Euro round up: Inter join Milan in the last 16, Napoli put one foot in it

Round five proved to be a decent one for Italian clubs in the Champions League as Inter Milan joined AC Milan in the last sixteen of the Champions League. Inter traveled to Turkey, never an easy destination and picked up a 1-1 draw against Trabzonspor. Ricky Alvarez opened his Inter Milan account in the Champions League after 18 minutes but the Turkish outfit leveled through a deflected effort not long after. It ended 1-1 and Inter, without Forlan, Sneijder and Maicon on the night, had to be satisfied that the point not only qualified them but secured them top place in the group thanks to Lille winning 2-0 in Moscow earlier in the evening.  

The big game of the night was Napoli's encounter with Manchester City. Napoli were on top from the start and Edinson Cavani again rose to the occasion to head home from a tight angle. It was tight and tense but a defensive blunder from Salvatore Aronica let Mario Balotelli fire home from close range. At that moment it looked like the game may turn, but after the break Napoli came out strong and Cavani again found the net. It could, and should, have been more for Napoli with Hamsik hitting the post, Lavezzi testing Hart and Maggio blundering a 1 on 1 attempt. But instead Napoli fluffed their lines and had to endure ten minutes of really pressure at the end of the game. If finished 2-1 and Napoli are in the driving seat for the last round where they head to Villareal. They could go through even in defeat so long as Man City do not beat Bayern.

In the clash of titans Barcelona got the better of Milan 3-2 at the San Siro. It was a great game where Milan came from behind twice to level against the current holders but Xavi finished off a superb Messi pass to secure the three points and the group itself. Milan are through though in second place and given their performances against the best team in Europe will be a match for virtually any other side in the tournament. They will however look to avoid trips to Madrid and Bayern especially but the Diavolo can be confident that they can have a good run in this tournament this year. 

So Inter and Milan through to the last 16 and Napoli almost there as well. Not bad at all for Serie A so far. 

The tide appears to be turning as Udinese get green light for Stadia renovations

Udinese look set to become the second Serie A side to embark on Stadia reconstruction after being given the go ahead by their city Council to build a new Stadium. Club President Giampaolo Pozzo remarked on tuttomercato web that he was pleasantly surprised to have been given the go ahead, and that the project would hopefully begin this Summer. This is great news for Serie A as numerous clubs have wanted, but been unable so far, to push through projects of this nature. But it is clearly even better news for Udinese. 

The current Stadio Friuli is rarely full and currently only has one covered stand with an athletics track bridging the pitch from the stands. A new stadium would remedy this, as seen by the effect that Juventus' stadium has had upon their club. Average gates in Turin have gone up from 21,000 to 35,000 so far this season and there is no doubt that will improve so long as the club maintains their high league position. Whether Udinese will aim for that level of increase is doubtful, and in fact improbable given that a Stadium of 25,000 for them has been mentioned in the past. That would still represent a significant increase on their current average gate which is around 16,000. More important however it will hopefully continue the trend of new stadia. 

If Lazio, Roma, Fiorentina and Napoli follow suit, and they all have plans to do so, then grounds of between 40,000-60,000 can be expected given their strong local fan bases, which would do wonders for the leagues reputation and average attendance statistic. And, while they all occupy grounds able to hold that capacity now it is the quality of them and the match day experience that is in question rather than the football on the pitch. La Viola's ground for example, much like Udinese', has only one covered stand and while the Sun shines well in Italy during the Summer months rain and snow is not absent during the Winter as any follower of Italian football would let you no.

Today's news represents a good sign for Udinese and Italian football and one looks forward to see this project begin next Summer, hopefully.

Mihajlovic losing his grip on Fiorentina throne

Another away match for Fiorentina, another defeat. This is something that the Viola have become accustomed to this season under the leadership of Sinisa Mihajlovic. Too often his sides have looked to preserve a point first before even contemplating obtaining all three, especially when away from home.  The stats back this up, given that in his tenure as manager on the viola bench the free kick taking machine has achieved just two away wins in Serie A. Combine that with a 9^th place finish last campaign and what seems to be another drab season in the offing this year, without European commitments once again, it is hard to see how much more patient the Della Valle brothers can be. 

Fiorentina are however no Palermo. What do I mean by that? Well, for starters the Della Valle brothers have far more patience than Maurizio Zamperini. Mihajlovic would have been sacked a long time ago if he had produced the same record with the Rosanero. Still, with a highly competitive squad at his disposal it is hard to argue that the Viola are not underachieving. Jovetic, Vargas, Gilardino, Montolivo, Gamberini, Behrami, Cerci, Ljajic and Cassani are all quality players. Yet, they are part of a side that has already been beaten four times this season and has only ten goals to their name, with half of them scored by Jovetic. Only five sides in the division have a goal scoring record worse than that and they are Cesena, Lecce, Bologna, Chievo and Cagliari. Hardly great company.

That being said they are defensively strong, as only five sides have been better at the back, those being Udinese, Lazio, Juventus, Napoli and Siena. Now given their respective positions in the table that is great company and it illustrates the problem. Fiorentina are not adventurous enough going forward, especially away from home, and when they do attack they are not efficient enough at killing off games. Take their home game against Catania as an example. Twice they were pegged back from a leading position, while against Lazio they blew a 1-0 lead despite, for the first half an hour, dominating proceedings.

The answer right now, sadly for Mihajlovic, is a change for la Viola. The fans have begun voting on their feet despite the ultras giving Mihajlovic their support in a recent training session. Attendances have dropped and the recent game against Catania yielded a support of just 18,783. Ultimately, this is a club and a squad that should be contesting for a European spot. The fact that they seem nothing more than an afterthought in that contest suggests that the axe does indeed need to fall. 

Euro watch: Milan Qualify

Milan qualified for the Champions League in drab fashion tonight in Belarus securing a 1-1 draw with Bate. Zlatan Ibrahimovic put Milan ahead with a smart counter attacking move from Milan but it was not enough as the home side rallied in the second half to level through a penalty on 55 minutes. Milan were wasteful with their chances in the first half and have relinquished their top spot in Group H to European Champions Barcelona. They will now need to beat Barcelona in the San Siro in the next round to recapture top spot. Clearly, this will be no easy task but perhaps it will give Milan the right attitude in terms of playing to actually win the game, rather than play for a draw had they still been level on points come round five.

Tomorrow night sees more difficult encounters for the Italian clubs. Inter take on Lille at home and they will look to move up to nine points in the group so they can focus on more pressing domestic troubles away at Genoa on Sunday. It is vital that they win and qualify as group winners given to avoid tougher fixtures come the knock out rounds.

Napoli however have Bayern Munich to contend with away from home and with Manchester City closing in on the top two both Bayern and Napoli will see this as an opportunity to take control of the group. This will be tough for Napoli, although not much should be read into their defeat to Catania at the weekend. Walter Mazzari has stated today that Napoli will try to impose their game on Bayern and this is refreshing to hear, and if they adopt their smart counter attacking style that they did against Manchester City and AC Milan this season then they will be tough to contend with. They key will be not going down too early and frustrating the Bavarians whose great form has already slipped somewhat with a recent Bundesliga defeat. Difficult? Very much so but not impossible.

Attention will turn to the Europe League on Thursday night where Udinese head to Madrid to take on Athletico. Having beaten them 2-0 in the last round Udinese will be confident of qualification but a defeat here would give hope to the others in the group. Given their great form this season it will be hoped that Di Natale will start to provide a threat to the Athletico backline.

Lazio however have not mirrored their domestic form in Europe and have only two draws to show for their efforts so far. The game against Zurich at home is a must win then and one hopes that they put out a squad that is capable of delivering this in emphatic fashion. Mirslav Klose is set to be on the bench, and that is not a good start when one thinks how good he has been this season.

Derby D'Italia: Inter v Juventus

What a game, and what a time for it. With Juventus sitting pretty top of Serie A and Inter sitting, well, abysmally off the pace the contrast in this seasons league form does not mirror that of recent seasons gone by. Champions of Europe in 2010, Inter did what Juventus could not do in 2003, 1998,  and 1997 by climbing that elusive final hurdle in the Champions League final. True, Juventus did achieve that in 1996 in Rome but in recent years Inter have been Italy's finest export whilst Italy awaits Milan and Juve to catch them up, on the continent at least. Expect that to happen this season as Milan look set to do very well in the Champions League, but don't count Inter out just yet. 

Despite a poor start under a totally misguided manager who seemed determined to play every player out of position Inter have quality in abundance and will be keen to show that in today's mammoth encounter. And while Juve have started very well this season question marks have been raised about their true ability to take the Scudetto and whether they really have gotten over two totally atrocious campaigns by their own high standards. Recent matches have shown a soft defensive underbelly that Napoli, Milan, Udinese and Lazio, who all sit close behind Juve, will look to take full advantage of.

Inter however continue to stay alive, albeit only just. They sit top of their Champions League book having registered two excellent away wins against CSKA and Lille, and since Ranieri has taken over they have been resuscitated somewhat with wins over Bologna and Chievo, with the draw away at Atalanta not a bad result given their blistering start to the season so far. The Napoli game stands out, on paper, as a huge disappointment but those having seen the game will realise that it was a false economy of sorts in the sense of the poor referring performance which completely changed the shape of the game just before half time, even if Napoli were on fire that night.

