will be largely subjective. Let us go straight to the important questions – how should we play, and what kind of result can we expect? Inter are leading the table, and have been doing so for four years. A glance at their squad is enough to tell us why. Whatever the position ohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=753http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=753Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt's always been a trait of football’s top teams to rescue games with late goals, and thanks to Diego Milito and Wesley Sneijder’s late efforts in Kiev on Wednesday night, Inter's European dream is still alive. With four minutes left to play at the Lobanovsky Dynamo Stadium, the Nerhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=754http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=754Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTInter took on Roma at the Giuseppe Meazza hoping to extend their lead over the chasing pack. But when Mirko Vucinic, who had already had chances for Roma, managed to put the visitors in front with a towering header, it looked like Roma had other plans. The second half however, saw Samuel Eto equalise with a low drive, after this chances were had by both sides but the game finished 1-1. brhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=755http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=755Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT Milan continued to build on their recent form and put on a good show to hold on to 2-1 victory against Lazio in Rome. Coach Leonardo opted to elect a 4-3-3 with Marco Borriello as centre forward, supported bhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=756http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=756Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe first-half of this match was Roma’s for the taking. For the initial 20 minutes, Inter allowed the capital club more than their fair share of possession and a team containing Sulley Muntari, Thiago Motta and Patrick Vieira failed to press their opponents at all. The first chance of the game came from a Jeremy Menez thhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=757http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=757Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTJuventus have been playing some very high-scoring matches, providing rich entertainment to its viewers – at least to those who are neutral. Around 10 days back, the Old Lady hosted an in-form Sampdoria side who had defeated Inter and were being billed as one of the title contenders. The Bianconeri produced an outstanding display of attacking, fluent team football while thrashing the sorry Blucehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=758http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=758Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt sincerely was a match of hyperboles. There were too many goals, too many yellow cards and too many disallowed goals. But the worst hyperbole was that there were too many awkward moments of the game in which Juventus fans clenched their jaws with anxiety as it looked like Atalanta were going to equalise at any moment. Each fan remembered the cruel way in which Juve went from leading 2-0 to thhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=759http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=759Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTMilan recorded another precious win at the weekend, returning from Rome with full three points thanks to goals by Brazilians Thiago Silva and Alexandre Pato. The 2-1 conquest of Lazio confirms the Rossoneri’s positive trend since the famous 3-2 away victory over Real Madrid. Beating los Blancos in Europe seems to have reinvigorated the team and the San Siro outfit has since climbed the league thttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=760http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=760Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe biggest game in Italy this weekend - with all due respect to Milan and Lazio fans - was undoubtedly the Sunday night clash between Inter and Roma at the Giuseppe Meazza stadium. The game was not a classic, but despite Jose Mourinho’s opinions, it was a generally entertaining game that finished 1-1. With Juventus winning on Saturday it has cut Inter’s lead to five points and leaves the neutrhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=761http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=761Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTOnce again Fiorentina was able to come on top following a hard fought 1-0 away win over Udinese courtesy of a late deflected free-kick by Juan Manuel Vargas. The Peruvian has been in decent form putting in another consistent display on the wing capped by the goal which secured all three points. His recent performances justify the strong interest from the likes of Real Madrid, one of the elite chttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=762http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=762Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Friday evening curtain raiser for week 13 pitched Empoli against Reggina at the Carlo Castellani. It was the Tuscans who came out on top thanks to goals from Francesco Marianini and Claudio Coralli, as Salvatore Campilongo’s men kept pace with the leaders. Ancona were surprisingly beaten in Crotone, the hosts went in front after 20 minutes thanks to Antonio Bonvissuto. Alessandro Salvioni’shttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=763http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=763Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTWhen your team draws 1-1 with Inter at the San Siro and you walk away with greater regret than satisfaction, you know that things have gone quite well. The result becomes especially remarkable if we consider that Roma were playing without most of their key players – Francesco Totti, Juan, Nicolás Burdisso, Doni, eventually even Daniele De Rossi and Mirko Vučinić. That the team should have held http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=764http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=764Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTAndrea Tallarita follows up his studies of Fantasia and Furbizia to bring us the third installment in his Understanding Italian football series. In four sections, Andrea looks at the array of words that pepper the Italian game. Part II introduces terms used in tactical roles. Regista img src="images/articles/gg12112009.jpg" style="float: left; height: 230http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=765http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=765Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis fixture, whether in a major tournament like the World Cup or a friendly in Pescara, is always a game that will grab the imagination. These two giants of world football have no doubt given every football fan a special memory in their time watching the game, whether it was Salvatore Schillaci scoring six goals in the 1990 World Cup, or Johan Cruyff turning defences inside out in the 1974 edihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=766http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=766Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe great march towards the World Cup has started, and for some reason this puts everyone in a bad mood. The supporters are dissatisfied, the federation is submerged under a welter of polemics, and Coach Marcello Lippi is more uptight than anyone else. Word has it that he is determined to leave the national team after the World Cup. In part this is time following its natural course – the man wihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=767http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=767Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt’s only right and sincere to starts this week’s news round-up by offering our deepest thoughts and condolences to the friends and family of Robert Enke, who tragically died this week, aged 32. It’s a shame the public only tend to respond to the human nature of professional footballers when such sad events occur. These often unwilling and unnatural role models are subject to imhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=768http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=768Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTIs there any excuse for negativity at home? It is difficult to envisage any situation where Italy, a country who are still a major power in international football, should set out negatively in their own backyard against any team. Yet they did just that on Saturday evening in their 0-0 draw against Holland. We have all seen the 4-3-3 fail miserably with this squad before – but at least it was a http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=769http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=769Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTWhen this writer thinks of Italy versus Sweden, his thoughts immediately turn to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the European Championships of 2004 and a cheeky volleyed back heel, which compounded La Nazionale’s early exit from that particular tournament. After having played three quarters of that gahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=770http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=770Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTItaly will host at the Sweden at the Dino Manuzzi in Cesena on Wednesday night. The Azzurri are coming off the back of a well earned goalless draw with Holland, whilst Sweden last played in a 4-1 victory over Albania back in October. Marcello Lippi will be looking for the same level of performance that saw the home side hold the Dutch over the weekend, although new tactics maybe on the cards ashttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=771http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=771Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTA savour-less result is better than a bitter one, so there is no use in being disappointed. Marcello Lippi said that he was satisfied at the end of the match, which is obvious – as long as supporters are seeing their team in shades of grey, a Coach is guaranteed to see everything in rosy hues. There are good and bad things to take away from this match, but conclusive statements are still quite http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=772http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=772Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTInternational matches meant another depleted programme in Serie B, with only seven games taking place. Lecce remain top of the pile but had to come from behind against Padova at the Via Del Mare. William Jidayi gave the visitors the lead on 62 minutes, but goals from Daniele Corvia and Giuseppe Vives kept Luigi De Canio’s men ahead of the chasing pack. Ancona are just one point behind in secondhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=773http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=773Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTAndrea Tallarita follows up his studies of Fantasia and Furbizia to bring us the third installment in his Understanding Italian football series. In four sections, Andrea looks at the array of words that pepper the Italian game. Part III introduces terms used in player attributes. Fiuto img src="images/articles/inzaghi17112009.jpg" style="float: right; heihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=774http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=774Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTWhen Gianpiero Gasparini brings his Genoa side to Tuscany to face Livorno both teams will be looking for success, but for very different reasons. Under the tutelage of Serse Cosmi, the Amaranto have certainly improved on their early season malaise. A win at the Stadio Olimpico against Roma was followed by a home win against Atalanta. But defeats to Inter Milan and Bari have brought the revivalhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=775http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=775Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTAfter producing a goalless draw against Catania, Napoli will want to get back to fighting ways. They will see this fixture as a vital step back to business as usual. Napoli are sitting comfortably in the middle of the domestic table in tenth place, and they will be ready to start scoring again. /centehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=776http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=776Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTOnly a point separates these two teams and European places are being eyed up even if it is still only November. Fiorentina desperately want to secure a Champions League place so that they can face Europe’s elite as they have done this season. A dip in form has hopefully been eradichttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=777http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=777Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTHe is a strange chap is Marcello Lippi. Just when it looks like he is learning, and accepting, that some of his ideas do not work, he returns to them the very next game. It is why we cannot gauge anything from his decision to switch the 4-3-3 after 20 minutes of the 1-0 win against Sweden on Wednesday evening. For a Coach to make such a drastic move after a short space of time is usually indicahttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=778http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=778Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt was a fun match to watch, and it is a little bit of a shame to think that the reserves should provide greater entertainment than the first team. Sometimes the most dynamic games are products of the lesser pathos, and after all, this is football too. Italy was utterly relaxed, already being in the World Cup, and so were Sweden, already being out of it. The teams resembled each other in some whttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=779http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=779Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTInternational week is over and it’s back to reality for the Bianconeri who welcome Udinese in the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday. Fortunately, for Juve, the man who donned the Captain’s armband for the Azzurri in their win against Sweden, Antonio Di Natale, will be suspended for the match. Despite their long list of absentees, including the injured Simone Pepe, the Zebrette will be determined to colhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=780http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=780Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTThere are seven games from here to the buoy which signals the midway point of the league. The adversaries are, in order: Bari, Atalanta, Lazio, Sampdoria, Parma, Cagliari, and Chievo. 