Italian league action resumed yesterday after a short break with a couple of interesting results. Inter Milan began the year with a resounding 5-0 hammering of Parma at the San Siro while high flyers Lazio were thrashed 4-0 by Siena.

In what he termed as his best display ever with the club, a visibly happy Claudio Ranieri praised his side for their 5 star performance.

It's Milan Derby weekend and if you're all like "Snoozefest time!"... STEP ASIDE, per favore! It's not about the derby but rather the culture surrounding it. All the Uncle Giovannis who are preparing their premium Neapolitan pasta sauces at this very moment will only serve it at 8pm tomorrow because that's how the Italianos roll!

Claudio Ranieri came into a club on the road to ruin. They had started the season disastrously under a manager appointed, when no fans wanted him, and then sacked, when many fans insisted he ought to be given a proper chance. Since Jose Mourinho even Rafael Benitez had come, tried, and failed.

It was barely two years ago that Inter, guided by the inextricable genius of Jose Mourinho, were the proud torch bearers of Italian football. As Milan were embarrassingly crushed 4-0 at Manchester United and as Juventus failed to even progress past the group stages, against the odds, the Nerazzurri overcame Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Chelsea as they went on to claim European football's most.

We should pay more attention to FC Basel 'keeper Yann Sommer. He's matured into quite the hottie while we've been busy with other things, hasn't he?

We're warming to this observations business. It's quick, easy and most importantly, allows us to sneak out of the office for an extended lunch break.

"This is like a marriage, the husband is always the last person to know what the wife is doing." That is how Claudio Ranieri described his position as Inter manager after the club's most recent match on Sunday, a 2-2 draw with Catania at the San Siro. The comments came after he was asked about the possibility of being fired by president Massimo Moratti, amidst what seems to be never-ending.

"This is like a marriage, the husband is always the last person to know what the wife is doing." That is how Claudio Ranieri described his position as Inter manager after the club's most recent match on Sunday, a 2-2 draw with Catania at the San Siro. The comments came after he was asked about the possibility of being fired by president Massimo Moratti, amidst what seems to be never-ending.

5 Reasons Mick McCarthy Will Be The Next Chelsea Manager - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Following the sacking of Andres Villas-Boas, managers of the calibre of Jose Mourinho, Luciano Spalletti and Guus Hiddink have been touted as the next Chelsea manager.

But, what Stamford Bridge needs is a real shake-up.

After sacking Claudio Ranieri on Monday, Inter named youth team coach Andrea Stramaccioni the club's caretaker manager. At the press conference to announce this change and introduce Stramaccioni, there was an interruption. And of course that interruption was Mario Balotelli.

With nothing to do between matches with Man City (aside from training or handing out money to homeless people), Mario decided to stop by his old club to congratulate the coach, even though Stramaccioni took over the Primavera squad after Mario was already with Man City.

Mario Balotelli took some precious time off from Man City's precariously poised Premiership campaign to fly down to Milan and disrupt Andrea Stramaccioni's press conference. Stramaccioni replaced Claudio Ranieri as Inter's coach following their disastrous slide down the Serie.

It comes as no surprise that AVB is being linked with the Inter Milan post in the summer after Claudio Ranieri was sacked this week. In fact, AVB is the bookies favourite or should I say "was" until apparently Massimo Moratti spoke with Jose Mourinho for advice on AVB. It seems as though Jose has advised Moratti that he isn't the right man for Inter.

Per l'Inter riprende il campionato. Ma la testa è al mercato Di Mauro Giordano Dopo la sosta natalizia riprende la corsa dei nerazzurri di Claudio Ranieri. Alla luce degli ottimi risultati con i quali è stato chiuso il 2011, è lecito aspettarsi una prova di forza della squadra, attualmente a 26 punti, 8 in meno rispetto a alla coppia di testa rappresentata da Juve e Milan.

Troppa Inter per il Parma: la cinquina è servita Di Mauro Giordano Claudio Ranieri ha trovato la strada giusta. Adesso non gli resta che continuare a percorrerla e probabilmente a fine campionato si guadagner la riconferma, sempre in bilico a causa del grande obiettivo di Moratti per la panchina della prossima stagione: Pep Guardiola.