Still, their is no denying the simply awful start Inter have made to live in Serie A this season. While even at this stage Scudetto chances look slim at best a win over Juventus would put some life back into their campaign and show the old lady and city rivals AC Milan that Inter can, and may well, have their say in the Scudetto race this season.

Napoli end Udinese's unbeaten run

A consummate home performance from Napoli saw them brush past Udinese who had up until this match been unbeaten in Serie A this season. Udinese, without Antonio Di Natale and Isla lacked somewhat in creativity but fell behind thanks to a wonderful Lavezzi strike after Cavani provided what seemed like an impossible assist. Udinese did fight back and Morgan De Sanctis produced an outstanding save after a well worked Udinese corner saw Antonio Floro Flores improvise with a volley that tested the Napoli goalkeeper. But he was up to the challenge and Napoli added to their lead just before half time when Maggio headed home to make it 2-0.In many respects after having just picked up one point from their last six this was a must win for Napoli who take on Catania, Bayern Munich and Juventus in their next run of fixtures.

Speaking of Juventus they continued their unbeaten start with a solid 2-1 home win against Fiorentina. It should have been buried at half time with Juve totally dominating their opponents but Fiorentina came out determined after the break to get themselves into the match and another superb strike from Stefan Jovetic leveled the tie. However, Alessandro Matri added to his growing reputation with the winning goal late on and his third in two matches to keep Juventus clear at the top. 

With Udinese defeated Lazio had the opportunity to take over at the Serie A summit against Catania and they started well in this encounter taking the lead after 17 minutes through Miroslav Klose who scored his 5th goal of the Serie A campaign so far. Despite being decimated with injury problems Lazio looked good for their lead but unlike Napoli they could not establish daylight between. They paid the price for this as Catania leveled after some poor defending by the Lazio backline. Depsite this Lazio did rally and the introduction of Hernanes and Kozak showed their attacking intent, but it was to no avail despite dominating the proceedings late on.

Elsewhere Roma fell to defeat in Genoa by 2-1 and Bologna surprised Chievo by winning 1-0 in Verona. Cesena continued their winless start with a 1-1 draw at home to Cagliari while Inter could only draw 1-1 against Atalanta away from home, with the home side continuing their fantastic start. Milan continued their ressurgence with a 4-1 win at home to Parma and move up to joint 4th in the table. Finally, Siena continued their good start with a 1-1 draw away at Novara. 

Juve only draw but continue to show Serie A the way forward

Juve 2 - 2 Genoa was the final score in Turin tonight after a cracking game ended all square. Juve were sublime at times going forward, Andrea Pirlo rolling back the years with inspirational contributions to both goals, from the quickly taken corner that found Marchisio on the first goal where Matri fired home to the simply majestic dummy that let Matri again hit the back of the net. Juve looked set for the win but Genoa continued to advance forward, much through the inspired play of Milan owned Alex Merkel and drew level late on through a Caracciolo equaliser. Shambolic defending and poor goalkeeping led to Juve's demise in this encounter and in the end a point was all they could take from this one.

With this in mind you may wonder what on earth the title to this article is on about. Despite going top of Serie A, albeit temporarily, tonight was a disappointment for the home side before they go on a run of games that sees them take on Fiorentina, Inter, Napoli, Palermo and Lazio. Hardly an easy run and two draws on the trot has taken the sting out of their blistering start. But, irregardless Juve this season with their new Stadium have shown the rest of Serie A what they need to do to modernise and essentially revolutionise the league.

Juventus so far this campaign have had an average attendance of 36,293. It's not huge by any stretch and only ranks sixth overall in Serie A but it is a massive improvement on their gates from last season which culminated in an average of 21,966. You could argue it has been the difference between a great start and a poor one as well. Last season at the Stadio Olimpico Juventus lost at home to Milan, Parma and Bologna, their first three home games. This season they took seven points from those same encounters instead and the crowd played their part in these fixtures as well, becoming the the essential 12th man that had been missed and the frankly limp and lifeless Olimpico in recent seasons passed. Much of course has to be attributed to a decent Summer mercato. But, their is a freshness around this club that could well take them out of the doldrums, which undoubtedly the last two campaigns have been and their is no doubt that the new Stadium is part of this.

But how does this relate to the rest of Serie A? Well aside from the revenue opportunities that a self own Stadium would provide new stadia for the other clubs would have massive knock on effects for game day attendances which so far this season are at an average of just under 24,000. This will increase as the season goes on and games become more vital to the campaigns final outcome, but it is fair to say that this number has not been helped by teams like Chievo, Lecce, Novara and Siena who barely pull in an average of more than 10,000 a game and in that regard the sooner the likes of Torino and Sampdoria come back to Serie A the better. But, for the likes of Fiorentina, Lazio, Palermo, Roma and Cagliari, teams who have been trying to build new stadia for some time, the impact could be huge. Indeed, such has the delay been in the case of the Viola that they have considered building a new Stadium out of the city limits itself. 

Much of the problem has to do with current legislative restrictions and the frustration that local Council's in Italy will miss out on revenue generated by their currently owned Stadiums. But, the sooner the other clubs are able to follow the path that Juventus have then the better off they will be, and the better off the league will be too.

Champions League: Napoli hold Bayern, Milan and Inter push on

It was another decent round for the Italian clubs in the Champions league as all teams picked up valuable points that given all a chance of going through to the last 16. Milan tonight put one foot into the last 16 with a strong 2-0 home win against Bate. They barely had to break out of second gear to gain the three points thanks to two excellent goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and a Prince Boateng missile. That being said Milan played with an attitude that a goal would come eventually and although it most certainly did they almost paid the price while the encounter was balanced at 0 - 0 when Van Bommel made a sloppy pass straight to Bate forward Bressan who should have put the away side 1-0 up. However, it all ended well for Milan who now head to Belarus in the next round where they again must pick up three points before their titanic clash with Barcelona at San Siro on match day five.

Last night also saw good results for the Italian clubs. Inter picked up a comfortable 1-0 win away at Lille where Wesley Sneijder and Mauro Zarate combined some magic to supply Giampaolo Pazzini who fired home with thunderous effect to put the French Champions behind. Inter looked strong but once Sneijder and Zarate were withdrawn they lacked creativity and Lille took advantage of that, putting pressure on Inter's back line which has not exactly been up to task as of late. However they and talisman Eden Hazard could not find a way through and Inter emerged victorious and like AC Milan sit top of their Champions League group.

Napoli however arguably pulled of the result of the round taking a point of Bayern, and scoring a goal against them something which had not been done since August 7th. Bayern have been steamrolling opposition all season long and at this moment in time, along with Barcelona and Real Madrid, are arguably playing the best football in Europe so far this season. They took the lead through a defensive lapse by Napoli after just 90s seconds and the writing looked on the wall for Napoli. However, they steadied the ship and began to take the game to Bayern at the end of the first half. They were rewarded with a goal as well after Maggio's goal was deflected in by Badstauber. It could have been even better for Napoli as well had the referree spotted Schweinsteigers handball  which denied Hamsik a goal scoring opportunity. He did however spot a soft handball, if you can even call it that, which came off Cannavaro's arm when blasted at him from close range. Justice was done when De Sanctis saved from the spot. Napoli held on but were at times comfortable in possession. With Man City beating Villareal they will now go to Munich looking to take something from that match, perhaps as a necessity.

Four points seperates first from 13th as goal shy round ends in Lazio derby win

After a goal fest of action on Saturday in Serie A with Milan rolling over Palermo and Napoli and Inter both suffering surprise defeats the action did not continue on Saturday afternoon as the net was only rippled twice across six matches in Serie A. Both those goals came in the same game as Bologna won 2-0 away at Novara to move themselves up to four points in the standings and ease the pressure on them at the bottom of the table. However, as far as goals go that was all she wrote. That being said their was no shortage of controversy especially in the early kick of in Cesena as Adrian Mutu saw red for petulance that frankly blighted Cesena going on the collect the three points they looked set to get given their strong second half performance. Their slow start continued however as they picked up just their second point in six outings.

With so many draws taking place three points would have catapulted any side high up the table but not even regular Sunday afternoon goal scorer Antonio Di Natale could ripple the net as Udinese drew 0-0 away at Atalanta in perhaps what should have been the best game of the afternoon given both sides strong starts to the season. 

So, the goals were saved for the Rome derby and the game did not disappoint. Both sides had made major acquisitions in the off season with Lazio adding Miroslav Klose, Cisse and former Italian International goalkeeper Federico Marchetti while Roma had added the likes of Dutch International keeper Martaan Stekelenburg, Gabriele Heinze, Simon Kjaer, Bojan Krkic and Pablo Osvaldo to name a few. The away side started strong as well and went in front after seven minutes through Osvaldo. Lazio came back into the match late in the first half and started where they left off after the break scoring from the spot through Hernanes. The worst part from Roma however was the dismissal of Kjaer and that left them really up against it for the rest of the half. Cue lots of pressure from Lazio who rattled the woodwork twice through Cisse and Klose before the tall German finally found the winner deep into injury time much to the elation of the home support at the Stadio Olimpico. Having lost the five previous derby's the winner in injury time was of great relieve to the Laziale's the world over and they now see their team move up to third in the table.

