Milan and Juventus are currently the top two teams in the Italian league with the Rossoneri ahead by two points but the Serie A champions have played two more matches than their rivals Juventus. Juve's positive run, the club is undefeated this season in official play, is due to a number of factors such as a solid defensive record and a midfield marshaled by veteran Andrea Pirlo with the aid of Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal.

Italia es el rey, cuando menos en el arco, donde Gianluigi Buffon ha sido clasificado como el mejor guardavallas del siglo XXI por la Federación Internacional de Historia y Estadística del Futbol. Buffon se impuso sólo por dos unidades al español Iker Casillas (197), siendo el rubro decisivo el lugar que ocuparon en el "top 20″ de las votaciones en el 2012.

Despite the importance of club football, Euro 2012 dominates the majority of the continent's players' thoughts going into the second half of the season. Italian football has had it's share of ups and downs over the last decade, with the elation of winning the World Cup in 2006 counteracted by scandal in the domestic game; Italy need a strong performance in the tournament.

Serie A Weekly welcomes writer Luca Cetta to our pages Udinese and Juventus played out a 0-0 draw at the Stadio Friuli in Wednesday evening's early Serie A kick-off. The winner would go first, but in a match of few clear cut chances, Juve remains unbeaten while Udinese's home winning streak has come to an end.

Chelsea breathed life into their faint title hopes, while also helping open up the English Premier League title race after handing Manchester City their first loss of the season in a 2-1 victory at Stamford Bridge on Monday.

Frank Lampard came off the bench to convert the game-winning penalty as a Joleon Lescott handball doomed City to their first defeat, which leaves the Premier League leaders just two points ahead of Manchester United.

As one unbeaten run came to a close in England, another ws sustained in Italy as the magic hands of Italy and Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon earned the Bianconeri a 1-1 draw with Roma.

It's been interesting to see how the Italian Serie A is playing out these past couples of weeks.

By Alan Duffy

Turning their attention away from silly little issues like racism, the international footballing authorities have announced their 55-man shortlist for the FIFPRO World XI 2011. (FIFPRO is the Federation Internationale des Associations de Footballers Professionnels, by the way)

Six players from good old Blighty have made the list, with Wayne Rooney and Gareth Bale worthy of their places in the elite list.

Two title contenders will be squaring off this Saturday in Rome as Juventus travel to Lazio. The two clubs are currently sitting at the top of the table with 22 points a side, and they are arguably the two most in form clubs at the moment in Serie A. Coming into this match, Juventus are the only unbeaten side in Italy with 6 wins and 4 draws.

If you are ever planning a party, don't invite Uruguay. They famously scuppered Brazil's World Cup festivities back in 1950. And, on a much more minor scale, they burst the balloons blown up for the match to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Italian unification in Rome. It brought the Azzurri back down to earth after a victory over one of the hosts of next year's European Nations a few days.

If you are ever planning a party, don't invite Uruguay. They famously scuppered Brazil's World Cup festivities back in 1950. And, on a much more minor scale, they burst the balloons blown up for the match to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Italian unification in Rome. It brought the Azzurri back down to earth after a victory over one of the hosts of next year's European Nations a few days.

Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli is expected to start today's friendly fixture against Uruguay. The 21 year old striker who been instrumental in City's recent form will earn his 6th cap for the senior side in a match that could cement his position in the Italian squad.

After his amazing performances against Poland last Friday, Prandelli has decided to stick with Balotelli.

Italy, oh Italy! The world's eyes are fixated on their fallen president and wacky owner of AC Milan today... Botox Berlusconi! Well, everyone except the Azzurri of course, where it was 'Business as Usual' with medical checks at the team's training camp in Florence yesterday.

Here's Gianluigi Buffon showing you how to DO IT - even in the face of an emergency! Juventus' match against Napoli had to be postponed yesterday for fear of flooding and the goalkeeper promptly left his hotel. Naples' Mayor Luigi De Magistris ordered the postponement because the pitch was already soggy and there was concern 65,000 fans could be trapped in flooding or cause traffic problems.

