S.P.A.L. on the march

 

I wrote an article last year about the possibility of Crotone getting promoted to Serie A, which they did, and the trend of ‘unfashionable’ clubs earning the right to play against the big boys. Well, it looks like it may happen again this season as one team are currently in the automatic promotion places in Serie B as we approach the business end once again.

S.P.A.L. 2013, better known as Società Polisportiva Ars et Labor (or simply SPAL) are based in Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna. They have played there home matches since 1928 at Stadio Paolo Mazza, named after Paolo Mazza (chairman of the club from 1946 to 1977).

The club was founded in 1907 as Circolo Ars et Labor by the Salesian priest Pietro Acerbis, then was renamed in 1913 as Società Polisportiva Ars et Labor.

They are the club that gave legendary Italian coach Fabio Capello his first taste of professional football at the tender age of 18 during a halcyon period when the club had a regular place in the top flight of Italian football. Under the stewardship of President Paolo Mazza, the Biancazzurri finished fifth in Serie A in the 1959-60 season and contested the Italian cup final in 1962 narrowly losing 2-1 to Napoli, having crushed Juventus 4-1 in the semi-final.

Former players reads like a who’s who of Italian football - Edy Reja, Carlo Mazzone, Osvaldo Bagnoli, Armando Picchi, Ottavio Bianchi and Luigi Del Neri have all plyed their trade with the Biancazzurri.

Reja and Capello were an intrinsic part of the team’s midfield during the mid sixties and both were later honoured for their achievements at the club’s centenary celebrations in 2007.  Bianchi was the man who brought Maradona to Napoli and centre-half Carlo Mazzone coached Ascoli, Roma and Brescia.  Osvaldo Bagnoli on the other hand, will forever be remembered as the tactician who masterminded the glorious 1985 scudetto winning team from Verona , the last time a provincial side got their hands on Italian football’s biggest prize.
 

Stadio Paolo Mazza

 

 

But as the 1970’s began, SPAL’s fortunes took a turn for the worse and the club suffered successive relegations to find itself cut adrift in the barren wastelands of Serie C.  Towards the end of the decade and Mazza’s reign at the helm, SPAL managed to claw back up to Serie B but by the start of the eighties it had returned to the lower reaches where it has stayed ever since, apart from an all too brief return to Serie B in 1992. By now financial mismanagement was starting to catch up with the club from Ferrara and in 2005 it was declared bankrupt.

The saviour came in the shape of businessman Gianfranco Tomasi and the club was renamed SPAL1907. By the time of their centenary in 2007, the club’s very existence was again in jeopardy and as former players returned to Ferrara to mark the special occasion, it served as a harsh reminder to their loyal followers of just how much the club had given to the game in Italy and just how bad things had become.

In the summer of 2012, after suffering a second bankruptcy, the club was refounded for the third time as Società Sportiva Dilettantistica Real S.P.A.L. and would begin life in Serie D.

In July 2013, SPAL merged with the other local club in Ferrara, Giacomense, owned by the Colombarini family.

The new team, born from the merger, was named S.P.A.L 2013, with the Colombarini’s transferring the structure of Giacomense to SPAL with Walter Mattioli stepping in as the new club president.

Under the new management, the Biancazurri quickly found their feet and, with two promotions in three seasons, they restored the football pride in the city of Ferrara as new ambitions arise with fans already dreaming big.

Coach Leonardo Semplici enjoys an attacking brand of football and, along with President Mattioli, has stated that the club’s strategy doesn’t involve big spending, but rather developing certain ideas and programs to make a competitive team with a humble identity that relies on, above all, teamwork.

Promotion from Lego Pro was secured last season and the club’s first campaign in Serie B for over 25 years was meant to be one of consolidation.  Little did they know that, with goals from ex Leeds man Mirco Antenucci, Milan loanee Gianmarco Zigoni and veteran ex Lazio man Sergio Floccari then the dream may well become a reality.

AC Ancona - For the fans

There were smiles all round in the port city of Ancona in Italy as the cities football team, A.C. Ancona became become the first professional Italian football club to be owned and managed by its supporters.  Their 2-0 win against Pisa, in the Lega Pro, Girone B division on Sunday 31 January 2016, was a celebration of Ancona supporters’ achievement in taking over the running of their club.

