New coach Vincenzo Montella made an addition to Roma’s training schedule this week: “Everyone who can stand up unaided, line up behind me….”
Archive for February, 2011
Little more than a year ago, Fiorentina were playing in the Champions League and rightly earning admiration all across Europe for their exciting play built upon a team of extremely talented young players. Yet as this season resumed following the Winter Break the team and club were almost unrecognisable from the one that had stood proud in those prestigious ties with Bayern Munich and Liverpool. The President Andrea Della Valle had stepped down amid the on-going issues over a new [...]
This week Adam and Kevin are joined by Serie A Weekly writer Julian De Martinis co-host of La Magicast. The panel talk on Ranieri leaving Roma in the final segment and the arrival of Montella plus the need to secure Frenchmen Mexes and Menez before someone else does. Addition topics include a focus segment on Inter and Napoli as well as Sampdoria’s inability to get results after the transfer of Cassano and of course the desperate situation of bottomfeeders Bari. [...]
It was a forgettable week for Italian football in Europe’s premier club competition, the Champions League. Roma, Milan and Inter all lost their first legs in the first knockout round of the competition. To make matters worse, all three losses were suffered on Italian soil. Milan took first to the field of the Italian sides when they hosted Tottenham Hotspur last Tuesday. Having been outplayed in the first half, the Rossoneri did come back to dominate the game in the [...]
A very late Mario Gomez strike sinks Inter. Gomez had been supported by Arjen Robben all night and it was Robben who challenged Julio Cesar with a powerful strike of his own seconds before that allow Gomez to pounce on rebound and put one by Inter’s Brazilian international Cesar in the 90th minute. Bayern played as the home team having maintaining almost 60% of the possession. Their keeper Kraft was surely man of the match in my opinion. The visiting [...]
The Italian Football FanCast is the podcast for fans of Serie A and Calcio. On this edition of the Italian Football FanCast, we look back at another eventful weekend in the peninsula, especially in Genoa where Roma threw away a three goal lead to eventually lose the game, and we have our new roving reporter on the case to tell us exactly how such a tragedy could occur. As a result of the defeat, Roma boss Claudio Ranieri handed in his [...]
‘La Magicast’ returns with their ninth episode on everything AS Roma. The Genoa game and Ranieri’s resignation are examined. What exactly is the problem at Roma? Also examined: the best moments under Claudio, and what each of the guys would grade him from 1-10. In this episode, the guys discuss just how successful Montella could be. Will he be afraid to drop his friends (read: Totti)? Can he lead Roma to a fourth place finish? What kind of formation does [...]
Gazzetta dello Sport Eto’o it’s up to you Inter find the Germans that they beat in the Champions League Final again The Cameroon international is alone up front Leo: ‘We are number One’ Ancelotti wins in Copenhagen with a Super Anelka Lyon remain a taboo for Madrid and Mourinho Montella: ‘I will also be a psychologist’ Agnelli: ‘Enough mistakes’ The others rest, but Pato trains De Laurentiis: ‘I want a Barca-style Napoli’ Corriere dello Sport Furious [...]
Leonardo says FC Internazionale Milano “will perform like champions” as they are reunited with the team they beat in last year’s final, FC Bayern München, another improving side. Under Leonardo in 2011 FC Internazionale Milano have been revived. But now the coach takes charge of the holders in the UEFA Champions League for the first time, against the side the Nerazzurri beat in last season’s final. The Brazilan admits European football is taking it to another level entirely. With a [...]
Scot Munroe is taking a look at the team of the week for week 26. Formation is going to be 4-3-1-2. Goalkeeper: Jean Francois Gillet (Bari) With his team facing the drop from Serie A, the Belgian shot stopper was in brilliant form and he kept his side in the game. But Gillet sadly could not stop Hernanes goal. Right Back: Ignazio Abate (Milan) Converted from a right winger to right back last season, Abate is now showing the positional sense of [...]
In the top two of Serie A, a small tubby Argentine, a tall South American target man, packed out crowds at the San Paolo. No this isn’t a flashback to the late 80’s, it is 2011 and the new face of Napoli. Join guest writer Paolo Mancini as the Napoli_Blogger preaches from the pulpit on a Neopolitan resurrection. Much time has passed and plenty of water (players,owners and money for that matter) have flowed under the bridge since Napoli were [...]
‘Tales From The Heel’ is our Southern Italian Round Up, as Steve Mitchell wraps up the action from the weekends games involving those teams from everywhere south of Rome. Lecce produced the upset of week 26 as they beat Juventus at the Via Del Mare to give themselves a huge boost in their fight for Serie A survival. Playing in front of their biggest crowd of the season, Luigi De Canio’s men rose to the occasion to beat the Bianconeri for [...]
