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In the modern game of football, 600,000 Euros is an extremely insignificant price to pay for a
player. It is a low risk, high reward situation for the club. If the player ends up as a failure
then the loss was very minimal. However if the player goes on to be a success, than it looks like a
genius move.
It has been an up and down season for Juventus striker Alessandro Matri. There have been times
where it seems that every time he touches the ball it ends up in the back of the net while at other
times there have long absences of his name on the score sheet. When he is hot, he has been praised
uncontrollably, even once being compared as the next David Trezeguet.
On October 11 last year in the provincial city of Pescara, Italy ended their qualifying campaign
with a 3-0 win over Northern Ireland. It was the perfect ending as Italy finished top of their
group. It was also just reward for coach Cesare Prandelli who managed to rebuild a strong Azzurri
from the wreckage of the 2010 World Cup disaster.
Substituted at half-time having inadvertently assisted the goal which gave the opposition the lead
is not the debut Eduardo Vargas had in mind after making his £11.4m move from Universidad de Chile
to Napoli. In the 20th minute of the last-16 Coppa Italia clash with Cesena ‘Edu' chased back to
the edge of the area to help out defensively when an attempt to control the ball resulted in
releasing.
Just several weeks into the summer transfer window Juventus sealed the deal for Swiss defender
Stephan Lichtsteiner from Lazio for a fee of 10 million euros. Although the other summer signing,
Andrea Pirlo, has received most the praise so far this season, Lichtsteiner has arguably been the
more consistent of the two.
The Italian defender was born in Bari, 28th June, 1971. He began his career at local club, Bari, in
1988 who he went on to make 75 appearances for, scoring 8 goals. Amoruso spent 1991-1993 on loan at
Mantova and Pescara, but only featured intermittently. In 1995 he secured a move to Fiorentina,
becoming club captain and making 54 appearances.
Antonio Conte has been the driving force of the Juventus revolution with his aggressive 4-3-3
formation. Essential to the attack are the wingers as not only do they offer more of a threat in
the attack, they offer support for the striker as well as take attention away from the middle.
Conte inherited one of his wingers in the form of Simone Pepe, but the other wing was left vacant.
guest writer Luca Cetta Looking to build from a start to the season in which they sit second behind
Milan only on goal difference and remain the only unbeaten side in Europe's top leagues, January is
shaping up to be an important month on and off the pitch for Juventus. During 2009-2010 Juventus
lost three out of four in January, while last season's disastrous loss against Parma.
As the January transfer window kicks into high gear, the name many football fans are most eager to
see on the move is Carlos Tevez. The now infamous saga between the Manchester City striker and
Roberto Mancini seems destined to end in days if not hours, with Italian Serie A to be the
Argentine's destination.
As the Serie A season enters the winter break, Lazio sit firmly in fourth position on 30 points
after an encouraging start to the season. They have only lost two games in the league (against
Juventus and, once high-flying, Genoa) and they have qualified from the Europa League group stages.
The additions made to the squad in the summer have been incredibly influential in helping carry the
squad.
Ricardo Montolivo and Daniele De Rossi's contract situations exemplify a worrying trend for Serie A
clubs. Two of Italy's first choice midfielders are out of contract next summer and there is
increasing debate about whether or not their clubs can keep hold of them. It is an alarming
situation that both Fiorentina and Roma find themselves in.
Following the big win on Saturday at Lazio, there has been a lot of talk about game winner Simone
Pepe. A year ago there was a giant question mark in the minds of Juventini about the arrival of the
Italian international on loan from Udinese. His career prior to Juventus had been one of
uncertainty, as the winger had bounced around for most of his youth until finally stringing a few
years together.
The Argentine began his youth career at Rosario Central, whom he joined before moving to
Estudiantes in 2003. Playing for Estudiantes's youth side, he scored a remarkable 17 goals in 39
games. His big move came in 2004 when Genoa signed him for €1million. The Italian side
immediately loaned him to San Lorenzo in Argentina again, where he played 29 top flight games,
netting eight goals.