15 points is not an unrealistic expectation from such a string of softies, and it would propel Roma to positions much closer to the coveted fourth spot. The second half of the season will present a whole new challhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=781http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=781Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTWith the international break over, Inter’s players come back from all around the world to the far less glamorous task of getting three points away to Bologna. After seeing their lead cut to five points atop Serie A in the last round, the Nerazzurri will be anxious to make sure that they re-assert themselves this weekend. img src="images/articles/mourinho20112009.jpg" sthttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=782http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=782Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTLa Viola’s sporting director Pantaleo Corvino has emphatically denied the reports linking emerging star Juan Manuel Vargas with a move to Real Madrid during either the January transfer window or next summer. Corvino underlined the club’s ambition by insisting the Gigliati will not sell any of its prized assets unless they no longer want to remain with the Tuscan side. ihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=783http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=783Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe season has taken a twist since the victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League back on October 21, 2009. Gone are the rumours of Coach Leonardo’s dismissal and the potential sale of the club to interested entities from outside the peninsula. As critics can attest to, a positive run highlighted by victories against decent teams can result in a complete change of outlook as witnessed by http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=784http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=784Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTPoor old Trap. Killed by le hand of Thierry. The former Azzurri boss combined all of his 30-odd years worth of managerial guile to almost pull off a quite remarkable reverse in Paris. So near, yet so far. Giovanni Trapattoni will not be leading his Irish chargers to South Africa, and Henry's subsequent admission of guilt and the cries of injustice from all quarters will do little to appease anyhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=785http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=785Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT Milan and Cagliari both looked to continue their impressive form after the international hiatus when they met at the San Siro on Sunday. After the early exchanges it was the Milan outfit that put the firhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=786http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=786Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe World Cup draw is looming. As the big date approaches, Nazionale Coach Marcello Lippi can indeed be satisfied, having qualified his side undefeated - but he will be also concerned by the Azzurri’s recent struggles to find the back of the net and put games to bed. Over their ten games in the qualifying group, the Italians mustered 18 goals - not a poor tally, but rather overshadowed by some http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=787http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=787Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTThese sides have a lot of history, Cesare Prandelli used to be in charge of Parma and a number of Fiorentina's players used to play for Parma and vice versa. Prandelli had high hopes of beating his former side, but hoping for something will not make it happen, as was shown in this game. The opening 45 minutes was a dihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=788http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=788Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTOn Saturday night at the Artemio Franchi Stadium in Florence, one of Serie A’s most astute Coaches masterminded the unlikeliest of victories to put his side temporarily into the top three of the Championship. Francesco Guidolin has quietly gone about his business to make Parma a force to be reckoned with. Against Fiorentina, his team played with verve and style and nobody could argue that his thttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=789http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=789Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTHumbling is not an adequate term to speak of Francesco Totti, the red and yellow phoenix who rises from the ashes after every seasonal death. Perhaps ‘death’ is not an adequate term either – looking at his goal tally and his personal history as an unquestioned element in every team he has played in (red or blue), one wonders when exactly it was that he died. “Let them say that I am finished,http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=790http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=790Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTMilan snatched all three points in an exhilarating encounter with Cagliari to remain within touching distance of second-place Juventus and a point ahead of Sampdoria, which climbed to fourth place. Milan relied on the usual protagonists of Clarence Seedorf and Alexandre Pato to claim victory in a seven-goal thriller at the San Siro. The two stars mentioned above along with the reinvigorated Ronhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=791http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=791Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTBefore Football Italiano gets its teeth stuck into tonight’s Barcelona vs. Inter spectacular, there is the little matter of three more Serie A points for the Nerazzurri to consider. Inter played Bologna on Saturday night to give them an extra bit of rest before the Champions League fixtures this week. The players could have been forgiven for having one eye on the next gamehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=792http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=792Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTBack in July, when Walter Zenga made the short trip from Catania to Palermo, he arrived at the court of President Maurizio Zamparini full of enthusiasm and high hopes. “The aim