Lazio, Milan, Inter, Udinese and Napoli now head into Europe where tough tests await in the shape of Zurich, Bate, Lille, Athletico Madrid and Bayern Munich.

Milan push on while Inter crash to defeat again

Milan and Inter both have got off to poor starts this season in Serie A. While they both sit in decent positions in their respective Champions League groups their positions in the Serie A table have been a different story. Between them prior to todays round they had been beaten five times between them, in just five rounds. With Napoli and Juve getting off to such good starts it was imperative for both clubs that they picked up three points in this round, and both had to do this against Sicilian opposition. One overcame that objective, one did not. 

Perhaps unsurprisingly given their truley dismal start it was Inter that failed to do so as five minutes of madness in the second half allowed Catania to score twice and overturn Inter's quick start thanks to a superbly taken Estaban Cambiasso goal. Having led at half time Inter looked to have established a strong foothold in this game but the lack of any sort of defensive cover allowed Catania back into this one. Almiron's stunning strike pulled Catania level while Lodi scored from the penalty spot, ironically his first Serie A goal that had not come from a free kick. 

It was a well deserved win for Catania and another defeat for Inter whose season looks in tatters before we have even reached November. Milan however pulled away from the disaster zone after recording a comfortable win over high flying Palermo. Having set out in two banks of 4 at the back Palermo looked hard to break down and it took Milan a while until Ibrahimovic unlocked the door with a ball to the back post that was knocked across goal for Nocerino to send in. Milan had been applying the pressure and deserved the lead, and this was doubled not long after the break with Ibrahimovic again involved as he fed Robinho who opened his account for the season. Milan were in total control now and Cassano added a third as he continued his superb form so far this season. Having hit two for Italy midweek his confidence was high and it showed as he fired home with consummate ease to make it 3-0 despite their being a number of bodies in between the ball and the goal. 

It was a good win for Milan and with Lecce and Parma up next in Serie a they will be confident of climbing the table soon enough. For Inter however as things stand the season looks long and hard and one wonders whether any shot at the title is in fact already over.

Calcio comment: Juve got to believe them!

Questions had been asked of Juve up until this round, whether they had really turned a corner or whether they were the Juve of the last two seasons which faltered to deceive and then promptly embarrassed the 27 time, or 29 depending on which fence you sit, Scudetto winners. But, when the champions came to town tonight Juve gave a performance worth of champions themselves, dominating possession with an expansive style of play that at times left Milan looking one dimensional and without threat. Not bad, considering this was a Milan side that drew a Barcelona only a few weeks ago. Despite this, it was 0-0 come 86 minutes until Claudio Marchisio hit the back of then from a well worked team goal and then doubled his tally moments later thanks to an Abiati howler. It's only week five but there is definitely a different feel to Juventus this season, their new stadium and new additions appear to have transformed a side that has been in the doldrums for a few seasons.

Elsewhere Napoli, or perhaps referee Rocchi added to Inter's miserable start to the season. The game had been played at a cracking pace with Inter on top in the early exchanges until Joel Obi was adjudged to have fouled Christian Maggio inside the box. Infact, the foul was committed outside the box and Obi's initial yellow card was extremely harsh. To make matters worse for Inter after Hamsik's penalty was saved Hugo Campagnaro converted the follow up, despite have encourached into the penalty area way before the kick had even been taken. It was a poor night for the referee but Napoli fans won't care and the partenopei came away with three fantastic points after a dominating the second half with some great football.

One city that whose clubs have had a mixed bag of results so far this season is Rome, but both clubs set themselves up for the Rome derby with solid wins, Roma over inform Atalanta and Lazio with a superb away win at Fiorentina who themselves have had a good start to the season. Roma broke down Atalanta with goals from Bojan, Osvaldo and Simplicio while Lazio came from behind in florence thanks to a wonder strike from Hernanes and another crucial winner from German hero Miroslav Klose who hit his third Serie A goal in five games.

Elsewhere, Genoa were mauled in Parma thanks to Seb Giovinco while Novara and Catania played out a wonderful 3-3 draw. Bologna were again beaten by pace setters Udinese while Palermo continued their great start with a 2-0 win over Siena, despite being down to ten men. Cesena picked up their first point against Chievo but will rue a Adrian Mutu penalty miss while Lecce look in deep trouble after another home defeat this time to Cagliari.

Round five review: True leaders yet to reveal themselves

It has been an intriguing start to the Serie A season and round five has only further added to its intrigue as just five points separate first from 18th in a table so tight that one win would change the scope and ambition, albeit temporarily at this early stage, of any Serie A club. Inter got this round underway and Claudio Ranieri began his tenure in emphatic fashion with a 3-1 win away at Bologna. Gone was the 3-4-3 formation championed by Gianpiero Gasperini and in came a 4-3-1-2 formation which gave Inter a more solid approach to the game and brought the best out of their available players. No Sneijder, no problem as Milito, Lucio and Pazzini all found the net to get their season back on track.

Both Milan and Roma got their seasons back on track with wins, albeit unconvincing in nature. Both clubs scraped to 1-0 victories over Cesena and Parma respectively thanks to Clarence Seedorf and Osvaldo and eased the pressure on their respective managers. Up next for Roma is Atalanta, who would, but for their six point penalty, be top of Serie A right now on ten points after another home win this time against Novara. The win was somewhat controversial in nature after the away side had a goal ruled out late on but that will be of no concern to the Nerazzurri fans who have had a superb start to life in Serie A.

One club that has not had a superb start to their life in Serie A is Siena, but with a 3-0 win against Lecce today they eased concerns over their goal scoring issues and built on a superb away performance at Roma midweek. Joining them on five points is Catania who held Juventus at home in a 1-1 draw. They were unlucky not to win and perhaps would have but for a goalkeeping error in Milos Krasic's drive which leveled the tie just after half time. Catania had a chance to win it at the death but failed to capitalise on a strong breakaway chance. Juventus remain unbeaten, along with Atalanta and Udinese, the latter of which joins them on top of the standings after a 0-0 draw away at Cagliari in Sardinia. 

Also drawing 0-0 were Lazio and Palermo who played out a stalemate at the Stadio Olimpico. Both sides had decent chances to take the initiative in this one but in the end could not find away past each others defense. For Lazio with Fiorentina and Roma up next in the league two points dropped here may be looked back with regret in the rounds to come. Napoli also dropped points in the Saturday evening game at home to a strong Fiorentina side while Genoa relinquished their top stop after being reduced to ten men in Chievo and falling to a 2-1 defeat after having initially led.

So another round in the books and although not as entertaining as ones just passed, in terms of goals at least, the table is set up in such a manner that anyone on four points or more will begin to think they could make a run at Europe or in some select cases the Scudetto this season. This tight nature coincides with some huge clashes in the next round with Juve hosting Milan, Inter hosing Napoli and Lazio heading to Florence. It's not make or break yet but each one of these six will be looking to lay down a marker heading into the International break while Roma, Udinese and initial pace setters Genoa will be looking to capitalise on the fall out. 

Calcio comment: Topsy turvey table

It was no surprise to hear this morning that Inter coach Gasperini had been sacked after a hapless start to his managerial career, a start that with just one game to go in round four sees Inter Milan, European Champions in 2010, in the relegation zone. Rumours are abound that Claudio Ranieri will take over and he at least has big club experience from his time at Valencia, Chelsea and Juventus. Whether he will be the answer for Inter's woeful start remains to be seen but things could not continue especially after a horrendous 3-1 defeat to Novara last night. 

However, this was not a round for the big guns as Milan, Juve and Napoli all failed to pick up three points which leave Genoa top of Serie A, on goal difference, tonight. Milan and Juve both failed to beat Udinese and Bologna respectively with Juve down to ten men for the last 45 minutes of their match. Napoli did not fare much better either having fell 1-0 in Verona after their heroics against Milan on Sunday night. An unpredictable round it was and no game illustrated this more than Lazio's win in Cesena. Having put in a limp first half performance and trailing at half time Lazio overturned the score through Hernanes and Klose within minutes in the second half.

Two teams flying under the radar, for different reasons are Atalanta and Fiorentina. The viola recored their second win of the campaign with Stefan Jovetic hitting a brace while Atalanta have now wiped out their points penalty, after just three rounds, to put them up to 15th in the table. Not many would have thought that possible at the beginning of the season. Then again, not many would have thought Milan and Inter would be in the bottom half of the table. It looks wide open and unpredictable this campaign and that should just add to the excitement.

Champions League: Milan and Napoli pick up great away draws while Inter disgrace themselves

Milan and Napoli both emerged from tough encounters with Barcelona and Manchester City respectively with a hard earned away point but Inter's truly woeful start to the season continued as they crashed to a 1-0 defeat to Turkish side Trabzonspor. 

Milan were handed a nightmare start to their champions league campaign but despite being subjected to the usual avalanche of Barcelona possession they emerged from the Camp Nou with a 2-2 draw, thanks to an early wonder strike from Pato and a header at the death from Thiago Silva. Despite being out bossed in terms of possession Milan were strong defensively and well organised and with three less complicated fixtures up next will hope to go into their home game against Barca in round five of the Champions League with ten points under their belt. It's early days but they have at least given themselves a chance to top this group and avoid a tougher round in the second round.