The Argentine began his youth career at Rosario Central, whom he joined before moving to
Estudiantes in 2003. Playing for Estudiantes's youth side, he scored a remarkable 17 goals in 39
games. His big move came in 2004 when Genoa signed him for €1million. The Italian side
immediately loaned him to San Lorenzo in Argentina again, where he played 29 top flight games,
netting eight goals.
UEFA Champions League Recap: BATE Borisov 1-1 AC Milan On Tuesday night Milan secured qualification
to the next phase of the Champions League after their 1-1 away draw against BATE Borisov. Despite
seeing his team qualify with two games remaining, Max Allegri was clearly not content with how
things unfolded in Minsk.
After waiting 9 games for his first minutes in Serie A this season, Tommaso Rocchi was finally
unleashed. Coming on for Djibril Cisse in the 83rd minute with Lazio already 2 goals to the good,
he crowned the performance with a goal of his own. A special goal. Not so much for the execution
Rocchi scored from a rebound after Michele Agazzi saved his initial header but for the.
After waiting 9 games for his first minutes in Serie A this season, Tommaso Rocchi was finally
unleashed. Coming on for Djibril Cisse in the 83rd minute with Lazio already 2 goals to the good,
he crowned the performance with a goal of his own. A special goal. Not so much for the execution
Rocchi scored from a rebound after Michele Agazzi saved his initial header but for the.
"But age, with his stealing steps, Hath claw'd me in his clutch, And hath shipped me intil the
land, As if I had never been such." I don't think the Clown in Hamlet was singing about a
footballer's career, but in the same way age steals away life's vigour, so it diminishes the speed
and skill that creates quality players.
We've got the Champions League, the much maligned Europa League but if there was a knockout
competition comprised of the top XI's from Europe's second divisions where would Serie B finish? As
the first quarter of the season ends the column selects the stand out performers and those to
compete in the inaugural Second Best League.
They are two of the games great executioners. Their preferred methods of delivering the coup de
grace could hardly be more different, but they share the same efficient outcome. Back in 1998 it
was Fabio Capello's Milan who were on the receiving end of a cold-blooded calcio killing. If you
want a masterclass in the respective abilities of Alessandro Del Piero and Filippo Inzaghi you
need.
Claudio Marchisio The Juventus midfielder has been in great form this season; including netting a
brace in their 2-0 win over AC Milan last weekend. He was often forced out onto the left-side of
midfield in previous years and not deemed capable of orchestrating a midfield. He's proved his
doubters wrong this season and also forced his way into the Italian National Team's midfield.
Eric Brunner gets the nod for MLS team of the Week: Week 24.
(Summary is not available.)
Samuel Eto'o may have only been an Inter player for two seasons, but the legacy he leaves behind
will never be forgotten. "The Lion King" came to Inter in the summer of 2009, as somewhat of an
afterthought in the blockbuster Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Barcelona deal. Many people questioned how
the Nerazzurri were going to survive without the talent and skill of the Swede and if Eto'o would
be able to.
Typical Mirko, it was inevitable wasn't it? A big game player by design, scoring against one of the
titans of modern day English football on the greatest club stage in the world. In fact, nearly
every facet of that goal simply oozed of the Montenegrin, an epitome of the way he played. It was
his second of the night, and Roma's third.
Last week it was reported by Bologna F.C. they had signed a striker and none other than youthful
journeyman Robert Acquafresca appeared at the player presentation. Arriving from Genoa on a one
year loan, terms would include an option to purchase half of his contract on a co-ownership deal by
way of a rather circumventive route.
Philippe Mexes is a dirty cheat. He's a walking red card and a thuggish scumbag; an explosion
waiting to happen like that quiet, inevitable interval in between lighting a firecracker and
waiting for it to go off. Philippe Mexes is a tremendous defender. Sure, he has a dirty side, but
what centerback doesn't?
In what was a turmoil ridden campaign for the Giallorossi, there were always going to be
causalities – the question is, will ‘il capitano futuro', the disaffected Daniele De Rossi,
follow Philippe Mexes out of Rome? Understandably, vultures in the form of European football's big
guns are circling over Roma's carcass, hoping to pick from the bones of last season, before Thomas
di Benedetto can.