for this club should be to win the Scudetto” were the words in his presentation conference. With such statementshttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=793http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=793Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Gigliati were upset by Serie A’s surprise package Parma as the Ducali recorded an impressive 3-2 win at the Stadio Artemio Franchi. Fiorentina will rue the injuries which have forced Adrian Mutu and Stevan Jovetic as well as Alessandro Gamberini to miss out on the entertaining enhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=794http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=794Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTSaturday evening and Inter superbly (although rather predictably) defeated Bologna but, for once, the fans in Turin were not worried. Their anticipation was only growing as tomorrow would be the day in which a glowing Juventus would take to the pitch against Udinese. The two teams would oppose each other in contrasting situations - Juve, high on self-esteem, welcomed players back from the treathttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=795http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=795Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTWeek 15 kicked off on Friday evening when stuttering Frosinone visited the Stadio Romeo Menti to face Vicenza. Canarini Coach Francesco Moriero has seen his side plummet in recent weeks, relinquishing top spot with barely a whimper. Rolando Maran’s side were in no mood for charity and easily disposed of the Lazio club thanks to goals from Sasa Bjelanovic and Davide Gavazzi. Ancona find themsehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=796http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=796Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT Barcelona stepped on the gas right from the whistle and launched several attacks on the Inter goal. They were rewarded as early as 10th minute. Xavi’s corner from left hand side found Thierry Henry who headed it to Gerard Pique as the defender volleyed the ball in back of the net from close range. Inter barely got tohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=797http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=797Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTGiuseppe Postiglione, President of third division Potenza (Lega Pro Prima Divisione) is among nine people to have been arrested on Monday due to allegations of match fixing, illegal betting and possible links to organised crime. Although he has not been charged police are supposed to have hard evidence that they hope will lead to a conviction. img src="images/articles/phttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=798http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=798Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTAs this column has already said this season, Inter will not win the Champions League. But after Tuesday’s performance at the Camp Nou, Massimo Moratti must be seriously considering whether this current Inter side will ever perform in Europe. As if to illustrate this point, reports emerged Wednesday morning claiming that Coach José Mourinho will be sacked should Inter fail to make it through thehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=799http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=799Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTOne match at a time, goes the old slogan. Not this time, goes the voice of the veterans. Claudio Ranieri and the rest of his brigade will tell you that they have nothing in mind other than Atalanta, but the upcoming match only gains meaning in light of the one right after it – that is to say, the derby. The weaker iteration of the Nerazzurri stand as the second in a string of seven opponents whhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=800http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=800Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTLet’s face it, with the way Juventus played against Bordeaux on Wednesday night, it would simply be an injustice to football if they were to win this coveted trophy, especially when there are teams like Fiorentina that play with such heart, such organisation and such passion - not that they have a chance of winning either. Bordeaux arrived on the pitch and were determined to outplay the Bianconhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=801http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=801Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTCoach Cesare Prandelli took time to describe the euphoria a day after earning qualification as FIFA.com reported the astute Tactician told Sky he considers the moment as the greatest in his coaching career. Prandelli led his charges to the last 16 of the Champions Leaguehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=802http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=802Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTA lot has changed over time in football, even in recent years - long gone are the days where an outcome was obvious. The recent results in the Champions League are proof of this. Fiorentina have qualified for the knockout stages, and are currently top of group E, while Inter have made it hard for themselves and must win against Russian side Rubin Kazan to guarantee progress. And not to leave ouhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=803http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=803Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTIl Diavolo did not take advantage of hosting Marseille as the Rossoneri players failed to impress the tifosi with a shaky performance. For the sake of not being repetitive, the same problems singled out in previous segments of the Milan Club Focus surfaced once again to prove the positive run was not a precursor for better things to come. The usual concerns about the goalkeeping positionhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=804http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=804Sat, 28 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTIt has been another week where once again the reputation of Italian football has been bruised. On and off the field, the scriptwriters have had ample opportunity to feast on the misgivings of the sport on the peninsula. We’ve had terrace ugliness with Juventus fans disgustingly abusing Mario Balotelli, we’ve had yet more insipid displays in Europe, and now, more allegations of match-fixing and http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=805http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=805Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT Juventus were hoping to bounce back after the mid- week defeat, but lady luck had other plans. Juve can complain as much as they want and blame whomever they want, but their opponents simply wanted it more. Following this loss and Inter's win at the San Siro, Inter are now running away with an eight point lead, whilehttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=806http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=806Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Genoese