Highlights of the victory over Pisa are here - 
http://sportube.tv/play?titolo=Ancona---Pisa-2-0%2C-20%5EGiornata-Girone-B&id=17139&cat=106&sez=9

In Italian football circles it has been no secret that financial strife is an unfortunate fact of life for clubs in the lower reaches of the football system.  A growing number of supporters need a grasp of the financial and management aspects of football in these modern times.  The story of how Ancona emerged from a crisis in 2010, when the owner of the club failed to meet the financial licensing criteria of Lega Serie B and abandoned the club, leaving it facing extinction, to becoming supporter owned is an inspiring one.

The age-old tale of mismanagement, lack of vision, short-term financial planning, and a growing disconnect between clubs and communities often makes it easy to forget what attracts people to the game in the first place, what makes football so special. Passion.  A sense of belonging, ownership and collective participation. 90% of clubs never win any silverware, but that does not dampen the fervour with which their supporters follow them - football , to them, is about more than what happens over 90 minutes each weekend, or even over the course of a season.

The Ancona story proves this beyond doubt.  The size and significance of the crisis should not be underestimated, and for a time during that long summer of 2010 it seemed that the story of the Marche region’s most historic club was set to end.

In the face of extinction and when all else failed, the Ancona tifosi realised that no one could save their club, their passion, and their ideas - except them.  They mobilised themselves under the slogan ‘passion cannot be relegated’ and they formed Sosteniamolancona (http://www.tuttoancona.com/category/sosteniamolancona/) a democratic organisation committed to the development of a community club with supporters at its heart.   After ensuring the club’s immediate survival, their commitment persuaded local businessman Andrea Marinelli to finance the formation of a new club – U.S. Ancona 1905.

Although forced to restart from Eccellenza (at the time Italian football's sixth tier) it was clear that Ancona’s lowly status would be temporary.  With an average attendance of more than 5,000 supporters (a figure that outshone most Serie B clubs in 2010/11) and the support of thousands more, Ancona began to rise once again; this time not only on the pitch but also off of it.

                                                              Stadio Del Conero, Ancona

During their first year in Eccellenza, Ancona won every competition they entered (the League, the Amateurs Cup, and Regional Cup) but for supporters the most important was moment of that season was an agreement between Sosteniamolancona and the club that gave supporters the opportunity to elect two members on the club board and a ‘golden share’ agreement with key rights attached to it.  These prevented changes to the club's name, colours, crest and home stadium without the permission of Sosteniamolancona and their members.

The early successes continued, and in 2014 Ancona celebrated a return to the professional leagues.  Respect towards the supporters was key to this success: during the 2013-14 season Ancona and Sosteniamolancona had agreed on the removal of barriers between the stands and the pitch and jointly introduced the Centro Relazioni con i Tifozi, a Supporter Liaison Officer-like body that ensures the Ancona supporters enjoy the best football experience both on home and away matchdays, but also during the week.

Slowly but surely the supporters have become the heart of the club once more. David Miani, a lifelong supporter and former President of Sosteniamolancona, became Vice President and Managing Director of the club in 2015 .

Crucially, the project enjoys widespread backing not just amongst the Ancona fanbase, but other stakeholders: the Regione Marche, Provincia di Ancona, and Municipio di Ancona.  The club have also built partnerships within the local community - businesses, social projects and ordinary supporters are all part of a journey that shows no sign of ending yet.

Their successes have also inspired other Italian supporters to follow a similar path: in Taranto, Cava de’ Tirreni, San Benedetto del Tronto and many other proud footballing towns throughout the country, aided by Supporters in Campo (SinC), a national umbrella organisation for democratic supporters’ groups and member-run clubs.

Sosteniamolancona are, for their part, active members of SinC, and the group has many positive experiences to share, both within and outside of Italy.

In November, it was announced that majority owner Andrea Marinelli would gift his shares to the Fondazione Unione Anconitana, a democratic body established by Sosteniamolancona.   In just over five years, the club has emerged from a life-threatening crisis to become Italy’s first professional side to be owned and managed by its supporters - a remarkable achievement. Things aren’t going too badly on the pitch either: biancorossi  are aiming for a play-off spot and promotion to Serie B the goal.

Now, with news of this landmark agreement and assumption of full ownership by the supporters of Ancona, the future seems even brighter not only for the club, but for the entire city and its wider community.  The supporters have, apart from each other, many allies at home and abroad that will help them in the future. Sosteniamolancona are founder members of Supporters in Campo, the national organisation for democratic supporters' trusts and member owned clubs in Italy, who have played a key role in helping to reach this historic agreement.