Napoli also emerged with a credible point, although it could have been more. City dominated the early proceedings but arguably the best chance fell to Lavezzi in the first half as his curling effort was half an inch away from gracing the back of the net. City, not to be outdone, also hit the bar through Yaya toure but 0-0 at half time it was. After the break Napoli started the stronger and should have gone in front through a Marek Hamsik volley which was cleared of the line, in superb fashion, but Vicent Kompany. City were rocking though and Hamsik again was at the centre of it all. A lightning fast counter attack led by Hamsik broke away and Cavani applied the finish to Hamisk's exquisite through ball. The lead did not last long however as Kolarov fired home from a free kick but replays showed Napoli really should have done better defensively as no attempt was made at jumping by the wall. Still, it ended 1-1 and Napoli will entertain Villareal at the San Paolo in the next round.

That leaves Inter and their crisis depend tonight after a truly woeful defeat at home to Trabzonspor, losing by one goal to nil. Despite creating numerous chances Inter were kept at bay by superb goalkeeper from Zengin and woeful misses in front of goal, especially from Pazzini and Milito who both spurned great chances. They were punished for their complacency and now have it all to do. The only good news was that Lille and CSKAs game ended all square, and that leaves Inter still in serious contention but with their tails between their legs for now. 

Round two roundup

It seems strange to call this round two given that it was in effect opening day but technically speaking this was the second round and it did not disappoint with 35 goals being banged in around the Penisula over just ten games. It is truly great to be back. 

Big crowds packed the stands as well despite the strike in week one and this was the case in Turin today when Juve put on a superb display to beat Parma 4-1 in the grand opening of their stadium. A wonderful display from Andrea Pirlo rolled back the years as he ran the game from midfield. The Juventini would have been encouraged by this dominant display and entertained by two especially stunning strikes from Claudio Marchisio and new midfield rock Artur Vidal.

Not to be outdone of course rivals Napoli had the night before put three past Cesena as they won their for the second year in a row. This time however it was Marek Hamsik and not Edison Cavani who was the hero as the midfielder provided the assist for Hugo Campagnaro's goal and then belted one in with a fierce left footed drive himself in the games dying embers. With Milan and Lazio sharing the spoils this put Napoli and Juve ahead of two of their major rivals this season before Fiorentina, Roma and Inter went into action later in the day. Fiorentina did not let the viola fans down putting in a dominant home display to beat Bologna 2-0. Alberto Gilardino headed the Florence outfit in front and Cerci who ended the season red hot began this one in the same manner and put them 2 in front after the break.

Two of the big title contenders were still to come and Roma's tifosi will not be impressed with the manner in which their season has started as they crashed to a 2-1 home defeat to Cagliari. Luis Enrique will be under huge pressure and with Inter up next week they could well enter week three with no points on the board. Inter however could face that prospect as well as they fell 4-3 to Palermo in Sicily tonight in a belter of an encounter. Inter at half time but that has often been a curse on this fixture in recent years and it proved to be the case tonight as Palermo secured the win through two brilliant strikes from Miccoli and Pinilla respectively. Milito and Forlan both hit the net but it was not enough for the Benemata.

Elsewhere Genoa stalled at home to Atalanta while new boys Novara managed to come back twice away at Chievo to secure a precious point. Siena and Catania also shared the spoils while Udinese picked up three massive points in Lecce to begin their season with a vital away win.

Season opener: Milan 2 - 2 Lazio

The season has finally begun and it was worth the wait as there were goals galore in Milan tonight. Lazio headed to Milan, a place they had not won in Serie A since 1989, saying they would attack and they did just that taking the game to the Rossoneri right from the first kick of the ball. It did not take them long to start creating chances either and a superb assist from Mauri allowed new signing Miroslav Klose to unlock the Milan back door to send Lazio in front. Milan did not no what had hit them as Lazio dictated the play for the first 25 minutes and it only got worse for the Diavolo when Djibril Cisse headed home another Mauri assist to put Lazio 2 goals to the good.

Milan were rocking but were allowed back into the game through a bad defensive play by the Lazio back line which left Ibrahimovic the task of tapping in from one yard out. Now it was Lazio who were rocking and the score was levelled after Antonio Cassano somehow managed to get on the end of a ball which Luciano Zauri should have cleared with ease. It looked a matter of time before Milan took the lead but the Aquile dug in and went in at the break level. After the break Milan started like that finished and it began to look like a back to the wall job for Lazio. Indeed stand in goalkeeper Albano Bizzarri repeatedly kept Boateng, Cassano and Ibrahimovic at bay although was lucky when a Cassano effort came back of the post. Despite this the best chance of the half fell to Lazio's Cisse who after rounding the keeper could not quite convert mainly due to some brilliant defending from Alessandro Nesta.

It finished 2-2 and Lazio will certainly be more pleased than Milan. Inter, Juve Napoli and Roma would have looked on with interest too and perhaps after this Milan don't seem as formidable as pundits have made out this season and an unpredictable season and Scudetto battle is afoot.

Club Focus: Cloud nine for Cesena?

A year ago Cesena rejoined the Serie A elite for the first time since 1991. It must have felt like a dream, especially with the club having spent time rotting in Serie C1 during the late 90s. Indeed, they were still there in 2009 until back to back promotions saw them arrive in Serie A. Last season was superb really for them. They were always comfortably away from the heat of the relegation battle and in the end finished just seven points away from a position in the top ten.

Quite some achievement you might say, but rather than rest on their laurrels and anticipate the famous second season syndrone the board room at Cesena has been active as well bringing  players with quality and experience. Adrian Mutu, Jorge Martinez, Antonio Candreva, former Brescia forward Eder and Abdel Ghezzal have all arrived while key talent Marco Parolo remains despite interest from some of Italy's biggest clubs. Impressive sums up this mercato for Cesena and this has been reflected in their season ticket sales which have exceeded 12,000 already. Not bad for a ground which has a capacity of just under 24,000 and given that their average attendance last season was 16,469 last year it is logical to forsee a significant increase on that figure come the end of the season. 

Despite the small capacity however the Stadio Dino Manuzzi will be an intimidating place to come this season with the fans so close to the pitch and if they start well a top ten placing could well be within their grasp come the seasons end.

Club focus: Tough year in store for Palermo

Most Serie A clubs this Summer have attempted to strengthen their squads. Inter, Milan, Juventus, Napoli, Lazio and Roma have all added significant players to their rosters while Genoa and Fiorentina, both aiming for top six places, have also added players of quality in the shape of Sebastian Frey and Andrea Lazzari whilst also retaining important players as well. Even Udinese, who sold Sanchez, Inler and Zapater can still call on developing talents and established first team players in the shape of Di Natale, Asamoah, Armero and Handanovic. For Palermo however this market has been something of a different story.

The season for Palermo ended on a high last year, even if they lost in the Coppa Italia final to Inter Milan. The final in the Stadio Olimpico represented a magificent moment for the club and their tifosi in pink replica kits vastly outnumbered their Inter rivals, taking over around three quarters of the 72,000 capacity stadium. Enthusiasm was high even in defeat but one wonders whether that is the case now after a quite woeful Summer market. Gone are Javier Pastore, Cesare Bovo, Mattia Cassani, Salvatore Sirigu, Fabio Liverani and Antonio Nocerino. The only transfers of note to come in are Matais Silvestre and Andrea Mantovani. True, this is a squad that still boasts talent in the shape of Josep Illicic, Armin Bacinovic, Ezequiel Munoz, Abel Hernandez and Fabrizio Miccoli but the sale of some of their best players, especially in the back line, is not the actions of a club aimining to keep pace with the rest of the big sides in the division.

Palermo fans will be disappointed and not for the first time given that Cavani and Kjaer both moved on last Summer and now both find themselves in rival Serie A sides, and given the huge income received from the Cavani and Pastore sales questions will be rasied as to why more of it was not invested in the squad. Palermo fans will also be disappointed that they are already out of Europe following a quite pitiful display in the Europa League qualifiers and that their coach has already been fired before a single game has been played in Serie A. The reigns have been handed to Devis Mangia who at just 37 years of age has a massive job on his hands after Delio Rossi declined to take up the hot seat in the Renzo Barbera once again. 

Despite this Zamperini will surely expect them to challenge for the Europa League places but with everyone else re-enforcing this will surely be beyond them. A place in the top ten looks like the best they can hope for at this stage and the dream of chasing down a Champions League spot, as they did just two seasons ago, must feel like a dim and distant memory. As for new coach Mangia he had better hope to hit the ground running at home to Inter this coming weekend else the comparisons made to Pep Guardiola by Zamperini himself today will also seem like a dim and distant memory as well.

Serie B: Pescara off to a great start while Nocerina hold on in first Serie B home game for 32 years

Zdenek Zeman steared Pescara to a second consecutive win to take the Abruzzo based side top of the Serie B table. Pescara fans have a right to be excited right now, not least because Juve man Ciro Immobile fired twice tonight in a 3-2 win over Serie B heavyweights Empoli. With Sampdoria stalling again in Livorno in a 0-0 game, Pescara have steamed away at the top with Sassuolo on six points. It is early day but with Zeman in charge Pescara will certainly be entertaining to watch this season. 

