[ITA] Serie A 2007/2008 (41 Viewers)

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Christina

vanilla pudding
Aug 21, 2006
19,775
Results from today:

Fiorentina - Atalanta 2-2
Reggina - Roma 0-2
Inter - Catania 2-0
Napoli - Sampdoria 2-0
Genoa - Livorno 1-1
Palermo - Torino 1-1

Juve are in fourth now.
 

Azzurri7

Pinturicchio
Moderator
Dec 16, 2003
72,692
Some of you might disagree, but I think our game with Roma next week is really crucial though the season is long....But IF we manage to win against Roma this will really put us in better place and condition until we meet the Milans teams.

If we fail to win the game, then things are gonna get really difficult.
 

.zero

★ ★ ★
Aug 8, 2006
82,915
Some of you might disagree, but I think our game with Roma next week is really crucial though the season is long....But IF we manage to win against Roma this will really put us in better place and condition until we meet the Milans teams.

If we fail to win the game, then things are gonna get really difficult.
i see nothing wrong with that statement. but not to put any other teams down but we need to treat every match as its for the title.
 

Azzurri7

Pinturicchio
Moderator
Dec 16, 2003
72,692
No doubt about that, but once you win against the team that are leading the table and are one of the fav, then you go into the other games with good morals good way approaching the game and so on. meaning that if we win against roma this will give us a big big push.
 

Red

-------
Moderator
Nov 26, 2006
47,024
Some of you might disagree, but I think our game with Roma next week is really crucial though the season is long....But IF we manage to win against Roma this will really put us in better place and condition until we meet the Milans teams.

If we fail to win the game, then things are gonna get really difficult.
If we lose it will be difficult because losing consecutive games would really knock confidence.

A draw will be a good result for us considering how much better Roma are playing then us just now.
 

Dostoevsky

Tzu
Administrator
May 27, 2007
89,026
Serie A Matchday 4 Preview: All Ayes On Rome

Atalanta - Lazio

Despite being unbeaten, Lazio have had a disappointing start to the Serie A season with three consecutive draws against Torino, Sampdoria and Empoli. The Biancocelesti will be desperate for the three points against an Atalanta side who are also yet to lose so far this term.

Last weekend the Orobici achieved an excellent 2-2 draw away at Fiorentina thanks to a wonder goal by veteran striker Riccardo Zampagna. New Coach Luigi Del Neri, who took over from Palermo boss Stefano Colantuono in the summer, has made it perfectly clear that he aims to replicate last season's miraculous eighth place finish when the Nerazzurri just missed out on UEFA Cup qualification.

Lazio on the other hand have been looking far from impressive. Delio Rossi's men gained a creditable 1-1 Champions League draw at Olympiakos on Tuesday night but in truth the performance was anything but heroic. Nevertheless history is on Lazio's side for Sunday's game. Atalanta have gone 10 years and 11 games without beating the Romans, with the last triumph occurring in October 1997.

The Nerazzurri are without the suspended Thomas Manfredini and Moris Carrozzieri, while Zampagna is likely to lead the line up front, supported by the evergreen Cristiano Doni. Lazio are still without the injured Fabio Firmani, Mobido Diakhite and ex-Atalanta man Sebastiano Siviglia. Uruguyan goalkeeper Fernando Muslera is likely to replace 43-year-old Marco Ballotta between the sticks, while Massimo Mutarelli may also return after only being fit enough to start on the bench on Tuesday.

Cagliari - Palermo

Cagliari were tipped for relegation this season after the summer departures of star duo David Suazo and Mauro Esposito. However the Sardinians have made an excellent start with a 2-0 victory at Napoli on matchday one, a 2-2 draw at Parma and an extremely unlucky 3-2 defeat at home to Juventus.

Pasquale Foggia seems to have filled the void left by Suazo and Esposito as the winger has been in stunning form. The roasting he gave Giorgio Chiellini on matchday two surely underlines his Azzurri potential.

