Milan’s duopoly was extended further this weekend as the Nerazzurri defeated Palermo to take yet another another Coppa tricolore – but as Europe still basked in the afterglow of Saturday’s sensational Champions League final, the final throws of peninsula football passed in comparative anonymity. For calcio aficionados this has been an enthralling scudetto race crammed full of entertaining subplots, extending one’s interest far beyond the San Siro stranglehold. From the surprise ascendency of Udinese, the soap opera that is Palermo, [...]
Archive for May, 2011
L’ cules are out in force to support their beloved Barça against the England representative Manchester United in today’s UEFA Champions League 2010-2011 final. Two seasons ago the same clubs met in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico and Barcelona was victorious 2-0, will we see the same results today or will Sir Alex’s Red Devils get the one piece of silverware that has eluded him for over a decade? Barcelona and Manchester United have faced each other nine times in European competitions: [...]
The Nike Total 90 Tracer, a ball specifically designed the final of the Coppa Italia the 150th anniversary of Italian unification
The season ended a mere five days ago, and yet fantacalcio is already in full swing. Thomas Di Benedetto’s new look AS Roma seem certain to change coach this summer- maybe- and the side have already been linked with no less than five potentially new allenatori: nearly one per day since the win over Sampdoria. Indeed some other coaches besides these have been rumored to take over, but these five seem to be the frontrunners and most talked about. It [...]
It was 1992, Wembley Stadium, the European Cup final between Sampdoria and Barcelona. I remember seeing Gianluca Vialli sent through with only Zubizaretta to beat and he lobbed the goalkeeper but put it wide. Then in extra time, Ronald Koeman ended all my hopes and dreams as he smashed a free kick past Gianluca Pagliuca to hand Barcelona the trophy. Fast forward to Sunday May 16, 2010. After 18 long years of waiting, Sampdoria defeated Napoli 1-0 to finish 4th [...]
Serie A Weekly readers will be able to choose their own Team of the Year, voting for players nominated by the writing and editing team. The team will line up 4-3-1-2, the most common used formation in Serie A in recent times. Next up for your selection are the playmakers, the trequartisti, so read on as our writers give you their choice and tell you why. Please leave a comment and remember to vote for the two you want to [...]
They do say a seven days is a long time in football, well try the Monday after the final Serie A game of the season….. Less than 24 hours after Napoli completed the Serie A campaign with a 2-2 with Juventus and it appeared like Napoli were about to sack Walter Mazzarri, and hire the jobless Gian Piero Gasperini. News broke via Sky Italia that Napoli may give Mazzarri the boot because of his flirtations with leaving Napoli with his [...]
On Sunday night Sampdoria travelled to Rome to face sixth place AS Roma and came away with nothing in their final game after relegation. The awful campaign is now over and the exodus from the club looks like it will happen. For the game Sampdoria had to deal without Franco Semioli, Stefano Lucchini, Daniele Gastaldello and Federico Macheda all missed the trip to the capital. The opening twenty minutes of the game had a bit of a training feel to [...]
After succumbing to a loss to Chievo on the final match day of the Serie A season, Delio Rossi was asked if the result had him worried ahead of the all-important Coppa Italia final with Inter. The Palermo tactician replied with the typical wit and wisdom that has endeared him to the Rosanero population for two seasons now: “I would be worried if I didn’t know my team, instead I’m disappointed. We just have to reset and the lads know [...]
At the end of a disappointing season this week has been a busy time for Juventus Director General Beppe Marotta who, after sacking coach Gigi Delneri has also seemingly sealed the arrival of club idol Antonio Conte to replace him. Yesterday the club announced, via their official website, the free transfer of Italian World Cup winner Andrea Pirlo who left Champions Milan last week. The statement revelaed he has signed a deal which will expire in June 2014, the length of [...]
The 2010 -11 Serie A season has come to an end and it is the time of the year when players pack up their bags and jet off to tropical paradises the world over. Well, not quite. The majority of teams are in the process of cleaning out their lockers but for Inter, there is one last hurdle to jump in the hunt for silverware. There is an important match this weekend, and no, it is not happening in London. [...]