As the race for spots in the knock-out round intensifies, we take a look at the crucial fixtures which are likely to decide who will be advancing and who will be exiting Europe's premier club competition.

Highly-flying Manchester City will be looking to book their advancement to the next stage when they travel to Italy on 22nd November.

Now that we've had a few days to digest our implosion against Manchester City, the only thing to do now is move on. It's confined to the history books, forget it. Nothing can be changed now. The only thing that can be done is correcting it in the future. Starting on Saturday when we kick-off at noon away to Everton.

Juventus host Genoa Saturday night, with both teams coming off scoreless draws last weekend against Chievo and Lecce respectively. Juventus After last week's 0-0 draw in Verona, Juventus remain at the top of Serie A, with 12 points from their first six games; along with Udinese they are the only team in the league without a defeat.

Ryan Giggs has today been named the winner of the Golden Boot award, which is recognition given to players over the age of 29 who are selected by journalists from all over the world and voted for by fans.

The other nominations for the 2011 award were Gianluigi Buffon, Iker Casillas, Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto'o, Carles Puyol, Raul, Xavi and Javier Zanetti.

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes England are 'cheating' by having a foreign manager in charge of the national team.
Fabio Capello was handed the reins after Steve McClaren failed to guide the Three Lions to qualification for Euro 2008, and persuaded Carragher to briefly come out of international retirement for last summer's World Cup.

Wayne Rooney's father is one of nine people who have been arrested in connection with a match-betting scandal, according to numerous reports from the United Kingdom.

The controversy surrounds the irregularities among bookmakers in bets that a player would be sent off in a 2010 Scottish Premier League match between Motherwell and Heart of Midlothian.

Before Sunday night Juventus' start to the season hadn't been anything to write home about. Laboured performances against Siena, Bologna and Catania had eroded some of the optimism born from the opening day's 4-1 thrashing of Parma. The Vecchia Signora took five points from these games but their displays were arduous: plenty of heart, but little fluidity or panache.

Que sin dejar de ser deporte el fútbol se constituye en uno de los espectáculos más reconocidos y visitados del mundo no es una novedad que le debemos a Joao Havelange y su "producto". Las marcas descubrieron el asunto mucho antes y, entre ellas, algunas sobresalen por producción y originalidad.

Come talk to me about Oliver Kahn or Gianluigi Buffon when they have their own trivia tribute corn maze like Kasey Keller does.- Greg Seltzer

Juventus might be on top of the Serie A table but it is too early to consider them as serious contenders before they can register a notable win against one of the elite teams such as Milan or Napoli. The upcoming fixtures will offer the Bianconeri the perfect opportunity to measure their improvement and how far they have gone since seeing former captain Antonio Conte take over as coach.

Die Champions-League ist endlich im Gang und wir können uns wieder über spannende Spiele freuen. Sponsor der diesjährigen Champions-League Saison 2011/12 ist wieder einmal Heineken, die den Vertrag mit der UEFA im Mai um weitere drei Jahre verlängert haben.

Die diesjährige Kampagne wird von den Spielern Gianluigi Buffon, Rene Adler, Patrick Vieira, Clarence Seedorf und Ruud Van Nistelrooy unterstützt, die gemeinsam in über 350 CL-Spielen aufgelaufen sind.

It's finally here, the Champions League, of course! And just a few hours before kickoff, here's a really innovative ad by Heineken, featuring some great footballers in the setting of an Opera house. The Champions League theme song itself goes off into its own opera ("Die Meister, Die Besten!

A couple of fellas from the Azzurri Gianluigi Buffon, the legend, a consummate professional and seemingly gentleman, and Mario Balotelli....not went to visit a local prison before today's deciding fixture with Slovenia. Because risking a shanking elicits appropriate levels of adrenaline, one would assume.