Palermo travel to the Stadio Sant’Elia buoyed by their last minute victory in the UEFA Cup over Mlada Bolselav. New signing Bosko Jankovic netted the winner and Coach Stefano Colantuono will be hoping the Serb can net again on Sunday.

The Rosanero have made an inconsistent start to the Serie A season with a win, draw and a defeat. The unfortunate 2-0 loss against Roma in week one was followed by an emphatic victory over Torino but last weekend’s draw at home to Alessandro Rosina-inspired Torino disappointed the Palermo supporters. History is not on Palermo’s side. The Sicilians have never won at the Stadio Sant’Elia in Serie A and it has been six games since they triumphed over their Sardinian counterparts.

As for team news, Cagliari boss Marco Giampaolo will be relieved that Foggia has recovered from a cold, but he will have to make do without injured defenders Joe Bizera and Francesco Pisano as well as midfielder Michele Fini. Mattia Cassani, Marco Pisano and Ciro Capuano are still missing for Palermo but Fabrizio Miccoli and Amauri will resume their lethal partnership up front after being rested in the UEFA Cup.

Catania – Fiorentina

Catania are yet to win in Serie A this season and were convincingly beaten 2-0 by champions Inter last weekend. Coach Silvio Baldini is still banned from the touchline for his outrageous kick at Parma boss Domenico Di Carlo.

Fiorentina have had a solid start to the new campaign and currently sit in sixth position with a win and two draws from their three games. A 3-1 win over Empoli was followed by a superb 1-1 draw at San Siro against Milan, before a stunning Riccardo Zampagna goal earned Atalanta a late point at the Stadio Franchi last weekend.

The Sicilians are without veteran defender Andrea Sottil, who is out injured. His spot is likely to be filled by ex-Palermo defender Christian Terlizzi. The dangerous Gionatha Spinesi will once again start up front by himself with Jorge Martinez in the hole behind him.

Viola boss Claudio Prandelli will renew the partnership of Adrian Mutu and Gimpaolo Pazzini after the latter started from the bench in the 1-1 UEFA Cup draw with Dutch side Groningen. Federico Balzaretti is injured, while midfielders Martin Jorgensen and Alberto Santana are doubtful with fitness problems. New Swiss signing Zdravko Kuzmanovic has impressed so far this term and may be given the nod ahead of Massimo Gobbi.

Empoli – Napoli

Napoli are brimming with confidence after two successive Serie A victories. The 5-0 thumping of Udinese and 2-0 win over Sampdoria have wiped away the disappointment of the opening-day defeat against Cagliari. Edy Reja’s men will come into this game extremely hopeful of picking up all three points.

Empoli on the other hand have a lot of work to do if they are to repeat last year’s miraculous campaign when they qualified for the UEFA Cup. The Tuscans are yet to win this term and currently sit second from bottom with one draw and two defeats. Coach Gigi Cagni has made no secret of the importance of Sunday’s game and rested virtually his whole team in the 2-1 win UEFA Cup victory over FC Zurich on Thursday evening.

Cagni has an injury concern over Daniele Adani but otherwise is expected to stick with the team that gained a creditable draw against Lazio in Rome last weekend. Juventus loan-signings Claudio Marchisio and Sebastian Giovinco are both expected to feature, with the latter probably starting from the bench.

Napoli boss Reja has no fresh injury worries and will name the same team that impressed against Sampdoria. Marcelo Zalayeta and Ezequiel Lavezzi have both made stunning starts to their Napoli careers and will be hoping to continue their exciting partnership at the Stadio Castellani.

Livorno - Inter

Bottom club Livorno have had a nightmare start to the season and are already being tipped for relegation by many. The Amaranto were thumped 5-1 by Juventus on matchday one, before conceding another four goals at home to Palermo the following week. A 1-1 draw at Genoa last weekend restored some credibility but Fernando Orsi’s men are badly missing the influence and goals of star-man Cristiano Lucarelli who joined Shakhtar Donetsk in the summer.