The whole community can celebrate this exciting new era and look forward to the future. Regardless of what unfolds on the pitch, it will be an occasion where the power of supporter involvement will be clear for all to see .

1985: A Season With Bagnoli's Verona

May 12, 1985. It’s a date indelibly marked in the minds of all Hellas Verona fans. The tactical nous of coach Osvaldo Bagnoli coupled with the stewardship of president Celestino Guidotti and ex-player turned sporting director Emiliano Mascetti, had ensured Verona reached the pinnacle. May 12, 1985 – the day theGialloblu drew 1-1 in Bergamo and secured their only Serie A title to date.

The Veronesi have always been one of the most vocal, fiercely loyal and controversial set of supporters in Italy. Sitting in the Veneto, a region that traditionally garners support for the more powerful Milan clubs, they and their club revel in their outsider status. But Bagnoli's Verona side in the 1980s were the perfect fit. Players of varying ability, who had spent time on the fringes of larger clubs and had a point to prove, were brought together under a new collective spirit, fostered by Bagnoli through his affable man-management style. Suddenly they had a focus, a work ethic and a sense of belief.

Bagnoli joined Hellas in 1981 after several years managing in the lower leagues with Solbiatese, Como, Rimini, Fano and Cesena.  After leaving the Gialloblu in 1990 he went on to coach Genoa and Inter. He took Genoa to fourth in the standings in his first year in charge. It was the Rossoblu’s best finish for more than 50-years. This was a coach who knew how to get the very best out of players and it was his achievements with Verona that truly astounded. 

Osvaldo Bagnoli was born on 3 July 1935 in Milan. Raised in a working class neighbourhood he played football in the streets from an early age and made a career as a hard tackling midfielder for Milan, Verona and Udinese in the 1950s and 60s.

Bagnoli was a modest man, who never lost sight of his roots or his beliefs. This led to misunderstandings about his character and ideology. He was viewed as a Communist by none other than Silvio Berlusconi who, reportedly, refused to hire him as AC Milan head coach because of his 'communist beliefs'.

At Verona however, he accomplished the impossible and achieved something that will likely not happen again for a long, long time. He took the Scaligeri from Serie B to the Serie A title in four seasons and also guided them to UEFA Cup qualification in the 1983/84 season. His teams were primarily defensive minded but were capable of producing devastating counter-attacking football. They were often built upon a core of Italians - hardworking, selfless players such as winger Pietro Fanna, midfielder Antonio Di Gennaro and striker Giuseppe Galderisi, who scored 11 goals in Verona’s title winning season and epitomised Bagnoli’s tactical approach. But Bagnoli’s Verona was also supplemented with two exceptional foreign imports – Danish striker Preben Elkjær Larsen and the German defender Hans-Peter Briegel.

As the 1984/85 season began, thoughts of winning the league were far from the minds of all the Veronesi.But as the season wore on, the players responded to Bagnoli’s methods and the side produced some memorable results. A decisive 2-0 win against Juventus was one of the season highlights, in particular the legendary goal ‘without a boot’ scored by Elkjær.

Having embarked on one of his characteristic lung-busting runs down wing, the Dane stripped Juve’s defence for pace only to lose a boot as a result of a flailing last-ditch attempt to stop him from entering the penalty area. Untroubled, Elkjaer maintained his equilibrium – minus a boot – cut inside another floundering Juve defender and stroked the ball past a helpless Stefano Tacconi. If ever a goal encapsulated the ethos of a team and their coach, it was this one. The perfect mix of vigour, persistence and talent. 

Other memorable victories followed. A 5-3 away win over Udinese rejuvenated the side as speculation rose the team were losing their grip on the title at the midway point of the season. Then three straight wins, including a hard fought 1–0 victory against a strong Roma served as notice that the team had kept its focus during their rival's final surge. And of course the definitive 1–1 draw in Bergamo against Atalanta, which secured the title with a game in hand.

Bagnoli’s men finished the season with 15 wins, 13 draws and only two defeats. A mean defence conceded only 19 goals in 30 games. Their total of 43-points was enough for them to be crowned champions as they finished four points ahead of Torino with Inter and Sampdoria completing the top four. The European Cup was the prize the following season, but they were knocked out in the Second Round by holders Juventus.

