Friday 25 February 2011

Round 27: Titans clash at San Siro

Round 27 saves its best for Monday night as Napoli, a revelation this season, head to San Siro to attempt to take three points from Milan and join them on a level footing at the top of the table. After exiting Europe last night, despite outplaying Villareal for much of the match, Napoli will be looking to get themselves back on track against a Milan side that has been rocking slightly since the start of the New Year. The recent home defeat to Tottenham will have hurt Milan and given the likes of Napoli and Inter confidence that they can catch them before match day 38. Napoli will have to do without Lavezzi however as he continues to sit out his three match ban.

Before Napoli and Milan face of Inter have a difficult trip away at Sampdoria to contend with, a place where they crashed to a 1-0 defeat last season and another tough test will await them this year at the Marassi. Seeking to take advantage of all of this will be Lazio who head out to Sardinia to play Cagliari, a place which has been a happy hunting ground for them in recent years. However, under Roberto Donadoni Cagliari have registered eight wins and only six defeats, so they will be another tough nut to crack for one of the top four sides. 

Outside of the top four Juventus open this round with a home game against Bologna and will look to make up for their horror show against Lecce last week, while Roma also will look to build on their 1-0 win at Bologna in midweek under new Allenatore Vincenzo Montella at home to an under performing Parma side.

The clash of the Sunday afternoon games however looks set to be Palermo's home encounter with Udinese. The Friuli outfit have been in inspired form and their home draw to Brescia was something of a surprise last week and they'll look to make up for it here. For Palermo a defeat could leave them cut adrift of the Europa League positions before heading to play Lazio next week. It's only week 27 but it seems make or break already in some respects.

Wednesday 23 February 2011

Serie B focus: Return of Atalanta and Siena?

It's getting to the business end of the season. The time where points really do mean prizes, but not just in the top flight. This time last year both Siena and Atalanta were heading out of Serie A. Outdone by the new arrivals from Serie B, Parma and Bari to be precise, Atalanta and Siena were preparing themselves for a year in the Cadetti. It's still to early to say whether they will both return for sure especially given that as of now Siena sit in a playoff position. But Atalanta look strong and with 20,000 roaring them on every other week in Bergamo a return to the top flight looks a distinct posibility. 

Unbeaten since a 2-0 home defeat to Livorno in late November last year Atalanta have demonstrated the sort of form that will push them towards an immediate return to Serie A and thats a good thing for the league in general as they are a club that has played 50 seasons in Serie A, more campaigns in the top flight than Udinese, Cagliari and even former league champions Genoa. In this unbeaten period Atalanta have racked up six wins and four draws. 

The next few rounds however could have a huge bearing on where they ultimately finish in the table as they clash with fallen giants Torino and surprise package Novara who, after being promoted to Serie B last season, look set to make the double jump to Serie A as well . They currently sit second in the table after having led the league for some time in the early going and clearly are a side to be taken seriously in the race for promotion given that they still, after 27 games, are unbeaten at home.

It may be only week 27 in the Serie B calender, but give the experience of Atalanta and Siena and the sheer determination of Novara who have sat high up the table since the seasons beginnings it would take a brave man to be against these three being the sides that ply their trade in Serie A next season.

Monday 21 February 2011

Napoli keep up the pressure on Milan as top four break away

It proved to be a great round for Serie A's top four as Milan, Napoli, Inter and Lazio all recorded wins while the four below them in Udinese, Juve, Palermo and Roma all failed to win, and it was only Udinese out of those four who actually managed to avoid defeat after drawing 0-0 at home to Brescia, a game they would have expected to win. Juventus would also have expected to win away at Lecce after they beat European Champions Inter Milan the week before, but they fell to pieces at the Via Del Mare. Gigi Buffon was sent off in the early going and Lecce then asserted themselves as the superior time, taking the lead in the first half and then doubling after the break. Lecce have been in excellent form since the New Year swept in and this is a huge result that could well give them a significant edge in the battle against relegation.