Joining them in the win column tonight was Bari winning 1-0 away at Modena while Ascoli were also victorious, chipping away at their six point penalty which they were given at the beginning of the season. Not every team in Serie B played tonight but Nocerina did and they entertained Brescia in a packed Stadio San Francesco D'Assisi in their first Serie B game for 32 years, having been promoted from the Lega Pro last year. This is something of a fairytale for this club and they did not disappoint, taking the lead after Castaldo headed in a deflected shot after 40 minutes. The lead did not last long however as Ignacio fired home a superb low strike from outside the area on the stroke of half time. It finished 1-1 after an entertaining second half with Brescia twice hitting the woodwork. Tomorrow Torino and Hellas Verona are both in action and will be looking to pick up three points against Cittadella and Juve Stabia respectively.

Inter kick start their mercato, at last

It's taken them some time but much like city rivals Milan last Summer Inter have finally taken substantial action as far as their mercato goes. Diego Forlan and Andrea Poli are set to come in and this may kick start a frantic final few days of the mercato for the Nerazzurri. 

With Samuel Eto'o moving to pastures new Diego Forlan is set to take his place. Although older than the Cameroon Lion Forlan represents a quality addition to an already quality forward line with Diego Milito back from injury, Giampaolo Pazzini already in good form after his pre-season exploits and Luc Castingos arriving from Feyenoord ready to learn his trade alongside some of the top forwards in the world. 

The loss of Eto'o will still hurt for the Inter Tifosi and perhaps more players are set to arrive given that Forlan is rumoured to cost Inter 'only' five million and that Andrea Poli, the talented young midfielder who broke through at Sampdoria over the last two years, is set to arrive on loan with an option to buy. 

Inter have though been heavy spenders over the last decade and beyond and perhaps with Inter having achieved everything now under Moratti's watch the incentive to splash million after million has dried up somewhat and now is the time to reign this in. Time will tell whether this is the case for Inter and the opportunity to sell a player of 30 years of age for almost 30 million euros is not an offer to be sneezed at. Alternatively, perhaps Moratti sees this as the time to freshen up a squad that slumped last year after that treble winning season with fresh faces, eagar to make a run at the Scudetto and Champions League titles once more. 

Perhaps whether anyone else of significance arrives or not will indicate whether Inter are looking to halt the big spending of recent years or instead freshen up the squad much like they did last time in the wake of Ibrahimovic being sold. Either way, Interista's should be pleased tonight at least that some intent has at last been shown by their club this Summer.

Pandev off to Naples

Napoli have captured Goran Pandev on a season long loan as the Partenopei add another quality player to their lineup for the long season that they have ahead of them. Of course as is well known by now this season will not start this weekend due to strike action but Napoli will need the new additions to their squad to hit top gear early considering the challenge that awaits them in repeating last seasons third place heroics and getting out of the group of death that they have fallen into in the Champions League. 

Pandev's experience will help with this, after all he eliminated Bayern Munich from the Champions League last season with a superb goal at the Allianz Arena to send Inter through to the quarter finals, and he will provide welcome relief and quality to a forward line that already boasts Cavani and Lavezzi. With Inler and Dzemali arriving as well and Gargano still on board the strength in depth Napoli have has increased, and it needed to if they are to be competitive on all fronts. However, tonight's news should please Napoli fans and Pandev as well. At Inter he was never going to lead their front line but in Naples he will get on the pitch far more often that he would have done at the San Siro. Looks like a win win situation for all concerned then, even the Interista's who should now see Diego Forlan arrive to add weight to their attack, and maybe Palacio as well.

Inter rebuilding as Eto'o on the verge of Russian move

The more time that passes in the final days of the mercato the more certain it looks that Samuel Eto'o is on the verge of completing a multi million pound move to Russia. All in all this will be disappointing news for Nerazzuri followers as Samu was their best player last season, and by some distance. Having held up the Inter front line while Diego Milito spent most of the season injured and while Wesley Sneijder failed to live up to the high standards so often displayed in his first season Eto'o will be sorely missed. And, despite Zanetti and Cambiasso having come out and stated that Inter are still strong, which they of course are, one wonders whether another quiet mercato at San Siro will cost them again this season.

Let's look at the situation rationally however. Eto'o has perhaps two to three seasons left in him at the top and his sale will earn Inter a reported 100 million in savings on wages and the transfer fee itself. This, in theory at least, should allow Inter to invest some of that in replacing the great man and keeping Wesley Sneijder as well. It all sounds a beat defeatist however while other clubs round Europe splash money like their is no tomorrow. This is however something Inter have been doing for years and lets not forget that this was exactly what they did in January when signing Giampaolo Pazzini and Yugo Nagatomo. Indeed talented signings in the shape of Argentine Alvarez, who has impressed in pre-season, and highly rated Dutch youngster Luc Castaignos have arrived. The latter is regarded as a huge talent, being only 18 and having scored 15 goals in just 30 games for Feyenoord in the Dutch Eredivise last season. 

The question is whether players of this immature ilk can fill the shoes of the like of Eto'o for Inter? The obvious answer is no, not right away and while they present a bright future for the Benemata they will be reliant on a fully fit Milito and Pazzini front line to replace the goals that the Cameroon Lion gave them last year. Talk of Diego Forlan is on the horizon and while knocking on in years, in sporting terms at least, he could be the sort of player to fill the void for a year or two until the young talent at Inter are ready to come to the fore.

Calcio Mercato: Who is Mr X?

Since the beginning of the mercato Milan have been keen to add a midfielder. It's no secret, since Andrea Pirlo has moved on Allegri has been on the look out for someone with a touch of class to fill the void and there is no question that this is needed. Whilst Boateng offers ingenuity and tenacity the rest of the midfield looks like something you would find out of a rough nightclub. That is no disrespect because they are all enforcers. Van Bommel, Gattuso and Ambrosini are all keen to break up play but cannot be relied upon to open up space and create opportunites for the forwards. Enter, therefore, Mr X. But who is he, or does he even exists. Is it all a mirage from Galliani and co or much like last year will they surprise all with a stunning mercato move in it's dying embers?

All of these are just questions but Bastian Schweinsteiger has today been linked with Milan. He is exactly the type of midfield player Milan need. Not only is he highly talented but he has the experience at club and international level to settle in straight away and pull the strings for the Diavolo. How true this rumour is is anyones guess. An alternative is Riccardo Montolivo. The viola player is one whose reputation is growing in stature and his role in Fiorentina's champions league run two seasons ago is to his advantage. Indeed, he is beginning to make the Italy shirt his own as well with a great performance their 2-1 win against Spain last week.

The final candidate would seem to be Alberto Aquiliani who has enjoyed a decent pre season and also made an impact against Spain last week, but one would question whether Allegri can build a midfield around a 

player who is frequently injury prone. 

With not many weeks left until the window shuts it won't be long until the identity of Mr X is revealed. The real question is whether Milan really know who he is right now. One would hope so if they are aiming to have a genuine crack at the Champions League this season. 

Supercoppa Italia: AC Milan 2-1 Inter

AC Milan started their season in winning form in China with a sweet victory over rivals Inter in the Italian super cup, but for large periods of the game it looked like AC had no answer to their city rivals. Inter were much the better side in the first half as Wesley Sneijder gave them the lead through an excellent free kick after Gennaro Gattuso brought Obi down on the edge of the area. Indeed, Obi and new signing Riccardo Alvarez looked excellent down the left hand side as their tormented Ignazio Abate for much of the first half. 

It look hard to see anyway back into this match for Milan at half time. Their midfield looked stagnant as Seedorf, Gattuso and Van Bomel struggled to feed Boateng and Ibrahimovic anything of creative substance. But, half time is where managers earn some of their money and Milan looked a different side after the break. Seedorf especially was superb as he and Robinho were involved in the build up for Ibrahimovic's headed equaliser. Inter were rattled and it showed when Pato was introduced. Abate's long ball fell to the young Brazilian and he forced a great save out of Julio Cesar, but he could not deny Boateng who converted the rebound.

This proved enough for Milan in a packed Birds Nest Stadium in China as they dealt the first blow to their most serious Scudetto challengers this season. However, last time Inter lost in the supercoppa they went on to do the treble so perhaps defeat here will be a good omen for their season.

Inter on the verge of signing Bastos

Inter Milan look on the verge of signing Lyon's left sided midfielder Michel Bastos. The Brazilian talent has long been linked with a move to Serie A and principally with Juventus but Inter look set to steal the show in an exchange that will see McDonald Mariga go the other way. 

Given that Inter look set to adopt a 3-4-3 formation next season Bastos is a player that will go down well in Inter quarters. His explosive pace and finishing ability was key in Lyon's run to the Champions League semi finals two years ago. It's been a slow market for Inter so far but this could kick start proceedings especially given the rumours that Maicon is up for sale to help fund the quest for Carlos Tevez.

In other news Samir Handanovic tied himself to Udinese in a contract until 2016.

Roma sign Stekelenburg as their revolution continues

Both Juventus and Lazio have arguably been the most active clubs in Serie A this mercato, but Roma are not far behind and are slowly assembling their squad for next season. With Bojan Krkic and Eric Lamela signed up for next season and Gabrielle Heinze added to the case Roma have now turned their attention to their goalkeeping situation, a department which has not been rock solid for them in recent years.

