Although Juventus and Manchester United come from completely different footballing cultures, there is a remarkable similarity between the two clubs, and not in terms of domestic triumphs, European successes, and being recognized as two of the most popular clubs in their respective countries. Rather, I’m talking about this season in particular. Sure, at first glance, there are some stark differences; Manchester United is coming off a season where they overtook Liverpool in English titles won and a spot in the [...]
There has been some cracking action in Serie A in midweek and there was a couple of upsets including Novara beating Inter Milan and then end of Gian Piero Gasperini reign at Inter Milan. Cesena 1-2 Lazio Lazio came back from a goal down with two goals in the 2nd half to end a dramatic few days for everyone aligned with Lazio. Adrian Mutu stuck his first goal for Cesena as he sprung the offside trap and finished calmly past [...]
Serie A Weekly welcomes writer Ben Powell to the pages of Serie A Weekly. Throughout the 2011-2012 season Ben will be bringing Gialloblu updates and insights to the website. Make sure to leave your comments for Ben all Chievo Verona faithful. A new Coach, a raft of new faces, another year older but some things remain the same. At the Stadio Bentegodi, this means front man and skipper Sergio Pellissier. At the end of last season, the Aorta born striker [...]
Failure to beat Cagliari on the season’s opening game served to make Roma’s trip to Inter a considerably more daunting prospect. Normally, both a clean sheet and an accompanying San Siro point would have been considered a profitable raid to the north, but in retrospect, Enrique was left to rue his team’s bewildering inability to score. Since Luis Enrique replaced Vincenzo Montella talk has almost exclusively revolved around Roma’s quest to become a quasi-Barcelona. And subsequently, the summer mercato did [...]
There was much excitement garnered after earlier in the summer Milan declared they were searching for a certain Mr. X. As the name suggests, it appeared as if the club were looking for a player who possessed an x-factor element. A player who single-handedly would elevate the team to a higher level and with it bring the club closer to the lofty heights that have characterised it’s history in the modern era. Up until the very last hour of the [...]
We reach the end of the road in our Serie A club previews for 2011-2012 with Udinese Calcio. Not as flash as big brother Juventus, our northerners from the Friuli–Venezia Giulia region do have an eye for young talent. But as Serie A Weekly writer Lorenzo Vicini points out, shame they couldn’t keep at least one of their major transfers out this summer for Champions League competition, already in their rearview mirror (courtesy of London’s Arsenal). 2010-2011 Recap It was [...]
Serie A Weekly welcome guest writer Steven Van Duyse to our crew with an eye to U.S. Lecce. Find out more on the potential of the Giallorossi in 2011-2012 as Steve lets us know if these Southerners will be more than Serie A bottom feeders in their second season up from Serie B calcio. Lecce narrowly avoided the drop last season, five points clear of the relegation zone. 2010 -11 Recap When people talk about US Lecce, the words ‘relegation [...]
Gazzetta dello Sport Seven LAST MINUTE Swoops Zamparini dreams of a Real piece. Pressing for Fernando Gago Napoli exaggerate, they’ve signed 10 with Fideleff 16-year-old talent Tassi is Inter’s Sneijder: “I’m staying” Same old Cassano, angry in training Ibra promise: “Milan, I won’t stop” Elia story, a fighter for Juve Zeman top with Sassuolo, Toro tonight Tuttosport Juve, hands on Bruno Alves Juve-Zenit agree terms. All that is missing is the OK from Bonucci Palacio to [...]
Last Friday Italian players’ association president Damiano Tommasi confirmed the strike was on and a delay to the Serie A season was unavoidable. All 20 Serie A team captains signed a document this month threatening of a strike if a new collective contract was not signed before September 28th. “We tried right up until the end, but all the attempts were in vain,” Tommasi said. The only other players’ strike in Serie A history was March 1996. As this season [...]
2010 - 11 Recap What a contrast there is between the three newly promoted teams arriving in Serie A this season. Two of them, Atalanta and Siena, make a quick return to Italy’s top-flight after just a season’s absence, the third , Novara, are welcomed back into the peninsula’s premier division for the first time in 55 years . It seemed for much of their previous campaign in Serie B that the club from Piedmont would arrive at Italy’s top [...]
A few words from the editor - this week I’m pleased to welcome back guest writer Steve Amoia to the pages of SerieAWeekly. With the start to Serie A rapidly approaching, Steve has kindly put together a volume packed list of need to know Italian terms for the those less familar with league and language. All planning on viewing football or soccer from Italian Serie A I’m hoping will love the trip back to school, enjoy students! Guest Writer - [...]
(original photo by AP Photo) Stevan Jovetic may never have been more damp in his whole life. As he rose from a giant pool of water on the St James’ Park pitch his Fiorentina strip appeared to have taken on a deeper hue of purple than those of his teammates. Yet despite his soaking he was grinning from ear to ear, just glad to be back doing what he loves best - playing football. In a summer of fan protests [...]
