Serie A - Week 2

godtabh

Review

Serie A: Tough weekend tests for Milan rivals

MILAN, Sept 15 (Reuters) - After contrasting fortunes in the Champions League, AC Milan and city rivals Inter have tricky tests in Serie A this weekend.

Defending champions Inter, who lost to Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday after winning their domestic opener against Fiorentina, host Sampdoria on Saturday.

On Sunday, Milan, who beat AEK Athens 3-0 at the San Siro on Wednesday are away to Parma.

Inter's form has been chequered so far -- they won the curtain-raising Italian Super Cup 4-3 by coming back splendidly from 3-0 down against AS Roma before nearly letting Fiorentina steal a point on the first day in Serie A, winning 3-2 after being three goals up.

On Tuesday, they looked poor in their 1-0 loss in Lisbon but Portuguese winger Luis Figo warned against reading too much into the defeat.

'We have to admit that we played badly but at the same time, we mustn't make a drama of it.

'It is better to lose now when we still have the chance to recover than later on when a defeat could jeopardise everything,' he said.

Inter coach Roberto Mancini must decide whether to stick with Brazilian Adriano in attack or opt for the combination of Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic with Argentine Hernan Crespo.

Sampdoria have several key players missing through injury including striker Fabio Bazzani and close-season signing Christian Terlizzi.

Giulio Falcone and Gennaro Delvecchio are both suspended following red cards in the disappointing loss to Empoli last week.

Milan, who started the season with an eight-point penalty imposed by a sports tribunal after the match-fixing scandal, have been rotating their line-up so far.

Against AEK on Wednesday, coach Carlo Ancelotti rested midfielder Andrea Pirlo and defender Alessandro Nesta.

Dutchman Clarence Seedorf also started that game on the bench but could return for the trip to Parma -- with Alberto Gilardino also hoping to be back in the starting line-up after sitting out for Ricardo Oliveira against AEK.

Last season saw plenty of goals in meetings between Milan and Parma -- Ancelotti's side won 3-2 away and 4-3 at home.

Roma, who enjoyed a good start in the Champions League with a 4-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk are away to Siena on Sunday while Fiorentina face Livorno in a Tuscan derby.

Saturday, September 16, 2006
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
17:00 UK Reggina v Cagliari Stadio Granillo
19:30 UK Inter Milan v Sampdoria San Siro

Sunday, September 17, 2006
TIME HOME AWAY VENUE
14:00 UK Ascoli v Messina Stadio del Duca
14:00 UK Catania Calcio v Atalanta
14:00 UK Empoli v Chievo Verona Carlo Castellani
14:00 UK Lazio v Palermo Stadio Olimpico
14:00 UK Livorno v Fiorentina Stadio Armando Picchi
14:00 UK Siena v Roma Artemio Franchi
14:00 UK Udinese v Torino Friuli
19:30 UK Parma v AC Milan Ennio Tardini

Inter Milan have another tough test. Hopefully they can continue there doemstic form rather than there european form!

Parma V AC Milan is on Setanta tomorrow.

godtabh

Final reuslt for Inter wasnt great.

Two disallowed goals. Havent seen them yet so not gona say anything yet.

Looks like they are gona let AC catch up with them before they win the league

ullu

Slightly OT but just seeing Inter referred to in the OP as "defending champions" was a bit odd, the first time I've heard them called that since Juve were stripped of the title.

Did they have any sort of party/celebration? It would be similar to getting a gold medal in the Olympics after receiving a silver at the time, I'd imagine there wouldn't be quite the same level of euphoria and that you'd feel cheated that you didn't have your moment on the podium and all the rest.

godtabh

They are champions. Even if it was by default but a wins a win!

Hopefully they'll get into gear fairly soon and this time next year we can really say defending champions!

gustavo

I doubt Moratti would have gotten too carried away , enthusiastic man though he is , I think he realises this is their best chance to win it this season , just a pity all the new players will take time to find a rhythm

godtabh

gustavo wrote:

I doubt Moratti would have gotten too carried away , enthusiastic man though he is , I think he realises this is their best chance to win it this season , just a pity all the new players will take time to find a rhythm

I'd say if they dont win this year Moratti will probably begin to take his cash away from the club.

If that happens God knows what could happen!

Crespo has played for Inter all ready so I think he should settel in quick. The Juve players shouldnt take that long either. Hopefully!

Trippie

Have a look at this

http://www.bravo.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?threadid=21747

godtabh

Trippie wrote:

Have a look at this

http://www.bravo.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?threadid=21747

Interesting but I think its just grasping at straws.