Enter Maarten Stekelenburg, the former Ajax and Holland number one. Widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, especially after his performances for Holland at the world cup last summer, Stekelenburg has joined the Roma revolution. One man out the door seems to be Mirko Vucinic. The highly rated forward looks set to join Juventus in a 15 million euro move this Monday and the merry go round looks set to kick in. If the rumour mill is to be believed this will lead to Fabio Quagliarella moving away from Turin possible to Fiorentina in an exchange with Juan Manual Vargas to fill their void down the left hand side. This could well be an interesting week in the transfer market.

Udinese continue great pre-season

Many have suggested that Udinese, since parting with Zapater, Inler and Sanchez, are on track to become this seasons Sampdoria. Having qualified for the Champions League last season Doria hit self destruct when parting with their two best players and crashed out of the Serie A top flight  in dismal fashion. Udinese were last years Samp when they qualified for the Champions League, but will they be this seasons Samp and go into oblivion after parting with some of their best players from the last campaign?

The answer at the moment would be a resounding no. There is depth to this Udinese team. While Sanchez and Inler may have gone, Asamoah, Benatia, Armero, Handanovic and Di Natale still remain and they have shown that they are a force to be reckoned with after destryoing Bordeaux in France 3-1 and Marseille 2-1 in recent days. Impressive results again two of the three last French Championship winners. Even more impressive when you think that Ligue 1 will kick off much sooner that Serie A. Udinese however have business before then of course in the Champions League preliminary rounds and while many believe that they will struggle to get through that phase they have shown so far in the pre-season that they can take their game to big foreign sides and win. Now they just have to do it when it matters, and recent results will give them the confidence that they can do so.

Big guns yet to fire

Juve, Lazio and Roma have added quality this mercato already and whilst it is only mid July we have still yet to see either of the Milan giants make any truly significant market moves. Whilst Milan have strengthened from a defensive view point with the signings of Philip Mexes and Taye Taiwo from Marseille and Inter have added highly rated talents Jonathon and Ricky Alvarez, neither of the Milan giants have made the sort of moves that will as of yet send shock waves around the rest of the division and Europe.

Milan tifosi are of course awaiting the arrival of Mr X, a label given to their key mercato target by Allenatore Allegri and Vice President Galliani this summer and most will not doubt that this player is indeed on his way. Milan last summer constructed an excellent mercato whereby they secured Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robinho and Kevin Prince Boateng in August and most believe a similar situation is on the cards this year. Riccardo Montolivo looks set to join after all but washing his hands with Fiorentina. Interestingly many don't believe him to be Mr X, with Argentina's Javier Pastore and Cesc Fabregas topping the list in that category. The latter may initially seem unlikely but with Barcelona still haggling over the transfer fee for Udinese's Alexis Sanchez one wonders whether they will have the muscle to facilitate two huge transfers this summer.

What about Inter however? Well, they are after all still linked with both Tevez, Pastore and Sanchez but all look distant possibilities at best for the nerazzurri and while many will argue that the core of a quality team still remains and they no longer have Rafa Benitez to undo Mourinho's good work at the club this club needs a big name to rejuvenate a squad that may have become somewhat stale since winning all before them in the 2009-2010 season. Of course they will start this season with Giampaolo Pazzini and Yugo Nagatomo in their ranks but if they do make the anticipated shift to 3-4-3 then surely they will have to acquire someone to play out wide on the right flank of the 3 up front. 

It's no surprise then that they have been linked with Genoa's Rodrigo Palacio for that role. Indeed, the Argentine was superb at Genoa this season but it is arguable if he is big club quality and perhaps lacks the top level experience to bring Inter on a notch, which surely has to be their objective in this mercato.

All in all its been a cautious approach from both Milan clubs so far as opposed to both Juventus and Lazio who have added a number of players already. Whether it will end that way however remains to be seen.

Napoli add Inler

Napoli have had a quiet mercato so far considering they finished 3rd in Serie A last season but the San Paolo crowd will be pleased with the addition of Gokhan Inler to their starting line up at a fee of around 13 million euros. The Swiss midfielder has long been a target for some of Europes biggest clubs and Napoli have secured another coup by adding the former Udinese man to their starting line up. 

President De Laurentis has been behind Napoli's metoric rise from Serie C1. The additions of promising talents Lavezzi and Hamsik upon their return to the Italian top flight was seen as a sign of things to come and now Napoli can consider themselves to have one of the strongest lineups in Serie A with the likes of Cavani, Maggio, Gargano and De Sanctis within their line up. Inler adds more in this regard and Napoli fans will remember his 30 yard strike in Udinese's 2-1 win at the San Paolo last season.

This looks likely not to be the end for this Summers market for Napoli fans however, as President De Laurentis promised more signings, principally a forward to add depth to their exciting attack. Goran Pandev and Sergio Floccari have been linked but one wonders if a more high profile name will arrive to bolster their attack in the Champions League.

The so called 'Small clubs' re-enforce.

With Inter signing Ricky Alvarez, Lazio signing anyone they can get their hands on, Juventus adding Pirlo and Roma on the verge of signing Barcelona's Bojan and Erik Lamela you would think the smaller Serie A clubs are being left in the dust. Not so, it would seem.

Last seasons surprise package Cesena have already added Adrian Mutu, a player proven at International and top club level for their forward line next season. Today returning Serie A side Siena, relegated with a thread bare squad only last summer, seem to have signed Italy international Gaetano D'Agostino. Having not quite taken off in Florence the much hyped midfielder, linked to numerous big clubs last summer round Europe, seems content to rebuild his career at Siena.

For Serie A this is great news as after last years competitive relegation battle, which ultimately saw Sampdoria bite the dust, many teams can't be considered relegation fodder nor certain of Serie A status before the season begins. With this in mind it will be interesting to see how fellow competitors for that precious survival status will respond this summer. Bologna, Lecce, Novara and Atalanta will certainly have to do so.

Lazio on the rise?

Juventus aside, it's somewhat surprisingly Lazio who have been most active in the market so far in the Serie A. While Inter today completed the signing of the highly talented Ricky Alvarez from Velez Sarsfield, under the noses of English side Arsenal, Lazio look set to wrap up the signing of Djibril Cisse from Panathinaikos. 

Cisse has reeked havok in Greece scoring 52 goals in just 60 games. It's an outstanding return and one that won't be replacated in the tough and tactical nature that is Serie A, but his ability to finish will leave many an oppositions defence not exactly relishing the prospect of playing against him.

He is joined at Lazio by German hero Miroslav Klose, whose domestic record in recent years is abysmal. But at Lazio he will be given a new lease of live and is likely to be more of an impact player from the bench, especially in the big games. Irregardless, Klose is player who has performed at the highest level and will be motivated to make the German team at Euro 2012. This makes it an exciting time for Lazio tifosi as they addressing their main problem from last season, which was finding a natural goal scorer up front.

Indeed, it was midfielder Hernanes who toped the scoring charts for them with a splendid 11 goals from midfield while forwards Floccari, Zarate and Kozak brought up the rear with a solid tally of goals. That being said, had Lazio had a Cavani style player, at least in terms of goal output, then they would have been much higher up the table than 5th last season.

However, it looks like Lazio may not be done their either. Fabio Quagliarella has been linked today with the possibility that Mauro Zarate may be moving on, perhaps to Athletico Madrid with Sergio Aguero moving on from their to pastures new. There may be no football at this time of year, but that often does not make it any less interesting.

Juve take up the option on Matri and Quagliarella

Juventus have begun their mercato in impressive fashion so far, adding Andrea Pirlo to their midfield to give it a sense of gravitas that it perhaps has lacked since Pavel Nedved retired a couple of seasons ago. Pirlo, of course, is a player who has achieved great success both domestically and Internationally in recent years and his experience in the middle of the park will be needed if the old lady are to return from the slumber they have entered into in the last two campaigns. Now they have completed the signings of two players who did manage to impress last season, despite their dire campaign as a whole.

Fabio Quagliarella was having a superb campaign before injury took him out of the Juve lineup. 9 goals in 17 games was a very decent return prior to his horrific injury against Parma, and in many respects that match itself was where the wheels came off for the old lady in a 4-1 home hammering. But, prior to that, Quagliarella had taken to life at a big club like a duck to water and his redemption should be pleasing to that of the Juve tifosi. 

The same can be said for Matri as well. Another bright Italian talent Matri had at Cagliari carved out something of a reputation. Indeed in this campaign he had, prior to his move to Juve, hit 11 goals in 22 games. And, in the black and white, he continued this rich vein of form scoring 9 times in 16 games making him have a season total of 20 goals when all was said and done. Again, this is another permanent signing that the Juve tifosi can be pleased with even if their main problems last season was their dismal back line and midfield at times. 

The question remains however as to whether Juventus have turned a corner with these permanent signings. Certainly the addition of Ziegler at the back will have added quality, and with Bastos and Aguero still heavily linked Juventus may well be a force to be reckoned with next season in their new arena.