Juve were not the only club to fall by the wayside this weekend as Roma completely capitulated away in Genoa, blowing a 3-0 lead to lose 4-3 at the Marassi. Alberto Paoloshi got the winner at it was certainly heard in Rome when Lazio were cruising to a comfortable win over Bari. Hernanes was once again on target with  a superb first time volley which was enough in the end to deliver another win for the Rome giants.

1-0 was a familiar score for the big guns and Napoli and Inter followed with 1-0 wins in which they both started well against Catania and Cagliari but in the end both found themselves begging for the final whistle as their heavy fixture lists begin to take their toll. Milan found themselves hanging on as well against Chievo and only found the three points from a wonderful Alex Pato strike. Left out of the midweek European game against Tottenham Pato found himself on the bench again but this time he was able to make the difference and maintain Milan's three point advantage over Napoli.

In the battle for relegation Cesena conceded a late goal away at Parma to have a potential three points for them reduced to one while Sampdoria picked up a valuable point at Fiorentina. Bologna however continued their good form picking up a win over Palermo with a late winner. They sit on 32 points now and seem set to avoid the direct battle for relegation, and this is in spite of their three point deduction for financial irregularities. An amazing achievement for them so far this campaign.

Monday 14 February 2011

Goodbye Ronaldo

It seems hard to believe, for me at least, that Ronaldo, il fenomeno, has retired. Maybe it’ s a sign of getting older but it does not seem that long ago that the Brazilian legend made his debut for Inter, and on it was upstaged by the then virtually unknown Alvaro Recoba who weighed in with two magnificent goals. It didn’t take long however for Ronaldo to make his mark at Inter as an outstanding 25 goals in 32 games in his debut season in Serie A showed, leaving him second behind Oliver Bierhoff in the scoring charts. 

Such an output came as no surprise whatsoever and despite his then tender age Ronaldo was,  as he has been so often described, a phenomenon, having hit a breathtaking 34 goals in 37 games for Barcelona the season before leading them to the Cup Winners Cup under Bobby Robson’s guidance.

The world was then Ronaldo’s oyster and he almost brought Inter the Scudetto, and but for that infamous match with Juventus and the penalty that was never given he may well have done. It was not a trophy-less season however as Inter went onto win the UEFA cup against Lazio in Paris by three goals to nil with Ronaldo on the mark with a sparkling effort including an array of step over’s that left Lazio keeper Luca Marchegiani rooted to the spot.

This super season led onto the World Cup where Brazil were clear favourites to win. Ronaldo lit up the tournament especially in the last sixteen match against Chile when he was on the mark twice and in the semi-final against Holland where he was on target again. The final however was for Brazil the combination of a total letdown and mystery as Ronaldo was at first left out of the squad and then re-introduced back into it after what was later found out to be a convulsive fit affecting the Inter Milan forward.

His ego may have been slightly bruised after Zidane, and not himself, stole the show in Paris that night but he reverted to his old self in Serie A again hitting 14 goals in 19 games the following season. But, from then at Inter injuries led to him featuring only seven times over the next two seasons before returning, in the 2001-2002 season, to hit 7 goals in 10 games in the World Cup year.

This time Ronaldo did steal the show in the final in Yokohoma scoring twice against Germany to give Brazil their fifth triumph in this glorious competition. However, his Italian venture was, we thought, over as Real Madrid beckoned and the galactico era had begun. Five glorious years at Real followed along with two La Liga titles, his first league titles in any league, and 117 league goals. 

But still the elusive Champions League title was absent from his collection. A move to AC Milan took place and ironically they did go onto win the Champions League that season, but Ronaldo could not share in the glory given that he had already represented Real Madrid in the competition that season and was cup tied. His time at Milan was short but he still broke records whilst representing the Diavolo. He became the first to score for both Milan and Inter in a derby, although that has since been equalled by Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

After just 22 games for Milan over two seasons a move back home to Brazil and Corinthians beckoned and that’s where he played out his final days as a footballer. Far from the melting pot that is European football Ronaldo was gone but not forgotten and that will remain the case for years, if not decades, to come. The three times FIFA Player of the year leaves the game having won over millions of fans. Goodbye, and thanks for the countless memories.