Just an aside to on of the comments in that post. Inter have won a major trophy. UEFA Cup 91, 94 & 98. I think they are major trophies!

Trippie

Im not trying to prove juve and co innocent,just trying to point out that it is a bit suspicious. We all knew the big teams were doing it and i include inter in that aswell just they didnt get caught.

When people say milan were guilty and inter innocent i always ask them if the saw the derby last year when inter won 3-2.There were some of the most interesting decisions in that game all year such as martins barging into the back of nesta and stam with nesta going down and a penalty being given for hand ball.

And also an inter(cant remember exactly could be veron) player trying to tackle gattuso,missing and falling over and then getting a free kick from which they scored.

godtabh

Trippie wrote:

Im not trying to prove juve and co innocent,just trying to point out that it is a bit suspicious. We all knew the big teams were doing it and i include inter in that aswell just they didnt get caught.

When people say milan were guilty and inter innocent i always ask them if the saw the derby last year when inter won 3-2.There were some of the most interesting decisions in that game all year such as martins barging into the back of nesta and stam with nesta going down and a penalty being given for hand ball.

And also an inter(cant remember exactly could be veron) player trying to tackle gattuso,missing and falling over and then getting a free kick from which they scored.

If Inter had been up to something they would've been caught.

Inter have had some of the most dodgy decisions against Juve & AC.

It just happens I have that match on DVD. It was a soft peno but that’s football. If as I think you are suggesting that Inter had something to do with it I'd like to see you back it up.

Juve & Milan influenced referees. And I can back that up!

Trippie

kearnsr wrote:

If as I think you are suggesting that Inter had something to do with it I'd like to see you back it up.

As with a lot of things in life you may know them to be true but are unable to back them up. I presume that you are one of the many people who believe that lance armstrong is clean of any drugs because he hasnt tested positiv, the same way warren gatlin thanked god when victorious for his natural ability until last month!

Juve & Milan influenced referees. And I can back that up!

you seem to be under the impression that milan influenced the refs. AFAIK as i know they were not charged with breaking any laws just neglegence for not knowing what one of the people on their books was up to.although you seem to be the authority on seria A because your the one putting up the fixture lists during the week so maybe you could correct me if im wrong

Bateman

I think we would be here all night if we were to get into the stuff that was investigated during the summer. Either way, the way Milan are playing, their punishment is beginning to look smaller and smaller every week. If they win the 2 derby games, that is another 6 points, or in effect 12, if Inter are going to be serious challengers. Roma look a team on a high at the moment though, and they went on an incredible run of form last season that if replicated this season will see them in the final shakeup.

godtabh

Trippie wrote:

I presume that you are one of the many people who believe that lance armstrong is clean of any drugs because he hasnt tested positiv, the same way warren gatlin thanked god when victorious for his natural ability until last month!

I know nothing about cycling and I'm not sure who the other lad is. Only Gatlin I know is a rugby coach and even then I could be wrong.

There is an old saying that goes along the eyes of presumed innocent until proven guilty or something like that.

iregk

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iregk

kearnsr wrote:

Only Gatlin I know is a rugby coach and even then I could be wrong.

I'm going to assume the chap was talking about the postive test that Justin Gatlin the US Sprinter was done for in July. Yes he did thank god before hand for his natural ability and all that bull.

Anyway back on topic. Its the same in every league. You look at the amount of pens united have been given in old trafford over the years and the dodgy decisions they got. 7 mins of injury time was unheard of unless united were playing! But leagues and officials mostly do then to wave in favour of the big teams. This includes Milan, juve and Inter. Now as a Milan fan I can say that we have not been brought to book over any set in stone proof of dodgy dealings. I have watched Serie A for years in disbelief that Juve games were apparently fair! That said, yes I do acknowledge that Milan do have some shady goings on in the back ground and yes so do Inter! In all leagues and all top teams its the same thing!

Now we have had a full summer of this crap so can we leave it there and put the whole your club did this my club that talk behind us. Lets talk about the football. Seedorf is playing some magic stuff for a change this season and I reckon we have the next big thing on our hands in the shape of young French midfielder Gourcuff. That 8 points is now 2 and looking smaller by the week.

godtabh

iregk wrote:

Seedorf is playing some magic stuff for a change this season

I thought he was muck on Sunday

iregk

kearnsr wrote:

I thought he was muck on Sunday

He wasn't great on Sunday but then again neither were anyone really. Kaka did enough but gave the ball away too much and for silly things as well. Rino was his usual self and Favalli has no place in the Milan side!!!

godtabh

iregk wrote:

Rino was his usual self

He usually plays a lot better. I think he had the fleu all week and this affected him