It has been a topsy-turvy week for Milan ahead of Sunday's clash with our dislikeable cousins Inter. The headlines have been dominated by the transfer fiasco involving Carlos Tevez and Alexandre Pato which has left doubts regarding the harmony, or lack of, at the Via Turati. Milan's obsessive chase for Tevez the football mercenary escalated [.

League leaders AC Milan host their cross city rivals Inter Milan in the 204th meeting between them at the San Siro. Though Milan leads with the most number of wins in all meetings, there really is nothing to separate both sides.

Milan have won 72 of all the 204 meetings just one more than Inter with the pair each having scored an 279 goals in all meetings.

League leaders AC Milan host their cross city rivals Inter Milan in the 204th meeting between them at the San Siro. Though Milan leads with the most number of wins in all meetings, there really is nothing to separate both sides.

Milan have won 72 of all the 204 meetings just one more than Inter with the pair each having scored an 279 goals in all meetings.

A second half strike by Diego Milito gave Inter Milan victory over AC Milan in the Milan derby as Claudio Ranieri's men continue their Serie A resurgence. In a tight game, it was ‘hosts' AC Milan who started the brighter of the two with Mark Van Bommel striking the Inter crossbar just before the break.

Inter's slender 1-0 victory over their city rivals Milan last night threw them back in the title race. A 65th minute goal from Diego Milito was enough to hand Claudio Ranieri's men win the 204th edition of the Derby Della Madonnina.

Juventus who were level on points with Milan before last night's round of fixtures also failed to make most of their match against Cagliari as they were held to a 1 all draw at the Juventus stadium.

Roma non è stata costruita in un giorno, questa Inter ruspante che conferma la sua striscia positivissima di sei vittorie di seguito, battendo anche il Milan (1-0, Milito), è stata costruita in un giorno, forse in poche ore di Serie A. Scommettiamo che Claudio Ranieri, gentleman e "derby-man", calda razionalit fatta allenatore, ce l'aveva gi Continua a leggere .

Inter Milan have stepped up their efforts to sign Carlos Tevez as the tumultuous transfer saga surrounding the controversial striker shows no signs of dissipating.

The Serie A giants have offered Manchester City more than $32 million to sign Tevez in the January transfer window. Inter president Massimo Moratti opened communication with the Premier League club after a possible deal with AC Milan crumbled at the last minute.

Inter has tabled a £20.7m bid for the serial wantaway but Claudio Ranieri's statements show he remains unconvinced of Tevez's value to the team.

"There is balance now and the team has become solid. So we need to understand how much this lad can give and how much he can take away.

As the smoke cleared Monday morning in the city of Milan, there was no question who won the latest edition of the Derby della Madonnina the night before. The sun shone a bit brighter and everything tasted a bit sweeter for those wearing the Nerazzurri colours. In a hard fought battle over 90 minutes, the warriors wearing the black and blue of Milan were victorious.

Inter continued its strong run of form with a sixth consecutive win on the weekend. Only this time, the victory was not against the likes of Parma or Lecce. The Nerazzurri signaled its return to the upper echelon of Serie A with a 1-0 win over bitter rivals AC Milan, in the latest installment of the Derby della Madonnina.

I know that this is a bit of a bold statement to make about a man who has kept his side at the summit of the Premier league table practically since it kicked off back in August. But watching City huff and puff against Liverpool in the League Cup semi final poking at them with the imagination and creative spark of a spineless hedgehog it was plainly obvious that Mancini, the manager, has nothing up sleeve.

Probable Formations Round 19 Italian Serie A Big Name Update No Alex Pato for AC Milan, their Brazilian striker is to be sidelined for about four weeks with a muscular injury. Inter manager Claudio Ranieri looking to continue his clubs unbeaten streak to eight victories. Hopefully team and manager won't get caught looking ahead to the mid-week Coppa match away to Napoli as.

The current table shows Inter in 5th place yet the Nerazzurri have a greater chance of competing for the league title than Udinese or Lazio who are currently above them in the standings. Inter's players have the necessary experience and the quality players to challenge for titles while both Udinese and Lazio are lacking in terms of experience and the killer instinct needed to win difficult matches.

Benvenuto amici! Here's a perfect photo demonstrating the unglamorous side of football when you're on the pitch and it starts to rain. Believe us, it's absolutely horrible. Poor Claudio Ranieri had to stay on and watch as his Inter boys fought and sunk 0-1 to lowly Lecce at the Via del Mare stadium last night.