Sunday 13 February 2011

Round 25: Juve win derby D'Italia

The 182 derby D'Italia in Serie A ended with a Juventus win as Alessandro Matri continued his excellent start to his Juve career nodding home a Fredrick Sorrenson cross. It was the combination of the two talented young players that brought down the European Champions although it was anything but easy, as on more than one occasion Gianluigi Buffon confirmed why he is regarded as the world's best in his position with a number of important stops. There was nothing Buffon could do at the end however when Eto'o was unmarked at the back post, but somehow the Cameroon star cannoned his effort off the cross bar to all but wrap up the Juventus win. This was Juve's 81st win against Inter in Serie A in this prestigious fixture and gives them some lead of the Nerazzurri in that department as Inter sit on just 55 wins in comparison. However what really matters at this moment is where they sit in the table and these three points for Juve move them up to sixth on 41 points with Inter slipping down to fourth on 44 points after being leapfrogged by Lazio after their 2-0 win in Brescia this afternoon. 

Inter do however have a game in hand and that will take place this coming Wednesday against Fiorentina in Florence. Inter will not be pleased with their return to form however as their magnificent 4-2 win in Palermo confirmed earlier today. After going behind twice in that fixture Fiorentina dug deep and secured their first away win of the campaign this season thanks to a own goal by Cesare Bovo, whilst a late Ricardo Montolivo finish wrapped up the points late on.

The race for European places really has cranked up a notch now and Udinese again were victorious, this time in Cesena, with Toto Di Natale on target twice as he looks to catch Edinson Cavani in the race for top scorer. Lazio also picked up three points after a comfortable display in Brescia. Without Sergio Floccari and Mauro Zarate Libor Kozak once again stepped up heading home a beautifully weighted Cristian Ledesma corner to wrap up the points in the second half. 

In the battle for relegation Bari broke their losing streak but could only manage a draw at home to Genoa while Lecce lost to Catania 3-2 after having led 2-1  up until late on in the fixture as Diego Simeone tasted his first victory as Catania boss. Sampdoria moved themselves away from trouble with a 3-1 win against fellow midtablers Bologna while Cagliari all but secured their place in Serie A for next season with a thumping 4-1 win at home over the often dogged Chievo Verona.

So, another entertaining round comes to a close and its advantage AC Milan and Napoli in the race for Lo Scudetto but despite their defeat tonight a win for Inter in Florence on Wednesday night will bring them right back into it.

Serie A: Napoli confirm that they are the real deal

If there was any doubt in your mind, then remove it posthaste. Napoli's commanding win in Rome tonight, their first since their golden age in 1993, has elevated them into title contenders and perhaps even more significantly, given Roma's role in it last season, removed the capital side from it. Once again Edinson Cavani stole the show with a penalty, that definitely went in, and a superb conversion of a Paolo Cannavaro cross in the games dying embers to give the Azzurri three points. Roma never really got into the game and with Gargano and Pazienza dominating the midfield Daniele De Rossi never really dicated the tempo either and this was key when looking back as the lethal partnership that is Boriello and Vucinic hardly troubled the Napoli back line all night long.

With Milan running out 4-0 winners over Parma prior to this match the derby del sud really did seem a cup tie or sorts as to who really in this business phase of the season would push on and mount a challenge to both of the Milan clubs that seem set to duel for the Scuetto. Napoli confirmed their intentions tonight and will face Villareal in another test of their ambitions this season. Winning is paramount if they are to continue to grow as a club and give them the essential boost that they will need when they face AC Milan in two weeks time on February 28th at the San Siro. Perhaps it's too early to call that a Scudetto showdown but those three points could go a long way to determining where the title ends up come May.

Sunday 6 February 2011

Round 24: Inter and Napoli close the gap as Milan and Lazio stall again

Is the pressure getting to Milan? After today's 1-1 draw against Genoa and a huge win tonight for Inter over Roma at San Siro it may well be. Milan still sit three points clear of Napoli as things stand after a 1-1 draw in Genoa today but will now have to pick up their form if they are to weather this Inter and Napoli based storm. Alex Pato did set Milan off into what looked like would be a comfortable afternoon in Genoa today but Antonio Floro Flores equalised before half time to level things up and that's exactly how it finished as Milan drew their second game in succession.