However, their triumph can also partly be attributed to the response of the Italian authorities to the 1980 match fixing scandal that saw Lazio and AC Milan relegated to Serie B. One of the major reforms recommended for Italian football in the wake of the betting scandal was for match officials to be randomly selected to officiate matches. The new way of selection came in to force for the start of the 1984/85 Serie A season.

Beforehand, the suspicion was that the selection process, carried out through an Italian FA committee, always paired the big clubs from Rome, Turin and Milan with favourable officials. In the two decades prior to Verona’s achievement, the title had only left those cities on one occasion.

But undoubtedly one of the most defining factors was Bagnoli. He eHH was a terrific motivator of men, he knew how to get the best out of his players, both individually and as a team. The side had been gradually improving in the seasons leading up to 1984/85 and the signings of Briegel and Elkjær proved to be masterstrokes. In the summer of 1984, Diego Maradona landed in Italy and he joined other big name imports like Michel Platini (Juventus), Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Inter), Falcao (Roma) and Zico (Udinese). But Briegel and Elkjær upstaged them all. Elkjær chipped in with eight league goals during the season and Briegel scored an incredible nine from defence.



Another remarkable stat about the title winning side was the use of only 17 players throughout the league campaign. Totally unthinkable in today’s modern game, winning the Scudetto with a squad of just 17 players is another reason why a success like Verona’s is unlikely to be repeated any time soon. While the players did the business on the field, Bagnoli prepared them both mentally and physically. He ensured they were always pulling in the same direction and for this he has to take immense credit.

Verona struggled to reach the same heights the following season, finishing a disappointing tenth. They also lost their talisman as Briegel departed for Sampdoria at the end of the 1985/86 season. Fanna headed off to Inter, with Galderisi, Di Gennaro and others all following over the next two years. A fourth place finish, and a return to European competition via the UEFA Cup in 1986/87 hinted at a return to former glories, but in truth, the side was slowly breaking up. Elkjær left at the end of the 1988 season and Verona struggled to finish above mid-table for a couple of years, with relegation inevitably following after a disastrous end to the 1989/90 season. Bagnoli also knew his time was up and left to coach Genoa.

His coaching career came to a close in 1994 after a short, unsuccessful stint at Inter where, as he later admitted, he earned a decent enough pension to allow him to retire at the age of 59. He still lives in the hills outside of Verona.

Referring to his coaching philosophy, Bagnoli once said "Football is a simple game. The important thing is to be lucky enough to find the right people to then put them in the right places; leaving them free to express themselves." 

30-years ago, he found exactly the right people and put them in exactly the right places at Verona.

@insearchofluca

Where are the members of the Azurri Italia 90 squad? Roberto Mancini

Roberto Mancini was born on 27 November 1964 in the small town of Lesi, in the Marche region of central Italy. Like most Italians, he was raised a Roman Catholic and his life revolved around religion and football, passions which remain today.

As a player Mancini was best known for his time at Sampdoria, where he played more than 550 matches and helped them win the Serie A title along with four Coppa Italia trophies and the European Cup Winners’ Cup. 

He was capped 36 times by Italy, making his last appearance in 1994.  Mancini started his career at Bologna, making his debut back in 1981 before a big money move to Sampdoria in 1982 followed.  He also played for Lazio, where he won another Scudetto, Cup Winners’ Cup and two more Coppa Italia’s. He finished his playing career in England with a brief stint at Leicester City

Towards the end of his playing career, he showed signs that he would end up in management when he started giving team talks at half-time. Coach, Sven Goran Eriksson, was a huge influence on ‘Mancio’, playing under him at both Samp and Lazio and he became the Swedes assistant at theBiancocelesti near the end of his playing career.

Mancio joined Leicester City on loan in January 2001, but by early February he was given leave of absence, citing personal reasons. He telephoned the club and informed them he would not be returning to England as he had been offered the head coach position at Fiorentina.  Despite his brief stay in the Premier League he cites his time at Leicester City as the period during which he fell in love with the English game, and which later prompted him to accept the job at Manchester City.