Mentre la Juventus liquida l'Udinese nell'anticipo serale di sabato, l'Inter frana clamorosamente domenica pomeriggio a Lecce, dove la striscia positiva in Serie A dell'undici di Claudio Ranieri viene interrotta dalla rete di Giacomazzi, che regala 3 punti pesantissimi, in ottica salvezza, ai salentini di Serse Cosmi.

Mentre la Juventus liquida l'Udinese nell'anticipo serale di sabato, l'Inter frana clamorosamente domenica pomeriggio a Lecce, dove la striscia positiva in Serie A dell'undici di Claudio Ranieri viene interrotta dalla rete di Giacomazzi, che regala 3 punti pesantissimi, in ottica salvezza, ai salentini di Serse Cosmi.

Lecce managed the shock of the round by stunning Inter Milan 1-0, the defeat bringing to an end the Nerazzurri's six-game winning. Juventus kept their undefeated record intact by defeating highflying Udinese by two goals to nil in very wet conditions in Turin on Saturday. Alessandro Matri was the hero on the night as he claimed both strikes.

Manchester United head into Sunday's fixture at Stamford Bridge off the back of three consecutive victories in the Premier League and an opportunity to back on level points with City.

Penalties from Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov either side of half time on transfer deadline day lead Manchester United on their way to 3 points as Manchester City were being beat at Everton thanks to a strike from former Red Devil Darron Gibson.

Inter's wheels are coming off. After such a strong push to within sniffing distance of Milan and Juve, they have lost to lowly Lecce, drew Palermo and yesterday, Roma took the lumber to them. Juan gets the Giallorossi on the board, Fabio Borini's lovely brace follows, and the Bojan Krkic finishes emphatically to give Roma a thumping 4-0 victory.

Just a few weeks ago Inter were the talk of the Serie A, for all the right reasons. Seven consecutive wins on the back of solid defending and a return to form of striker Diego Milito saw the Nerazzurri shoot up the league table and become serious contenders for a Champions League place. There were even whisperings of Inter being a legitimate threat to Juventus and Milan for the Scudetto.

szólj hozzá: Inter - Novara 0-1 Caracciolo

Novara, at the very bottom of the Serie won yet again in a clean sweep of Inter with Andre Caracciolo scoring a flamboyant winner. Massimo Moratti dismissed Gian Piero Gasperini after Inter's 1-3 flame out against Novara in their first encounter.

It's always horrible to lose at home, especially when you're 11 points away from the current Serie A leaders, AC Milan. But Inter learnt this the hard way yesterday when they lost to 20th-placed Novara in the league. Again, you can blame it on the freezing, negative temperatures in Milan (-1.

L'Inter cede di nuovo al Novara, la crisi è riaperta Di Mauro Giordano «Momento no». Secondo Claudio Ranieri la striscia negativa dell'Inter che riallontana il terzo posto, utile per la qualificazione ai preliminari della prossima Champions League, si può riassumere in queste due semplici parole.

Claudio Ranieri has come out and declared that he is not in danger of being sacked. He has also stated that star midfielder Wesley Sneijder is happy at the club, in an attempt to quell rumours of interest from abroad in the Dutch playmaker (for what seems to be the 100th time). "Could he be on his way to Anzhi?

Claudio Ranieri has come out and declared that he is not in danger of being sacked. He has also stated that star midfielder Wesley Sneijder is happy at the club, in an attempt to quell rumours of interest from abroad in the Dutch playmaker (for what seems to be the 100th time). "Could he be on his way to Anzhi?

Not the best of weeks for Claudio Ranieri at Inter as his team suffered yet another loss, this time to lowly Novara. The defeat capped of a miserable run of results for the Nerazzurri which has seen them claim just one point in their last four fixtures. Incredibly, after defeating Inter early in the season, the Biancoazzurri have claimed a most unlikely double over the 2010 Champions League.

AVB Another difficult week for Chelsea's manager, and you would be forgiven for thinking that he now lives on borrowed time. Reports are that his players are still in touch with their former manager and have had disagreements with management about their tactics in games. One thing is clear – Chelsea's results simply aren't good [.