Serie A - The 2008-09 season thread

Interesting read;
http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/blogs/al28.html

Hmmm.... mixed feelings about this if it is true.

Diego is a very good player, but I am just not sure whether he will fit in at Inter. I would still prefer Quaresma or Hleb. Or Ballack, who would be ideal!

Inter Moving In On Diego - Report
Inter Milan are closing in on the signing of Werder Bremen star Diego, according to Controcampo. Talk in the Italian press has intensified in recent days that Diego is set to move to the Nerazzurri this summer.

Inter have identified a creative centre midfielder as one of their main transfer targets, and believe that the Brazilian can help them make a big impact in the Champions League. Controcampo says that Diego’s father and agent has been sneakily declaring in the press that Real Madrid and Juventus are interested in signing his son, so that Inter would have free reign to negotiate a transfer for themselves.

Massimo Moratti, who is also expected to drop out of the race to sign Ronaldinho, is prepared to meet Werder Bremen’s asking price of €30m. Diego has had a wonderful season in the German Bundesliga, and is his side’s top-scorer with 13 goals. The 23-year-old is also a regular in the Brazil national team, and has won 34 caps, scoring six goals.

$h!t, why do Roma always get to play before us??? For once, why can we play before and put pressure on them for a change???

Anyways, Inter have so far given a good response, lets hope that continues... this weekend is tricky... Roma will surely thrash out of form Livorno, but Torino are always a moody tricky side - when they click they can trouble anyone with their attacking trio of Rosina, Recoba and Di Michele.

Saturday
Roma - Livorno (Sat 17.00)
Fiorentina - Palermo (Sat 19.30)

Sunday
Atalanta - Juventus
Cagliari - Empoli
Catania - Lazio
Milan - Reggina (live on 5)
Parma - Napoli
Sampdoria - Udinese
Siena - Genoa
Torino - Inter (19.30)

Channel 5 continues to pick Cr@p games... Doria vs Udinese would have been so much better! The commentary team are way too biased on Milan for my liking

Tweedle wrote:What club was it that Vargas was linked with in the EPL last summer? Was it Man City?

They could still be interested.

I think it was Portsmouth.

Milan vs Reggina .

Game number eight versus a Tuscan side this season. As devastating as the trips to Their home have been ( “Curse of Tuscany” rearing its ugly head), its been equally as delightful to host these rascals.

In Tuscany:

Fior 2-2
Empoli 2-2
Livorno 1-1
Siena 0-3

Hosting Tuscany:

Siena 2-0
Fior 1-0
Empoli 2-1

Here’s to hoping the trend continues.

Aside from superstitions, tomfoolery and all that jazz, I’m looking forward to this game. It wasn’t simply the fact that Roma was in its most dreaded province the last time around or that the Armando Picchi had been declared a state of emergency with water levels higher than New Orleans during Katrina (also making it yet another occasion Totti has walked on water); it was mostly that Livorno countered Spalletti’s men well and fully deserved their point. If you recall, they parked the team bus onto the pitch would help. Not to mention they parked that SuperBus in front of the goal for nearly the entire game, having no less than 37 men in their own box at the same time. And now we get to see their away tactics. Nice. Have they called in the Italian navy for this one? Bastards!

I hope we thump these anti Football playing Tuscans and teach the power of Roman Muscle. FORZA LA MAGICA!!!

We are gonna have to make some wallet busting signings if Juve, Inter, and Milan are going to do anything like they are rumored to do. Ruud and Ronaldinho to Milan, Diego and Amauri to Inter, everyone and their mother to Juve, f@ck me. Gomez and a good winger will have to come for us to have a sniff at the Scudetto.

HT Roma 0-0 Livorno

Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Livorno, 45 more minutes!!!

I hope Roma doesn't steal a win in the dying minutes yet again!!

1-0 Roma, bad luck blue9.

Murray wrote:1-0 Roma, bad luck blue9.

&%$%~#@% Vuci-fuckin-nic!

FT 1-1, might as well give Inter the Scudetto now.

Diamanti scored from a free kick that even god would have had trouble saving. Game finished 1-1, Mexes had a header in injury time that I can't believe Amelia saved, save of the season. This kid needs to be sold to a good team, easily a top 10 keeper in Europe.

Im incredibly frustrated, angry, disappointed, shocked and drained. I may post an in depth look at the game tomorrow.

Oh and Totti is out for the season with a knee injury.

Totti 'out for six months'



Roma captain Francesco Totti could be out for six months after tests showed torn ligaments in his right knee.

Although the official announcement will only be made tomorrow, Giallorossi Coach Luciano Spalletti is certain the worst has happened.

“With all likelihood it is a sprained right knee with damage to the anterior cruciate ligament,” explained the tactician.

Totti was stretchered off 39 minutes into today’s 1-1 draw with Livorno and rushed straight to the Villa Stuart clinic for tests.