Sadly for Mancini, he never truly replicated his club form at international level and he struggled to cement a regular starting spot for the Azzurri. He won 36 caps for his country, but only scored four goals in return. He made his senior international debut in 1984 against Canada and he would continue to represent Italy for ten years. Despite being an influential figure for Samp at the time, Mancini was a non-playing member of the Azzurri squad at Italia 90, kept out of the side by the striking prowess of his Blucerchiatistrike partner, Gianluca Vialli, as well as Salvatore Schillaci and new kid on the block Roberto Baggio.

His failure to play any part in Italia ‘90’ has lingered with ‘Mancio’ throughout his career. Even now as a coach he still struggles to understand Azeglio Vicini’s decision. ‘I didn’t even play for ten minutes” fumed Mancini. “Not even in the third place game. I still don’t understand the decision.”

Mancini’s international career ended after a dispute with national team coach Arrigo Sacchi, his assertive personality leading him to become frustrated with not being guaranteed a first team place at the 1994 World Cup. In truth it was a similar story to Italia ’90’ for the assertive Italian, the fierce competition for places hindering his opportunities with players like Gianfranco Zola, Giuseppe Signori, Roberto Baggio and later Francesco Totti and Alessandro Del Piero hastening his self-imposed exile from the Azzurri.

An elegant and skilful player, Mancini was also renowned for his flair, outstanding technique, ball control, and dribbling ability, as well as his tactical intelligence. He frequently stood out because of these attributes. But he wasn’t just a talented forward; he also possessed impressive leadership skills.

Mancini’s first head coaching role was at Fiorentina, aged only 35-years-old. Despite his inexperience he won the Coppa Italia with the Viola but left soon afterwards with the club facing bankruptcy. He took over as head coach at Lazio, where again he inherited financial constraints and was forced to lose a number of key players. Despite limited resources during his two season tenure, he still managed to guide the club to Coppa Italia success, a competition of which he was quickly growing fond.

In 2004, Mancini was given the chance to manage Inter, a major club with no shortage in financial resources. During his first spell at the Nerazzurri, the club won three consecutive Serie A titles. It was a record that meant Mancini became Inter’s most successful coach in 30 years.

Mancini left the Benemata in 2008, replaced by Jose Mourinho as the Inter board continued their chase of the Holy Grail – the Champions League. After taking a year out of football, Mancini was appointed as Manchester City manager in December 2009. He quickly instilled a winning culture and guided the club to Champions League football and the FA Cup in his first full season in charge. The following campaign he led City to their first league title in 44 years, a success secured in one of the most dramatic final days in Premier League history, Mancini’s men scoring two goals in injury time to complete an enthralling 3-2 comeback against Queens Park Rangers.

Credit for this victory, however, is apparently due to divine intervention.  As the season was reaching a tense finish, Mancini took time out to visit the religious pilgrimage site, Medjugorie, in Bosnia Herzegovina. ‘Mancio’ stated that it was this pilgrimage that turned the title in his favour.

The following season was turbulent for the former Samp man, as City failed to retain the title, losing out to rivals Manchester United, and also losing the FA Cup final to Wigan Athletic. He was sacked the following week however the man showed his class after paying for a full-page advert spread in the Manchester Evening News to say farewell and to thank the club’s fans. The act was reciprocated in the Gazzetta dello Sport by Manchester City supporters.

In September 2013, Mancini signed a three-year contract with Galatasaray taking over from the previous coach Fatih Terim. However, the stylish coach barely lasted a year in Turkey despite winning the Turkish Cup. Mancini returned to Inter for a second spell in November 2014, replacing Walter Mazzarri at the helm and it seems he is slowly turning the Nerazzuri’sfortunes around.

Mancini has won a total of 25 trophies; 13 as a player and 12 as a coach. Incredibly, every season he has coached between 2002 and 2013, the Italian has reached a semi-final of a major cup competition. He holds a number of records including reaching the most consecutive Coppa Italia finals from 2004 to 2008, the first with Lazio and the rest with Inter.

Mancini may not have seen a minute of playing time at Italia ‘90’ however he has since carved out an extremely successful career and the story of ‘Mancio’ is far from over…

@insearchofluca

Serie A season preview 2013/14

Image courtesy of www.asroma.it

The start of the new Serie A season is upon us once more.   Batteries are recharged, new signings are ready to go and fans are moments away from getting a glimpse of the players who they put all their hopes on.  Will it be a familiar tale at the top or will we have a surprise package challenging for the title?