derby has always been a fiery affair, and this has never been as evident as it was this weekend when the Stadio Ferraris hosted the big city rivals. The stadium had been engulfed in flags and fihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=807http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=807Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTIn a week where the Fiorentina patron happily declared that Cesare Prandelli’s contract renewal will be a formality thanks to the phenomenal win over Lyon in the Champions League, Jose Mourinho’s job was under pressure and he was eager to prove his worth. As for Prandelli himself, he was trying to cope with a number ohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=808http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=808Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMTRecent reports in certain sections of the British media that announced the death of Serie A were made to look rather stupid at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Saturday night. From the moment the two teams walked out onto the pitch to a breathtaking display of colour and pageantry, we knew we were in for something rather special. The 81st running of the Derby della Lanterna saw Genoa looking to winhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=809http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=809Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTWeek 16 started down in the South of the peninsula on Friday night as Salernitana hosted Gallipoli. The hosts were desperate for a win and got off to a fantastic start when Evans Soligo fired them in front after just five minutes. But goals from Pablo Pallante, Samuel Di Carmine and Francesco Di Gennaro ensured the Granata stay rooted to the bottom of the table. On Saturday, league leaders Ancohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=810http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=810Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTA good performance and a late penalty saw Inter defeat a talented Fiorentina side on Sunday. This was a good win for the Nerazzurri, especially considering their midweek performance against Barcelona and la Viola’s excellent win against Lyon. Their Coach José Mourinho was able to re-focus his team and make them continue their excellent league form. Diego Milito converted the dechttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=811http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=811Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTLo and behold, the trident is not the solution to all of Roma’s problems. We are not here to say ‘we said so,’ but we said so. Predictably, the weak link of the chain was Jérémy Ménez, whose lacklustre performance serves to counterbalance the excellent contributions offered in the previous matches. It was the significance of the latter which led Coach Claudio Ranieri to field three offensive plhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=812http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=812Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTA late, late brace by the much-maligned Klaas-Jan Huntelaar provided Coach Leonardo with the perfect tonic after the criticism following the mediocre 1-1 midweek draw with Marseille. Huntelaar kept saying all the right words in recent weeks about how he is committed to staying with the Rossoneri and how hard he will keep working to break into the side. The two goals will do his chances no harm http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=813http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=813Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Gigliati held on till the last five minutes in Milan before capitulating to a Diego Milito penalty-kick as the absence of Stevan Jovetic and Adrian Mutu increased the gulf in talent between Inter and the visiting side. La Viola’s players held their own as far as the score was concerned, but only goalkeeper Sebastien Frey emerged with worthy credit as he kept the Nerazzurri at bay. http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=814http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=814Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTJuventus are slowly spiralling out of control and once again were comfortably defeated by another team this week. Neither Bordeaux nor Cagliari possess the quality Juve have, they do not have the history Juve are so greatly famous, and so greatly infamous for, nor did they spend the millions of Euros on players, as the Bianconeri did, this summer. And yet, despite all the money, the ever-changihttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=815http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=815Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Netherlands has produced football geniuses in all departments of the beautiful game. In the 1980’s, Marcel “Marco” van Basten emerged as the rightful successor to the legendary Johan Cruyff, whose name often appears in the top five of any list of greatest footballers ever. In a relatively short career spanning just 11 years, van Basten has cemented his place as one of the greats in modern fhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=816http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=816Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTWe are pleased to say that Wikio.co.uk has given Football Italiano a sneak preview of Wikio's Top 50 UK Sports blogs for the month of December. What makes us even more pleased, is to see that Football Italiano has now moved up to 45th position, which is no mean feat, so well done to all the people involved with the site, and thanks to all of you whohttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=817http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=817Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis is maybe the most important event in the diary of any follower of Italian football. Two of the most supported clubs in Italy fighting for the right to dominate - talking about Inter of course. The Nerazzurri are currently enjoying the view from the top of the table while Juventhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=818http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=818Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe first derby del Campidoglio of the season takes place on Sunday night and will turn the Eternal City into a molten pot of deep rooted bitter rivalries and passionate, exhibitionist love for the sky blue and white of Lazio or the yellow and red of Roma. The Stadio Olimpico will explode with the two Curve’s blind allegiances being violently expressed in a sea of flags, flares and a chorus of http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=819http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=819Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe mother of all matches, the Derby of Italy, will take place on Saturday night in Turin. It will be a match between two sworn enemies but not between the two greatest Italian sides. No, the match between Italy’s two most respected and award winning teams, Juventus and Milan, is