The initial reports coming out of the hospital suggest the diagnosis has been confirmed and Totti will require surgery.

His season is over and he could well be sidelined for up to six months with this serious knee injury.

“I think Francesco is not in good shape and I am rather worried,” admitted patron Rosella Sensi.

“It’s a great shame and adds to a very sad day. In any case, we will not give in on the Scudetto. I wish to thank the players and the Coach.”

Livorno

It just keeps getting better Bluey, Fiorentina won!

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:It just keeps getting better Bluey, Fiorentina won!

If Inter win against Torino tonight, then the scudetto race is as good as over. It will leave us needing 2 wins out of 4 games to mathematically seal the scudetto. If we beat Torino... its going to be a tricky game.

Fiorentina's win puts a lot of pressure on Milan. Anything other than a win today for the CL chasing pack would mean game over. Which means that one of Sampdoria/Udinese are going out of the race today.

4-1 Milan. Hat-trick for my man Kaka!

The CL race is still on. Next weekend Samp-Fio. Hopefully a draw there and a win for us.

What did you think of Reggina's claim for a penalty when the score wa 3-1 to Milan?

EMP wrote:What did you think of Reggina's claim for a penalty when the score wa 3-1 to Milan?

That was a penalty. 100%. Kaladze is an idiot. He scores with his hand also. Just ask Deano.

5-1! 5-1!

What a performance. Pato scores another SERIE A goal not a Coppa Italia goal.

another 2 red cards for us, and another defeat!

I just hope we can get to the Coppa Italia final.

Better performance from us offensively today, still problems in defence with the marking and movement co-ordination, but great performances from Pirlo, Kaka and a great cameo from the duck.

I'm not confiedent still that we will make 4th, we still have to play Inter, Napoli and Udinese whereas apart from Sampdoria Fiorentina have a fairly regular run of matches and we need them to drop points in two games and win all of ours,

Didn't go to the match today, and already regretting it, too much bloody work!

Well played Milan, Juve and Doria.

I think Udinese are now out of the CL race. Elsewhere, 10 men Genoa won at Siena!! And Acquafresca scored another goal for Cagliari.

FT AC Milan 5 - 1 Reggina
FT Atalanta 0 - 4 Juventus
FT Cagliari 2 - 0 Empoli
FT Catania 1 - 0 Lazio
FT Parma 1 - 2 Napoli
FT Sampdoria 3 - 0 Udinese
FT Siena 0 - 1 Genoa

With Inter and Torino yet to play, this is how the table looks like with 4 games remaining!

1 Inter 75*
2 Roma 72
3 Juventus 67
4 Fiorentina 59
5 Milan 55
6 Sampdoria 55
7 Udinese 51
8 Genoa 48
9 Napoli 46
10 Palermo 42
11 Atalanta 41
12 Lazio 40
13 Siena 38
14 Catania 35
15 Cagliari 35
16 Torino 34*
17 Parma 31
18 Livorno 30
19 Empoli 30
20 Reggina 30

bluenine wrote:Well played Milan, Juve and Doria.

I think Udinese are now out of the CL race. Elsewhere, 10 men Genoa won at Siena!! And Acquafresca scored another goal for Cagliari.

FT AC Milan 5 - 1 Reggina
FT Atalanta 0 - 4 Juventus
FT Cagliari 2 - 0 Empoli
FT Catania 1 - 0 Lazio
FT Parma 1 - 2 Napoli
FT Sampdoria 3 - 0 Udinese
FT Siena 0 - 1 Genoa

Genoa >> Doria.

I am not sure this was the best lineup against Torino!!

1' Inter: 12 Julio Cesar; 13 Maicon, 16 Burdisso, 23 Materazzi, 26 Chivu; 5 Stankovic, 19 Cambiasso, 4 Zanetti, 6 Maxwell; 9 Cruz, 45 Balotelli.

Anyways, I guess a draw will not be a bad result....

after 20 minutes, Torino 0-0 Inter

Inter#s midfield getting owned and we know why. But then they undeservingly go a head to a well executed corner.

shazlx wrote:Inter#s midfield getting owned and we know why. But then they undeservingly go a head to a well executed corner.

How can a well executed corner be "undeserved"?

A bit surpried by the early Balotelli substitution tho... I guess Mancio wants more presence in the midfield in the absence of Dacourt and Vieira.

bluenine wrote:

shazlx wrote:Inter#s midfield getting owned and we know why. But then they undeservingly go a head to a well executed corner.

How can a well executed corner be "undeserved"?

A bit surpried by the early Balotelli substitution tho... I guess Mancio wants more presence in the midfield in the absence of Dacourt and Vieira.

Well Inter were being out played through the 1st half and are now sitting deep to counter attack.

f@ck Intermerda! They can take their tainted cup! Never have I failed to congratulate the scudetto winners but they dont fucking deserve it. f@ck the club, f@ck their fans and f@ck their bribery! Vaffanculo.