Early indications show that Juventus will once again be the team to beat.  The nucleus of last season's title winning side have stayed and along with summer signings Carlos Tevez from Man City, for a bargain £8m (€11m) and Bilbao's Fernando Llorente, who joined on a Bosman (free transfer), La Vecchia Signora will be confident of adding another Scudetto to an already full trophy cabinet.

Carlos Tevez.  Image courtesy of www.mirror.co.uk

So where will the challenge come from?  One of the challengers will be AC Milan.  Milan have made only modest additions so far this summer but have a wealth of talent in a squad which only sparked into life at the end of the season, when they secured Champions League football on the very last day.  Any side which boasts Mario Balotelli, Stephen El Shaarawy and Kevin Prince-Boateng will be a threat and they will be hoping to hit the ground running this time around.

Napoli finished second last season but will look very different this time around following the departure of star striker Edinson Cavani and manager Walter Mazzari.  Rafael Benítez is the man in the hotseat and he has been very busy in the transfer market this summer.  With Cavani leaving for PSG for £55m (€63m) , Benitez has splashed the cash.  In came Gonzalo Higuain from Real Madrid, for £34.5m (€40m) along with Pepe Reina, Raul Albiol, Jose Calleron and Dries Mertens among others.  They may not last the pace in the league, but I think they will be worthy contenders in the Champions League.  Benitez is a master at seeing his sides progress in Europe, don't be surprised to see the Azzuri reach the final this time around.

New start for Benitez.  Image courtesy of www.ansa.it

Expect a strong challenge, also, from Fiorentina this season after another busy summer in the transfer market.  Il Viola just missed out on Champions League football last year, and despite the sale of Stevan Jovetic to Manchester City, the expectation is that they will be well equipped to aim for the top three again.  The marquee signings include Mario Gómez, Josip Ilicic, Joaquin, Massimo Ambrosini alongside a fit again Giuseppe Rossi.

It is a big season for underachievers Roma this year.  They have appointed a new manager in Rudi Garcia and continue to boast a richly talented squad, despite the departure of Daniel Osvaldo to Southampton and the rumoured departure of Erik Lamela.  Kevin Strootman has arrived for £14m (€17m) from PSV and , if he can settle in quickly, could well be the signing of the summer.  A European finish is on the cards this time around for I Giallorossi, who were jeered at a pre season squad presentation earlier in the week by the fans.

Inter, Lazio and Udinese will be hoping to secure Europa League football again this season at best, although Inter could have the best chance of springing a surprise with a host of new signings to accompany new manager Walter Mazzari into the San Siro cauldron.

The battle to stay in Serie A will, once again, be fiercely contested.  It is no surprise to see the three newly promoted clubs heavy favourites to make a swift return to Serie B.  Sassuolo, Hellas Verona and Livorno will have a tough task in front of them.

Hellas Verona look like they will be the best equipped to make a good fight of it after making some very astute signings.  Veteran forward Luca Toni has arrived to add much needed experience along with quality players like Bosko Jankovic and Massimo Donati.

Hellas Verona.  Image courtesy of www.zimbio.com

Sassuolo are playing in the top-flight for the very first time.  To add to the difficulties of their maiden season in the big league they will be using someone else’s stadium to play their home games.  Last season they called Modena’s Stadio Alberto Braga home but have now relocated to the Stadio Città del Tricolore in Reggio Emilia.

Livorno have been in and out of Serie A over recent seasons and they will be hoping that another club will get dragged into the fight to stay in the league.  Recent form suggests that Genoa could be the side to drop out this time.  I Rossoblu have a first-time manager at the helm in Fabio Liverani, and have not really added to last seasons squad yet.  Last seasons top scorer, Marco Borriello, was on loan from Roma and it doesn't look like he will be returning to help them try to climb the table.

As I mentioned earlier, I can't see past Juve winning a record 30th title.  The race for the two other remaining Champions League places will, in my opinion, go to Napoli and Fiorentina.  This could be the year Genoa drop down to Serie B, and I think they will be joined by Livorno and Sassuolo.

And so, the wait is almost over, this weekend sees the first matches of the 2013/14 season. 

SATURDAY

Sampdoria v Juventus
Hellas Verona v AC Milan

SUNDAY

Cagliari v Atalanta
Inter v Genoa
Lazio v Udinese
Livorno v Roma
Napoli v Bologna
Parma v  Chievo
Torino v Sassuolo

MONDAY

Fiorentina v Catania

I will be posting regular updates throughout the season.  I hope you will follow this exciting season of Calcio right here with me.