Juventus, Buffon: "Milan e Inter davanti". In difesa più Lugano che Alex Gianluigi Buffon si esprime sui valori del campionato: "Il Milan parte davanti a tutti, l'Inter è in seconda fila. Dietro ci sono tutte le altre: Napoli, Juve, Udinese, Roma, Lazio". Gigi Buffon disegna la griglia di partenza del campionato a pochi giorni dall'inizio della Serie A 2011-2012 e colloca il Milan in pole

There has been a recent large outlay of money for home grown players between English Clubs. In many peoples view the money exchanged for certain players has been described as ‘excessive'. Names including James Milner, Andy Carroll, Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson have all crossed the £20 million plus threshold.

Ryan Giggs is one of ten players who has been nominated for the Golden Foot award which is given to players over the age of 29.

Sports journalists from all over the world have shortlisted the ten players and the winner will leave his footprint on Monaco's Champions Promenade 'Walk of Fame'.

I go back to as far as I can go with my memories or with the documentaries that I seen, and I remember Peter Schmeichel in 1992 Euro final, Toldo in the 2000 Euro Semi Final against Netherlands, Dino Zoff against Brazil in 1982 Semi Final, Gianluigi Buffon or Iker Casillas in the last two world cups finals, and now, I can add confidently one more name to the golden list: Fernando Muslera vs.

Liebe Journalisten. Wie tief kann man sinken, wenn man beständing und immer und überall Interviews zu Gunsten einer Schlagzeile umschreibt und verfälscht, falsche Übersetzungen anfertigt und überhaupt seinen Job nicht mehr richtig macht. Meint ihr denn ihr könnt Euch immer alles erlauben? Meint ihr das wirklich?

European Goalkeeping Trends by the numbers - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

101 goalkeepers made over ten starts in Europe's four major leagues during season 2010-12. Another fifty-six made at least one start in either the English Premiership, La Liga, the Bundesliga or Serie A. So after thirty eight games (thirty-four in Germany), which goalkeeper is best?

You thought we forgot a few earlier in the week and the truth is we did. Consider this post a 'make good' from us to you!

Alena Seredova made an honest man out of Gianluigi Buffon yesterday in the bride's hometown of Prague. The couple of six years had their bubbas Louis and David in attendance wearing wee adorable suits.

TURIN, June 16th Alena Seredova and Gigi Buffon tie the knot! The beautiful Czech model and Juventus goalkeeper said yes in the Basilica of Saint Peter and Paul Vysehrad, the ancient church on the right bank of Vltava Prague. Make sure to click on the above link to see the pan0ramatic view from Saint Peter and Paul basilica tower.

We all know what the off-season is meant for: Holidays and Weddings! With the heavy schedule and huge amount of matches the off-season is getting shorter every year. So it's not a big surprise players try to make the most of their valuable time away from the pitch. Some players spent their time in Disney Land, others lay on a beach for days on end.

Mamma mia We always assumed that if Keith Andrews slammed a 25-yard piledriver past Gianluigi Buffon, the universe would implode. But it would appear that isn't the case. The Blackburn midfielder opened the scoring for the Republic of Ireland as they secured a surprise 2-0 victory over coach Giovannio Trapattoni's native Italy.

Mamma mia We always assumed that if Keith Andrews slammed a 25-yard piledriver past Gianluigi Buffon, the universe would implode. But it would appear that isn't the case. The Blackburn midfielder opened the scoring for the Republic of Ireland as they secured a surprise 2-0 victory over coach Giovannio Trapattoni's native Italy.

Bayern Munich and Schalke have finally reached a deal that will send Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to Bayern for a reported €18m, with a further €7m dependent on the club's success during his stay.

It was no secret that Bayern were interested in Neuer, who had only one year left on his current deal at Schalke.

There are many cases in which footballers are talked up as being "the greatest in the world" or "the best player in this era", but the true measure of a great of the game is longevity. Lionel Messi might be the talk of the town; he is currently recognised as the very best by many observers at this moment but he is no legend, not yet anyway.

Juventus and Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon denied that he will leave the Italian club to join Arsenal during the summer transfer window. Heavily linked with the Gunners last season, the Italian told Sky Sports Italy that ...