scheduled for week 19. This will be the match that pits ‘dishonest’ Juve against ‘all along’ honest Inter. It will bhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=820http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=820Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTThis weekend sees la Beneamata involved in one of the biggest games of the Serie A season, the Derby d’Italia against Juventus. This match is important for both teams as, with Inter currently eight points ahead of la Vecchia Signora, a win could put them totally out of reach. Juventus need the win not only to keep their tenuous grasp on the ‘title contenders’ tag, but also to turn around their http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=821http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=821Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTLights of the Olimpico, me love you long time. Like the war-time prostitute who uttered the above sentence (or part of it), those of us who know what the Roman derby represents will only be able to explain it by imperfect grammar. For, this is not just another contest for every damn Sunday. This is our Vietnam. This is our Stalingrad. These are the dire gates that beckon to us, full of blood anhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=822http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=822Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Rossoneri are facing a crucial week which will determine to a large extent whether the season has been a success, and by default if the hiring of Coach Leonardo and the selling of Kaká were justified. Milan will be hosting fourth place Sampdoria at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza hoping to win and close in on league leaders Inter. The Nerazzurri will be visiting third place Juventus in a clash thttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=823http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=823Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTLa Viola will be hosting Atalanta this weekend prior to the final group stage match in Europe against Liverpool. Both encounters are of great significance as Fiorentina cannot afford to drop more winnable points in the domestic league, while beating the English side will ensure the Gigliati finish on top in their group. img src="images/articles/int04122009.jpg" style="hhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=824http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=824Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTIn the summer of 2008, former Roma legend Giuseppe Giannini took over the reigns at Gallipoli, a club that only six years previously had plied its trade in the amateur ranks of the Italian game. In that short space of time, the club had a meteoric rise into Lega C1, and was just one small step away from playing in the second tier of Italian football for the first time in its history. Giannini hhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=825http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=825Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe much awaited draw to decide groups of World Cup 2010 took place in Cape Town, South Africa on December 4, 2009. The coverage of this event was viewed by an estimated 134.5 million viewers in 137 countries throughout the world. These enormous numbers for just the draw are a reminder of the popularity of the beautiful game around the world. The groups are as follows: Group A/http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=826http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=826Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTWhat a week for Italian football, with a catalogue of vital games both domestically and in Europe. The action kicks off this weekend with a host of mouth-watering games. Top of the bill is the Derby d’Italia at the Olimpico where Juventus will try to overhaul Inter’s eight-point advantage, whilst at the San Siro, Milan can seize on any dropped points in Turin against Champions Lhttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=827http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=827Sun, 06 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTHere we are. ‘Neither hard nor easy,’ were the words chosen by Marcello Lippi to describe Italy’s group. He followed this with the usual fluff on how no team should be underestimated, and to some extents of course he is right. Any team that has reached these levels must be of a certain quality. Brazil Coach Dunga warned Italy that Paraguay must be handled with care, and Slovakia include a few phttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=828http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=828Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe game started at lightening pace with both sides playing end-to-end football. Juventus looked the hungrier side as their first chance came after just five minutes. Amauri chested the ball to Momo Sissoko who attempted a volley. But Sulley Muntari applied just enough pressure which took the sting out of the shot./phttp://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=829http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=829Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTA derby with two teams with a very different track record. Roma are currently sixth in the domestic league and have gone through in Europe after beating Basel, whereas Lazio are suffering in the league just hovering above the relegation zone and have failed to get through to the latter stages of the Europa League.http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=830http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=830Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Derby d’Italia on Saturday night at least answered one question and that is that AC Milan are clearly in the championship race! As Juventus hosted Inter Milan in the most highly anticipated game of the season, Leonardo and his team could sit back and see who would take points off whom. http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=831http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=831Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe Rossoneri have won five of their last seven games, all five victories coming in Serie A, while drawing the other two in Europe. Coach Leonardo has received praise for emerging from a sticky situation after the inconsistent start to the season. Whatever one thinks of his coaching abilities, Leonardo deserves credit for guiding his side through the intense pressure and negative media reports http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=832http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=832Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMTThe black-and-white boys finally rediscovered their self-esteem, remembered exactly who they were and reclaimed the pride that has gone missing for the past few years on Saturday. It wasn’t the phenomenal Juve we saw against Sampdoria but it certainly was ‘The Real Juve’ Tuttosport described. The boys played with heart and with guile, honoured to be donning the Bianconeri colours as thhttp://www.footballitaliano