Ciao for now!

Follow me on Twitter @insearchofluca

Milan leave it late….

With the Scudetto and the relegation places already taken care of, the final weekend of the Serie A season saw the race for the much coveted final Champions League spot

It was a straight fight between AC Milan and Fiorentina.  Milan were away at relegated Siena, whilst Fiorentina also faced relegated opposition in Pescara. 

Milan came out victorious in dramatic fashion to pip Il Viola to third place.  With five minutes left, Milan were trailing Siena 1-0 until Mario Balotelli and Phillipe Mexes scored to send I Rossoneri into dreamland.

Balotelli against Siena.  Image courtesy of www.dailymail.co.uk

The Milan result was very harsh on Fiorentina who did everything they could by beating Pescara 5-1 with a hat-trick from Adem Ljajic and goals from Matias Fernandez and Arsenal target, Stevan Jovetic competing the rout.

In Serie B the final weekend was just as exciting and frantic as three teams all had a chance of promotion, and also the league title.  Sassuolo, Hellas Verona and Livorno went into the final games with Serie A the carrot dangling in front of their noses.

It all went down to literally the last kick of the season as Sassuolo scored a 95^th minute winner against Livorno to earn promotion, and also clinch the league.  They ended game with nine men in a nailbiting end to the season.  Verona will join them in Serie A after drawing 0-0 at home to Empoli, in front of 40,000 fans at Stadio Bentigodi.

Sassuolo promoted.  Image courtesy of www.sbnation.com

So that brings the 2012/13 Serie A season to a close.  In the end the usual suspects finished where many predicted they would.  Next season will see new faces in charge of some of the top clubs.  Napoli are after a new manager as Walter Mazzari has stepped down.  His likely destination is Inter, who are looking to sack Andrea Stramaccioni and Milan are, according to Silvio Berlusconi at least, looking to replace Massimiliano Allegri.  A busy summer awaits, and I will keep you upto date with all the comings and goings right here.

ROLL OF HONOUR – SERIE A

CHAMPIONS

Juventus

RUNNERS UP

Napoli

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Juventus, Napoli, Milan

EUROPA LEAGUE

Fiorentina, Udinese, Roma/Lazio (Winners of Coppa Italia)

RELEGATED

Palermo, Siena, Pescara

SERIE B 

PROMOTED

Sassuolo, Hellas Verona

PLAY OFF FOR PROMOTION

Livorno, Empoli, Novara, Brescia (Play off winners promoted to Serie A)

RELEGATED

Vicenza, Ascoli, Pro Vercelli, Grosseto

Down to the wire...

Juve have one hand on a 29th Scudetto after a late victory in the Derby della Mole against Torino.  Goals from Arturo Vidal and Claudio Marchisio sealed the points but Napoli’s victory over doomed Pescara meant Juve will have to wait until this week’s game at home to Palermo to be crowned champions.

Action from Derby della Mole.  Picture courtesy of www.football-italia.net

In prolonging Juve’s wait for the title, Napoli also virtually secured second place in Serie A.  Seven points clear of Milan should be enough to secure the runners up place.

The race for the final Champions League place is hotting up as Milan and Fiorentina battle it out.  Just one point separates these two but Il Viola may well sneak into third as, on paper at least, they have an easier run-in with games against the teams at the bottom, including the Tuscan derby with Siena.

One of the Europa League places will be taken by one of the teams mentioned above, but the final spot is a battle between four teams.  Separated by only three points Roma, Udinese, Inter and Lazio are all in contention.  Inter v Udinese on the final day will not be for the faint hearted.

At the bottom Pescara are adrift and will be relegated if they lose away at fellow strugglers Genoa.  The other two places will go down to the wire as Siena, Genoa and Palermo are all within two points of each other.  Palermo and Genoa both earned vital wins last week with victories over Inter and Chievo respectively.  Siena were thumped 4-0 by Roma.  This will be too close to call.

Marco Borriello, Genoa  Picture courtesy of www.tempi.it

The race to replace these teams is just as close.  Sassuolo are three games away from the promised land, with Livorno looking likely to join them.  Verona have a lot to do to snatch automatic promotion and may have to try their luck through the play offs.

Who said Italian football was dull?

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