Serie B: Hellas Verona back up into Serie B

Finally Hellas Verona have something to cheer about. After spending time in the depths of Serie C Hellas Verona, Champions of Italy in 1985, have today secured promotion back into Serie B despite losing 1-0 away at Salernitana. Their 2-0 win in the first leg was more than enough in the end to send the Gialloblu back into the second division. Serie C was however a purgatory that they had been exposed to since 2007 when they were relegated from Serie B after 64 seasons of football in Italy's two highest divisions. And, as if that was bad enough, they have had to endure city rivals Chievo going from strength to strength in Serie A, pretty much confirming themselves as a mid table club. But today belongs to Hellas and one wonders with Novara doing the double jump from Serie C to Serie A whether Hellas can do the same next season. 

Calcio mercato: Leonardo set to go as Bielsa steps in?

After taking the reigns at Inter after the terrible reign of Rafa Benitez Leonardo looks set to jump ship yet again, this time to the cash injected pastures of Paris St Germain. But, for those Inter fans set to reach for the hankies, perhaps you should not bother. Inter's main problem in the most crucial moments of their campaign this season, the Milan derby and Champions League quarter final, was a complete defensive collapse.

Sound familiar? It was the same when he bossed AC Milan, and led them to concede 7 goals over two legs against Manchester United in the Champions League a couple of campaigns ago. The so called 4-2 fantasy simply never stood up when against more organised opposition and completely conflicted with the way Inter won all before them last season, where they adopted a defensively rick solid counter attacking style that was never more so evident when it matter most, against Barcelona in the Champions League and of course in their 10 man win over Milan.

Perhaps a style of this kind, or at least one that presents a more formidable structure for the opposition to break down, will be evident if Marcelo Bielsa takes the hot seat. Whilst his club level experience is limited he achieved great success with Chile at the last world cup, with them falling short in the group stage to eventual winners Spain and being ultimately eliminated by Brazil. His record with them is superb as well, having won 23 out of 42 games managed with just 12 defeats. Certainly a record to be proud of, but club football is a different game altogether, not more so than when at a club like Inter.

Novara up to Serie A as fairy tale return complete

Italian football loves a success story and for now it has another one to report as Novara, absent from Serie A for 55 years defeated Padova by 2-0 tonight to secure a berth in the top flight. Having only achieved promotion to Serie B last season from Serie C1A the target for them initially would surely have been survival but they led the division for a while in the seasons early going, just falling off the pace of Atalanta and Siena when all was said and done.

But perhaps to an extent this should not come as so much of a surprise. After all last season Novara in the Coppa Italia ran current Italian Champions Milan close at the San Siro, just getting knocked out by 2-1 with a stunning Flamini strike being the difference. What was noticable however was the passion of the Novara fans as the Curva Nord in the San Siro became their domain for the 90 minutes of that match. That will definitely something they will bring to Serie A next season as their fans embark on a success story up and down grounds across the peninsula.

Speaking of success stories another one could be on the cards. Hellas Verona were today victorious in the first leg of the final of the playoffs in Serie C1A beating Salernitana by 2-0. With a second leg still to play the job is not done but Salernitana would need to score 3 times without reply to go through. The Brigate Gialloblu could well be about to end their exile in the pergatory that is Serie C.

Udinese: Great season, perhaps almost too good as their squad looks set to be dismantled

It was a fantastic season for Udinese. The Northern side, who lets remember lost their first four games of the season, came back into contention and went virtually four months without losing a game to take fourth place, thanks to a better head to head with Lazio when all was said and done. But having achieved so much it now looks as if their squad, certain key members of it, are linked with a move away to pastures new.

In many respects this is not a surprise. When a team with limited financial means excels then their players become a hot commodity. Thats the same for big clubs too, but the difference here is that Udinese firstly cannot match the wage demands that the big clubs will comparably offer and secondly the lure of big money for their stars is in many respects just a lucrative as the prospect of Champions League football.

This is nothing new for Udinese though. Top players have come annd gone before. Oliver Bierhoff and Marcio Amoroso to name a couple. Top players however look set to go again. Alexis Sanchez is in the middle of a bidding war between some of Europes top clubs, while Gokhan Inler again looks set to leave with Napoli and Juve prime contenders. This is not to mention highly talented midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah who may fill the void in the Milan midfield left by Andrea Pirlo.

All ifs and buts of course but after making the Champions League Udinese's fans could be set for something of a come down this summer, and that would be a shame.

Calcio mercato: Conte in at Juve,

Barely has the ink dried on the current season and already the big Serie A clubs are looking to make moves for the next campaign. Antonio Conte takes the reigns at Juve. It's not a big surprise considering he has been linked to them for some time now, but one questions whether this is the right move for the Old Lady as they attempt to let another inexperienced manager try to take them back to the top again. 

To be honest though with no Champions League football on offer it was always going to be difficult to tempt anyone of significant substance into the Juve hotseat. That's not to say Conte won't do a good job, but once again Juve have gambled and this time cannot afford for it to end in disappointment as it has done for the last two years. Conte of course however is a Juve inside out, having played for them for 12 years and captained the great club. 

Conte has undoubted passion but didn't exactly inspire when in charge of Atalanta in Serie A last season, with the club being relegated in the end. However, he has led Bari and most recently Siena into Serie A. He's got a huge job on his hands now though and the pressure in Turin will be insurmountable before even a ball is kicked. With a new stadium and most likely a host of new straneri on show come August Conte will be up against it. Still, if he leads them back to the top his status will move even higher in Juve folk law.

Coppa Italia: Inter victorious after valiant effort from Palermo

A packed Stadio Olimpico, with over 50,000 Palermo fans making the trip, saw Inter claim their 7th Coppa Italia win last night in Rome by 3-1. The score suggests that it was a comfortable affair for Inter but that was anything but the case. Palermo dominated the midfield play putting Inter under significant pressure throughout the match, especially the second half, but were sucker punched twice but classic counter attacking football that saw Samuel Eto'o score his 36th and 37th goals of the season, an incredible tally for the Lion of Cameroon. Palermo gave themselves half a chance with a later goal from Munoz, despite the fact that the corner it came from should never have been awarded. But the game was killed off late on when Munoz received his marching orders and then some superb work down the left wing from Goran Pandev fed Milito the easiest of finishes. Inter have been a team Palermo have struggled against in recent seasons. They've beaten Juve, Inter Milan and Roma on numerous occasions but against the Nerazzurri it has been a different story and that remained the case. 

The game looks set to be Fabrizio Miccoli's last game in the Palermo pink and mnay have suggested his next destination will be Lecce. Both he and coach Rossi were in tears after the game and one wonders where they will both be next season.

Calcio Mercato: Juve sign Pirlo and Ziegler

The 2010-2011 season has only just been laid to rest and already the mercato has kicked off, not that it should surprise any of us. Milan had decided not to offer Andrea Pirlo another contract therefore shedding themselves of one of footballs great play makers over recent years and as a consequence free up some space on their wage bill as well. Somewhat unsurprisingly he heads to Juventus, and having already played for Inter Milan as well he completes, or at least will do when he takes to the pitch, the set of playing for all three of Italy's biggest clubs. Joining him at the old lady will be Sampdoria's Reto Ziegler, the highly rated left back who will be filling a position in the Juve line up that has been somewhat problematic over the last few campaigns.  

Both these deals raise interesting consequences as to both any concrete move for Alberto Aquilani and Lyon's Michel Bastos. Of course there is the possibility that he could be played at left wing rather than left back but any tactical analysis of what to expect from Juve next season remains worthless until it is announced as to who will sit on the bench in the new Stadio Delle Alpi. One thing is for sure and that is given the last two abysmal campaigns for the Turin giants at lot more will be expected of them, not least because they have nothing but Serie A to focus on next season. 

Heartbreak in Genoa and Sampdoria are relegated to Serie B

Despite a spirited first half performance, in which Samp had a legitimate goal disallowed, Sampdoria fell 2-1 at home to Palermo and tasted the bitter feeling of being relegated into Serie B. Fabrizio Miccoli put Palermo ahead just before half time after Sampdoria had thrown everything but the kitchen sink at Palermo, but it was to no avail. It didn't take Samp long after the break to draw level however as Jonathon Biabiany headed home after some poor Palermo goal keeping. 

Still, in a game which meant everything to Samp and nothing to Palermo it was difficult to to tell which was the team who needed to display some urgency, as Samp ambled around doing little in the second half to give their fans any hope of getting out of this mess. And to make matters worse Lecce were winning at Bari, meaning that Samp had to win simply to keep pace with the Southern outfit. But the fail nail was driven in to Samp's Serie A status when Pinilla fired home with just a few minutes left on the clock to send Samp crashing to defeat. 

Despite this the Samp fans kept signing, kept being proud of their club despite the internal problems there have been at Samp this season. They've gone from 4th spot last season to 18th this campaign, and just like Palombo was at the end of the match today their fans will be inconsolable tonight. Come back soon Samp.

Cup final set as Palermo will take on holders Inter

Palermo made their way to the final in stunning fashion last night with a 2-1 win over Milan and they will have to beat holders Inter to get their hands on their first ever piece of silverware. Whilst their record against AC is great in recent seasons Palermo have struggled against Inter and they would definitely have preferred to take on Roma, who were defeated 2-1 on aggregate tonight by Inter, instead.