On October 24, 2010, Antonio Cassano took to the field with Sampdoria in a crucial match against a
then-second place Inter side. At the Giuseppe Meazza, the Bari-born fantasista was instrumental
once again, delivering a pinpoint perfect cross to Stefano Guberti which temporarily gave Sampdoria
a 1-0 lead.
Can a man's work be separated from his personal life? Movie-watchers must ask themselves if it is
possible to enjoy the works of Roman Polanski knowing of the sexual allegations directed towards
the director, or if Mel Gibson's bigotry should lead them to boycott his films. Cesena fans find
themselves faced with a similar dilemma this season, as the club brings in Adrian Mutu to help an
anemic.
Signed, sealed and delivered it may have been, but Bologna's bid for Emiliano Viviano was fatally
flawed. Stefano Pedrelli the Rossoblu General Director contrived to make a mess of his club's blind
bid, allowing Inter to claim the Azzurri stopper as their own despite tabling an inferior offer.
But while the formalities are complete, the ripples from Pedrelli's mistake will be felt.
Alexis Sanchez has somehow become one of the hottest names in the transfer market this summer, with
perhaps no club linked as strongly to the Udinese frontman than Barcelona. However, Sanchez's
transfer would be, at best, premature and at worse, a total disaster. Taking into account the
player's lack of Champions' League experience, enormous price-tag unbefitting of a player who has
done.
With contract negotiations between Milan's senatori and the management set to be resolved tomorrow.
Qasa Alom prepares himself for a new era at Via Turati, and looks back at some of the finer moments
in the last decade. "I hope this win can open up a whole new era for Milan. My own journey is
almost at an end, but when a club invests in top players, it will win" Rino Gattuso May 2011.
As Massimiliano Allegri's Milan captured lo Scudetto, it was certainly very different to the last
Rossoneri side to win the same title back in 2004. The current team is epitomised by new faces;
from the aggressive power of both Thiago Silva and Kevin-Prince Boateng, to the arrogant genius of
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Antonio Cassano, there is a vibrant physical element that was never truly.
AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato caught receiving a kiss on camera from Barbara Berlusconi, daughter
of Milan president, Silvio Berlusconi. According to Italian weekly, Today, love is in the air.
Mixing business and pleasure? think she is smarter then that we shall see if the tabloids gets it
right.
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Sinewy strong, athletically blessed and technically gifted Mario Balotelli is the identikit
football for the modern game. Yet for every attribute bestowed upon the 6'3" Italian, he is cursed
by a propensity for self destruction and dogged by an inane ability to court controversy. Here,
Serie A Weekly examines the many complexities of ‘Super Mario'.
Udinese sit fifth in Serie A going into this weekends fixtures, just two points behind Lazio in
the last Champions League place and two ahead of Juventus. A further point separates them from a
Palermo side that have attracted many admirers this season for their stylish and effective play.
Alexis Sanchez has been the subject of seemingly limitless media attention, talk of a summer move
refuses to.
Last week saw the sad farewell to calcio of Nicola Ventola. The 32-year-old striker, who was
plying his trade with Serie B pacesetters Novara, decided to call time on a playing career
wrecked by a series of debilitating injuries which prevented him from going on to be one of the
best striking talents the peninsula has ever produced.
As AC Milan host Tottenham Hotspurs in the round of 16 first leg, Qasá Alom highlights why all
eyes will be on Ibra... Zlatan Ibrahimovic has an enviable domestic record that's seen him win
league titles seven years consecutively*, for four different teams and in the process scoring 112
goals in 211 appearances.
After a season and a half away from Italian football, Alessandro Rosina is back gracing the playing
fields of Serie A after his loan move from Russian side Zenit St. Petersburg to Cesena. The little
midfield dynamo should now be at the peak of his powers after recently celebrating his 27th
birthday but for reason's that will become clear, he has failed to establish himself as one of
the.