At the same time Napoli were adding the finishing touches to another home win at the San Paolo with Edinson Cavani on target with his 18th Serie A goal of the season, whilst midfielder Sosa made it 2-0 against Cesena in the games dying embers. It was the sixth successive home game for Napoli in which they did not concede a goal as they push on towards the Serie A summit. It was not however such a good day for Lazio who could only draw at home to Chievo. An outstanding Hernanes free kick gave the Aquile the lead before half time but a defensive mix up led to Chievo equalising through Bosjan Cesar. Lazio created little afterwards and had to settle for the point. Lazio sit in fourth as things stand but have Udinese and Palermo breathing down their neck only two points behind after they both recorded strong wins against Sampdoria and Lecce respectively. 

Inter have also closed the gap after a highly entertaining 5-3 win over Roma tonight. Wesley Sneijder got things going with a stunning striker afte just 3 minutes and was instrumental in most of Inter's attacking play along with Douglas Maicon and Samuel Eto'o, who scored twice as well to bring home the three points. It was not all plain sailing however as Roma produced some superb attacking play, additionally scoring twice after they were reduced to ten men following former Inter player Nicolas Burdisso's dismissal. Inter move up to third and could close the gap at the top to just two points if they win their game in hand against Fiorentina on February 16th. However before that they must travel to play Juventus next week and AC Milan fans will be hoping that Inter drop points in that one.

Elsewhere Bari lost their 7th straight game in Serie A against Brescia 2-0 and they now are 7 points behind 19th placed Cesena and look set for the drop. Bologna however look set to avoid any battle for relegation this year as they now sit on 29 points after a 1-0 home win against Diego Simeone's Catania. Amauri finally found the net after almost a year for new club Parma against Fiorentina, but it finished all square with Gaetano D'Agostino providing Fiorentina with a valuable away point.

Juventus finally got back to winning ways with Alessandro Matri scoring twice against Cagliari in a 3-1 away win, just under a week after he left that very club during the January transfer window. It many ways it seemed inevitable that he would make that sort of impact.

Thursday 3 February 2011

Round 23: Inter the big winners as everyone else stalls

Inter rolled out 3-0 winners in Bari tonight, although as strange as it is to suggest after a 3-0 win it was far from convincing. It took a tactical change and the introduction of Wes Sneijder to inspire Inter towards their first goal from Houssine Kharja after a smart one two with Eto'o, while Pazzini added to the total in injury time before Sneijder himself got on the scoresheet, hit first Serie A goal this season. It was three points for Inter, and two more than arch rivals AC Milan achieved against Lazio on Tuesday night in a top of the table clash. Lazio arrived at the San Siro in highly organised fashion and gave Milan virtually nothing for 90 minutes, although the ten minutes after half time were highly uncomfortable for the Rome outfit and they just avoid defeat after Zlatan Ibrahimovic's superb strike cannoned off both posts. Milan still sit seven points clear of Inter, but the nerazzurri have a crucial game in hand away at Fiorentina where they will have the chance to close the gap. 

As both Milan and Lazio dropped points, so did Roma and Napoli. Roma could surprisingly only manage a draw at home to lowly Brescia while Napoli fell to pieces in Verona, going down 2-0 to Chievo. If it was bad for them, then it was worse for Juve as there season descended into free fall after another defeat, this time against the excellent Palermo and Javier Pastore who played a crucial role in locking the Juve back line.

Elsewhere Sinisa Mihajlovic may have just saved his job with a 1-0 win over Genoa thanks to a Mario Santana goal, while Udinese were halted at home by Bologna with Marco Di Vaio on target for the away side again. Lecce also racked up an impressive win to continue their unbeaten start to 2011 with a 1-0 win at Parma at the death. Finally, Cesena picked up another valuable point at home to Catania.