Indeed, an exquisite Samuel Eto'o finish gave Inter the lead tonight in the second half before Marco Boriello leveled the tie with a superb header in the games dying embers. Moments before the former Milan and Genoa forward had hit both posts with a strike that beat Julio Cesar as the drama cranked up to maximum. Diego Milito also had a valid penalty claim turned away as Juan took out the Argentine without getting near the ball on the 90 minute mark. In the end it did not matter as Inter went through and will play Palermo in the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday the 29th of May, a week after the domestic season ends.

Serie A: Juve implode once more to virtually end their Champions League dream

Once again Juve let themselves down against a mid table side, and once again they blew a 2 goal lead to virtually end all hope of them securing 4th spot and a ticket to the Champions League qualifying round. Much like against Catania Juventus were in cruise control, two goals to the good and without any threat of a comeback, or so it seemed. However just as they did against Catania Juve conceded two quick goals to peg them back to 2-2, and after a moment of madness from Gigi Buffon they could have been 3-2 down. 

Indeed, nothing went right for Juventus last night as in the games dying embers Giorgio Chielini blew a chance to give Juve back the lead with a header than flew back off the post. One thing is for sure though, and that is that this team has a problem against the divisions lesser sides. Juve after all have, against the best seven Serie A sides, the best head to head record. Winning against Roma and Inter, beating Milan in the San Siro, beating Lazio home and away and hammering Udinese 4-0 in the Friuli. 

This form is in stark contrast to dismal defeats away at Lecce, at home to Parma and Bologna respectively. It is a perceived arrogance in their minds, are they not up for the smaller occasion? Perhaps, but this side is simply not the same as the one that dominated Italian football and European football for so long during the 90s and early part of the 00s. Back to back Champions League football finals are now long in the memory, but there is reason to be hopeful .

A new stadium beckons and big investment in the summer is promised, but money has been spent before. What is needed is a top notch manager to see this through. Del Neri can't be blamed for everything at Juve this season but perhaps it is time for a manager with big club experience comes in to take the reigns.

Serie A: Bresica back in Serie B

It seemed inevitable and after today's defeat at home to Catania, a side who had not even won away on the road this campaign, Brescia were condemned to Serie B having just picked up 31 points so far this season. They join Bari in the Cadetti and as things stand Sampdoria will not be far behind them after their heartbreaking last second derby defeat to Genoa tonight. Lecce moved themselves out of the relegation zone with a stunning win over Napoli while Catania, who sent Brescia down, are now mathematically safe with them being more than six points clear of Sampdoria as things stand. 

Parma too are safe. Sampdoria could catch them on points but Parma beat them in both games and therefore have a better head to head. Chievo also are on 42 points but there games with Sampdoria both ended 0-0. However Chievo only have a goal difference of minus 2, while Samp have a minus 13 goal difference. Therefore Chievo are virtually save short of a plethora of goals from Samp in their last two games, something that seems unlikely. With all this in mind it seems as if the final battle for Serie A survival will be between Samp and Lecce, though Cesena and Bologna are not quite safe just yet.

Milan Champions of Italy

Milan arrived in Rome tonight needing a point and that's exactly what they got as they played out a 0-0 draw in this tight, tense and emotional affair. Milan embodied all their defensive quality in this match up as Abbiati, Nesta and Silva shut down everything Roma had to offer as they themselves almost took the three points with a superb Robinho effort that cannoned off the post just after half time. Ibrahimovic returned, and played his part in holding up the ball and could have had a penalty, perhaps should have had a penalty when Doni brought him down when through on goal. It was not given, but in the end it mattered not as they got what they needed to win their 18th Scudetto, taking them level with Inter who also have been Italian Champions 18 times.

Both Milan giants still sit someway behind Juve's huge 27 title wins, and with their new stadium ready for next season they will also look to get back in on the act as well. But this is Milan, and Allegri's night, and credit must go to the coach for turning them into a defensive rock rather than a porous sponge that was so often the case under Leonardo.Congratulations Milan.

Elsewhere, both Atalanta and Siena returned to Serie A today after securing promotion from Serie B. They'll be lots of wine drunk in Italy tonight. 

Round 35 Preview: Can Napoli and Lazio get back on track?

With the Scudetto almost wrapped up for Milan the attention in Serie A now turns to the battle for fourth place and with this in mind Lazio entertain Juventus in the big game on Monday night. Juventus have had another below par season and are in danger of not even making the Europe League as things stand while Lazio have returned to the side of the table that they should be in, rather than battling relegation. At stake in this encounter, for Lazio at least, is another step into the Champions League qualifying round. But Juve have improved of late and are unbeaten in their last five games and the last time Lazio actually beat Juve in Serie A is as far back as 2003. And with Lazio needing a win here that record will need to be broken or they run the risk of letting Udinese and Roma close in upon that vital fourth place berth. 

Elsewhere Napoli will look to bounce back from two straight defeats and not let their good work go to waste this season. They take on an improving Genoa on Saturday night and will look to take three points of Ballardini's men now the pressure of chasing the Scudetto has all but subsided. Three points here could well see them clinch Champions League football next season depending upon Udinese result in Florence on Sunday afternoon.

The battle to avoid relegation is really heating up and Sampdoria have avoided total free fall by beating Bari last week. They take on Brescia at the Marassi this Sunday and for Samp this is a must win game considering the results that went the way of Parma, Cesena and Catania last week. A win for any of those three would move them virtually into safety as any of them would reach the 40 point barrier. For Lecce, also on 35 points with Samp, they need to continue their free scoing form away at Chievo but need to halt the ridiculous amount of goals conceded so far this season. Currently this is a division worst of 60 goals conceded in just 34 games. Food for thought for Gigi Di Canio as he looks to take something away against a dogged Chievo side.

Fiorentina focus: Dunga dreams of Fiorentina, but do the Viola?

It's no secret that this season has been one of immense disappointment for Fiorentina. After having a fantastic season in Europe last season la viola were expecting much more than a mid table finish this season, but that's what looks set to be the case for them. Yes, they have been without Stefan Jovetic amd the troubled Adrian Mutu for a large portion of the season but Mihajlovic would have been expected to achieve more than he has up to this point. There season has never really got going and from the the word go they have never been in the race for major European berths, all the while they have had a relatively un-congested fixture list.

And now Dunga enters the frey. A former Fiorentina and Brazil legend Dunga was not exactly the most popular Brazilian manager to lead the selecao at a world cup with a more defensive a tactical approach to the usually free flowing style of Brazilian play. The question is however whether he would be the right fit for Fiorentina. There's no question Sinisa Mihajlovic has talent as an allenatore after his display with Catania but where there is more pressure, as there is in Florence, you have to deliver quick or face the axe. 

Pressure is something Dunga is used too. Managing Brazil is without question the definition of pressure. It's either win the world cup or simply exit stage left. He ended up taking the latter option but with this in mind for Fiorentina he has the nous to manage big game players and take them up to where they belong, battling for the top European places. And with them not doing this in the season, it is hard to see Mihajlovic lasting in Florence for when the 2011-2012 season kicks off, not least because they only had Serie A to focus on this season. Time for a new approach, perhaps.

Inter focus: Scudetto stranglehold all but over. What next?

With Milan sitting eight points clear at the top of Serie A it looks almost certain that Inter's domination of the Scudetto is over. Milan will more than likely require just one point after the weekend game against Bologna and even today the preperation for next season seems already underway as rumours suggest Milan have agreed terms with talented left Marseille left back Taye Taiwo. This re-enforces the believe that Allegri is the right coach for Milan. He has taken the same defense and made them, so far, conceded only 23 goals compared to the 39 they did last season. Just imagine what he could do with world class wing backs and a top notch replacement for Nesta. These are the areas Milan are likely to enforce in the summer with Fiorentina's Ricardo Montolivo rumoured to be joining as well. Exciting times them, but what for Inter last years European Champions. 

There is no question big changes are needed to a squad that saw no one come in last summer. The biggest change could well be on the bench although this seems unlikely given Moratti providing Leonardo with a welcomed boost in confidence recently. But, surely this summer we will see Inter return to the market and invest some serious cash as they look to re-enforce ahead of next season.

The rumour mill has of course started early but if the rumours are to be believed Leonardo has asked for two major purchases this summer, with one though to be Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez. It's no secret Tevez has wanted out of England for a while and Inter, with all their Argentine stars, could well be odds on to land the star forward. And this is a department they certainly need to invest in. Diego Milito this season has been virtually a spectator thanks to injuries and so much pressure has been put on Samuel Eto'o to deliver. Giampaolo Pazzini has arrived but one questions whether really he can deliver at the very highest level, as Tevez has done in the past. Udinese's Alexis Sanchez has also been heavily linked after a break out season and he could well provide the depth of quality upfront that Inter, without Milito for so long, have been lacking this season.

Midfield is also likely to be invested in as well. First and foremost however Wesley Sneijder must not be sold. Without question he makes Inter tick in the creative department and to part company with him would be a monumental body blow. If they have to sell to make big signinig this summer then Milito and Maicon are arguably the two that should move on, with Inter covered in the wing back positions with the exciting Nagatomo and Davide Santon returning from his loan spell at Cesena. The big rumour in midfield recently has been Arsenal's Cesc Fabragas, but with Barcelona constantly on his trail this deal seems one of pure fantasy. 

Still, unlike last summer this one is unlikely to be a quiet one for the Nerazzurri fans out there and that is something to be excited about after such a season of disappointment.