Inter’s confidence will have been knocked after a hugely disappointing 1-0 defeat by Fenerbahce in the Champions League on Wednesday night. The Nerazzurri were completely outplayed by the Turkish champions and were fortunate to escape from Istanbul without more of a hiding. Nevertheless Coach Roberto Mancini will be supremely confident of disposing with the Tuscan strugglers.

The ex-Lazio boss will have a host of suspended stars back such as Ivan Corodba, Nicolas Burdisso and Douglas Maicon. However he is still without the injured Christian Chivu, Marco Materazzi and Patrick Vieira. Hernan Crespo is likely to start up front alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Livorno are also missing some key players. Jose Vidigal is suspended while French midfielder Vikash Dhorasoo is still unable to make his debut due to injury. Erijon Bogdani and Francesco Tavano will lead the line up front.

Milan – Parma

Milan were in excellent form in midweek during the 2-1 Champions League victory over Benfica, however they are already beginning to fall behind the pace in Serie A. Two consecutive draws against Fiorentina and Siena mean the Rossoneri are five points behind leaders Roma. This makes Saturday’s clash with Parma a must win game for Carlo Ancelotti’s men.

Parma seem set for another relegation battle and their early season form has been far from impressive. The Gialloblu are yet to win this season and have just two points to show from their opening three games. However Domenico Di Carlo’s team may gain confidence from Milan’s shaky start to the Serie A campaign.

Di Carlo has a host of injury problems to contend with however. Giuseppe Cardone, Andrea Gasbarroni and Igor Budan are all out, while the talented Domenico Morfeo is still only a substitute after his pre-season bust up with his coach.

Ancelotti has often prioritised the Champions League, leading him to rest players in Serie A. However the signs are that with the exception of the injured Ronaldo, Paolo Maldini and the rested Filippo Inzaghi, he will put out a full-strength line-up against his former club.

Roma – Juventus

The match of the season so far sees the eagerly anticipated clash between Roma and Juventus. This game has always been hotly contested ever since the events of May 10, 1981. On that day, both teams were facing off in a crucial championship match. With just two games left to play, Juventus led Roma by a single point in the race for the Scudetto.

With 10 minutes to go, Roma defender Maurizio Turone scored what appeared to be a legitimate goal but the linesman flagged to disallow the goal for an infringement. The game ended 0-0, Juventus won their next two games and the Bianconeri ended the season as champions. This controversy spawned a huge rivalry between the two clubs, a rivalry that will be present on Sunday afternoon.

League leaders Roma are likely to pick the same team that trounced Dynamo Kiev 2-0 in midweek, although Ludovic Giuly may come in for Amantino Mancini. Christian Panucci, who is struggling with injury, will replace Marco Cassetti if he can prove his fitness.

Juventus, who had their 100 per cent start ended by Udinese last weekend, have numerous players missing. Mauro Camoranesi is out for a month, while Marco Marchionni, Jean-Alain Boumsong and Zdenek Grygera are also injured. Jonathan Zebina sits out the second game of his four-match ban.

Sampdoria – Genoa

The Roma-Juventus clash may be the match of the weekend, but the Genoa derby is certainly a close second. This will be the first Derby della Lanterna for almost 13 years and it is a clash both teams will be desperate to win as a gift for their fans.

Sampdoria had made a sound start to the season before being convincingly beaten 2-0 by Napoli last weekend and then drawing disappointingly with Danish side Aab in the UEFA Cup on Thursday. Genoa have yet to win this season and had an equally disappointing 1-1 draw at home to whipping-boys Livorno last Sunday.

Doria Coach Walter Mazzarri has injury doubts over a number of first-team players. Pietro Accardi, Christian Maggio, Emiliano Bonazzoli, Sergio Volpi and Hugo Campagnaro are all struggling, while goalkeeper Luca Castellazzi may be dropped after two disastrous displays against Napoli and Aab. Prolific goalscorer Vincenzo Montella is set to start against his former club.

