It was a frenetic day at the ATA Executive Hotel in Milan on Wednesday as clubs from Italy’s top-flight desperately tried to put the finishing touches to their squads for the season ahead. After a flurry of last minute activity, sporting directors across the peninsula can now head for some late summer sunshine before preparing for January when the window will re-open for business. In the meantime, Serie A Weekly takes a look at some of the best of the [...]

Season Preview: Genoa Opening/Recap Genoa’s tenth place finish last season could be viewed as a disappointment from a number of angles. Most strikingly, the side had finished a place higher the season prior and could have hoped to fight for a European spot last campaign.  Out went Marco Amelia and in came Eduardo to fill in between the sticks - a move that should have turned out to be much better than it did, given the latter’s solid reputation before [...]

Week 1 & 20 28/08/11 and 29/01/12 Atalanta - Cesena Bologna - Roma Cagliari- Milan Inter- Lecce Lazio - Chievo Napoli - Genoa Novara - Palermo Parma - Catania Siena - Fiorentina Udinese - Juventus Week 2 & 21 11/09/11 and 01/02/12 Catania - Siena Cesena - Napoli Chievo - Novara Fiorentina - Bologna Genoa - Atalanta Juventus - Parma Lecce - Udinese Milan - Lazio Palermo - Inter Roma - Cagliari Week 3 & 22 18/09/11 and 05/02/12 Atalanta [...]

Despite finishing tenth last season there seems to be a constant state of upheaval at Genoa. A new coach has been installed and a highly rated youngster has already gone to champions Milan, with more on their way both in and out. On Monday last week Genoa appointed former Bologna manager Alberto Malesani after the club decided not to renew the contract of Bruce Willis look-a-like Davide Ballardini. Malesani left Bologna earlier in the month after failing to negotiate 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 [...]

On Sunday evening just gone past 5pm and it was confirmed that Sampdoria was relegated to Serie B after losing 2-1 at home to Palermo. It was just twenty years ago they were Serie A champions and only just ten months ago they were playing in the premier European club competition against Werder Bremen in the fourth qualifying round of the Champions League. Unluckily they lost after conceding a ninety-fourth minute goal to Marcus Rosenberg which enabled the game to [...]

It was a Derby Day like no other in Genoa as the Eighty Second Lanterna derby took centre stage on Sunday night in the port city. A white hot electric atmosphere at the Marassi as Sampdoria had something to play for in their relegation battle to Serie B. The afternoon results did not go their way as Lecce got a last minute winner against Napoli and Sampdoria needed to pick up a result against their fiercest rivals Genoa. Both Davide [...]

Next up for Italian Serie A, Sunday’s Derby della Lanterna. But the real question is… will Genoa C.F.C place the nail in Sampdoria’s coffin? Il Doria sit in 17th place, one point above relegation. The slide into Serie B could well depend on derby results in little over 24 hours time. Has club president Riccardo Garrone made the mistake of a lifetime? Should he have kissed that beautiful but thorny Cassano butt-cheek? And with one star player out the door wasn’t [...]

Napoli and Genoa enjoy one of the strongest friendships in Serie A. When both sides meet the tifosi from both sides are known for their hospitality towards each other, however it all started with a one of the more murky affairs in Calcio history. It was 1982, and the 30th and final game of the season. Napoli needed a point to qualify for the UEFA Cup. Genoa were in serious danger of relegation as AC Milan were beating Cesena 3-2. [...]

Sampdoria came away from Bari on Easter Saturday with a big smile and a much needed 1-0 away win. A Nicola Pozzi penalty relegated Bari to Serie B and gave Sampdoria a massive life line in their race to stay in the league. This was a do or die game for the Bluerchiati and after the week they had after the pitiful display in Milan and the fans brawl on the training ground, this was the caveat that the club [...]

Samdporia travelled to leaders AC Milan on Saturday night and were completely swept away losing 3-0 thanks to goals from Clarence Seedorf, Robinho and ex Samp man Antonio Cassano. ‘Doria went into the game in a massive slump and after last week defeat to Lecce, Serie B football was looming. They had to do without Daniele Mannini due to suspension, plus without Stefano Lucchini and Franco Semioli due to injury. So Zsolt Laczko was a surprise starter. Milan took the [...]

The crisis at Sampdoria continues after Sunday action at home to Lecce where they were embarrassed to defeat 2-1 at the Stadio Ferraris. This was a massive six pointer that had new Sampdoria manager Alberto Cavasin against his old club. Just six minutes before half time Lecce managed to grab the opener of the game and it was David Di Michele with the goal and it was due to Angelo Palombo poor play that led Di Michele to net from [...]