Genoa are without the injured Alessandro Lucarelli and suspended Ivan Juric, while Giuseppe Sculli, Marco Borriello and Marco Di Vaio are likely to start in a three-pronged attack.

Torino - Siena

Serie A has struck up some interesting partnerships so far this term. Ezequiel Lavezzi and Marcelo Zalayeta at Napoli and Fabrizio Miccoli and Amauri at Palermo have been hitting the headlines for their impressive performances. Torino duo Alessandro Rosina and Alvaro Recoba seem to have struck up an instant understanding since the latter’s move from Inter.

The pair were superb last week during the 1-1 draw with Palermo and the two combined brilliantly for Recoba’s equaliser. Rosina is undoubtedly an Azzurri star for the future, while Recoba is now at a place where he can express his undisputed natural talent.

Siena may be second from bottom with only a point from three games, but the Tuscans were superb in their 1-1 draw with European Champions Milan last weekend and were only denied all three points by a last-gasp equaliser by Alessandro Nesta.

Nicola Ventola is likely to return from injury for Il Toro and will replace Sasa Bjelanovic, while Australian international Vince Grella is being tipped to start ahead of Paolo Zanetti, who is struggling with a knock.

Siena Coach Andrea Mandorlini will stick with most of the side who drew with Milan. The exception is Christian Bucchi who will be replaced by Brazilian striker Alberto. Last week’s substitute Mario Frick misses out due to suspension.

Udinese – Reggina

Udinese’s confidence will have been lifted after their magnificent 1-0 victory over Juventus at the Stadio Olimpico last week. The confidence of the Zebrette had been rock-bottom after a humiliating 5-0 pummelling by Napoli on matchday two. Antonio Di Natale scored the only goal in Turin and Coach Pasquale Marino will be hoping he can continue his stunning recent form against Reggina on Saturday.

The Amaranto have yet to win in Serie A this season and were comfortably beaten 2-0 by Roma last weekend but Massimo Ficcadenti’s men did gain creditable draws against Atalanta and Torino in the first two weeks of the campaign.

Udinese are still without Brazilian defender Felipe and Nigerian midfielder Christian Obodo, so unsurprisingly stick with the same team from last week. This means Di Natale is accompanied by Fabio Quagliarella and Gyan Asamoah in a fearsome-looking frontline.

Reggina will once again rely on the goalscoring exploits of veteran Nicola Amoruso, who has been a revelation since joining from Messina two years ago. Carlos Valdez is suspended for his red card against Roma and so Danish centre-back Kris Stadsgaard is set for his full-debut at the Stadio Friuli.

goal.com
 

Dostoevsky

Tzu
Administrator
May 27, 2007
89,026
FC INTER, Chinese future for the club?

One of the most important and rich Chinese business man, Li ka-shing, would be interested on buying the Italian club and in order to do that it seems that he is ready to offer up 350 millions of euro to chairman Massimo Moratti. Since Fc Inter right now is the most popular Italian club in China, Li ka-shing would ease the Fc Inter transfermarket session with 150 millions of euro ready for engage new players. Now Moratti has to decide wether to keep in his hands the leadership of Inter refusing probably the best ever offer or give up to the Chinese business man. It will not an easy choice.

transfermarketweb
 

Tobias

Guerriero
Sep 20, 2006
3,777
FC INTER, Chinese future for the club?

One of the most important and rich Chinese business man, Li ka-shing, would be interested on buying the Italian club and in order to do that it seems that he is ready to offer up 350 millions of euro to chairman Massimo Moratti. Since Fc Inter right now is the most popular Italian club in China, Li ka-shing would ease the Fc Inter transfermarket session with 150 millions of euro ready for engage new players. Now Moratti has to decide wether to keep in his hands the leadership of Inter refusing probably the best ever offer or give up to the Chinese business man. It will not an easy choice.

transfermarketweb
please change your avatar :oops:
 
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