Serie A Superthread 2011/2012

Pinturicchio

flynner87 wrote: »

the realpigiron wrote: »

Are those players mostly retiring or just moving on? Gattuso and Seedorf are particularly good players.

van bommell to psv apparently
nesta hinted at a move to MLS

no news on the rest of them, i would expect inzaghi to retire and the others to maybe go on to other clubs.......juve?:p

I'd take Nesta at Juve!

Nuri Sahin

It's hardly been mentioned on here anyway, but another Seria A stalwart in Marco Di Viao played his last game more than likely in Italy. I know Montreal have made him and offer and the player wants to move to the MLS. Always liked him. 197 goals he's scored in Italian football with a host of clubs.

Jelle1880

Amazing scenes in Rome, Interisti, Laziali and West Ham boys all walking to the ground together

Nuri Sahin

For one match only, I'll be a Juve supporter tonight. Forza Juve

Coppa Italia KO's at 8PM for those who don't know, Juve vs Napoli.

monkey9

-Ade- wrote: »

For one match only, I'll be a Juve supporter tonight. Forza Juve

Coppa Italia KO's at 8PM for those who don't know, Juve vs Napoli.

This is still definitely on yeah? What with the earthquake over in Italy

dor83

Yeah it's still on alright, line-ups are:

Juventus: Storari; Barzagli, Bonucci, Caceres; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Estigarribia; Del Piero, Borriello
Bench: Manninger, Padoin, Giaccherini, Pepe, Matri, Vucinic, Quagliarella

Napoli: De Sanctis; Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Aronica; Maggio, Dzemaili, Inler, Hamsik, Zuniga; Lavezzi, Cavani
Bench: Rosati, Grava, Fernandez, Britos, Dossena, Pandev, Vargas

Hope Napoli win tonight, even without my dislike of Juve I think it would be good for Napoli and they have played some good football.

Nuri Sahin

Should be 1-0 to Napoli, Zunga with a great chance to score.

elefant

Blatant pen not given to Juve there.

Nuri Sahin

Storari is some fool.

Cavani from the spot, 1-0

Nuri Sahin

Delps subbed.

dor83

-Ade- wrote: »

Delps subbed.

I'd love to see him in the EPL for a season, maybe replacing Owen or Berbatov at Utd. I reckon he'd do well if he was used right, similar to the way Giggs is used.

Nuri Sahin

Torn apart on the counter.

Napoli 2-0, Hamsik with the goal. Juve surely beaten...

dor83

Good goal, hopefully Napoli don't collapse now.

Redzer7

Jesus thought Hamsik made the wrong decision until I seen the ball hitting the net, thought it was going wide.

Nuri Sahin

Long ban for Quag!

Sent off.

dor83

Aronica should have got a card too, he had his arm around Quagliarellas neck.

Nuri Sahin

Juve's undefeated streak is over.

Napoli win Coppa Italia.

Vincent Vega

Napule!!!

Moneymaker

Full deserved. Boriello is absolutely awful.

Lavezzi was magnificent tonight, whoever gets him will be very fortunate.

grenache

Delighted for Napoli, the fans have been waiting 22 years for a trophy, which is a very long time for a club that big. I was most happy for Lavezzi. He was different class tonight. Really sad to see him leave when he does go. Owes Napoli nothing though.

Cavani was relatively quiet but he stuck away the penalty well. Napoli defended much too deep after scoring though, Juve put enough balls into the box and i was waiting for that goal to come but it thankfully never did. Marchisio and Pirlo were the only players who really shone for Juve. Thought they seemed a little dis-jointed, maybe they celebrated the Scudetto a little too much. It was a niggly game throughout, Boriello and Vidal fouled for fun all night, as did Aronica for Napoli. Hamsik's goal was classic Napoli counter play, the pass from Pandev had perfect timing.

And then of course it just had to be a Napolitan playing for Juve who saw red. Quagliarella's elbow was pretty crass, almost thuggish. Aronica is always at that stuff though, holding players with his hands all over them. Can't fault Napoli's back 3 tonight though, pretty solid from start to finish. Campagnaro was class, Maggio always tracked back to support him too.

So Juve are no longer invincible Napoli have now beaten the English Champions, Italian Champions and European Champions this season. I know who my champions of europe really are :cool:

dor83

grenache wrote: »

Napoli have now beaten the English Champions, Italian Champions and European Champions this season. I know who my champions of europe really are :cool:

It's a shame they didn't get 3rd, I can't see Udinese doing much in the CL and the league needs it's teams to do well in Europe if there is any chance of getting a fourth CL spot back. Hopefully the teams take the Europa League seriuosly next season, their lack of interest in it is the main reason for losing the fourth CL spot in the first place. I'd love to see Inter v Napoli in the EL final and both getting into the top 3 next season.

Nuri Sahin

Paulo Baldini's Seria A season review, well worth a read - http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/may/23/the-bandinis-2012-serie-a

dfx-

Great display that of Pacman

Mr. Presentable

In the last minutes Conte has signed a three year extension at Juventus. Worth €3m per year, it is double what he has been on, and I think the highest in Italy.

Seaneh

Milan just confirmed the signing of 20 ywar old Brazilian Keeper Gabriel. Expected to be 3rd choice for now. Has an EU passport so he doesnt take up any non eu places in the squad.

Pinturicchio

Di Vaio has signed for Montreal in the MLS. Bernardo Corradi, Matteo Ferrari and Inter legend Nelson Rivas are already there.

Jelle1880

Ederson's agent said that Ederson is close to signing for Lazio.

Great transfer imo.

Pinturicchio

Jelle1880 wrote: »

Ederson's agent said that Ederson is close to signing for Lazio.

Great transfer imo.

A replacement for the Juventus-bound Hernanes?

Jelle1880

Nothing heard about Hernanes leaving yet, but could very well be.

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

Jelle1880

Napoli are far superior in attack, that's for sure.

But I think Lazio, at least in the big games, have that little edge in spirit.

carlop

Jelle1880 wrote: »

Napoli are far superior in attack, that's for sure.

But I think Lazio, at least in the big games, have that little edge in spirit.

Don't really see how Lazio have an edge in spirit. I think Napoli have the better XI just about, though Lazio would probably have a better defence.

Renn

Conte and Criscito being questioned by police over match fixing allegations

Seaneh

As in Antonio Conte, the Juve manager?

Renn

Yup. For his time with Siena apparently.

carlop

Seaneh wrote: »

As in Antonio Conte, the Juve manager?

Yep. Though I think it relates to one of his former jobs, Bari I think.

Stefano Mauri, the Lazio captain, has also been arrested.

Seaneh

Thought it must have been from a while ago seeing as Criscito plays in Russia now.

Moneymaker

Zdenek Zeman front runner for the Roma job apperently. Please one time let this happen. Absolutely hero of a man and always insanely entertaining games for whoever he manages.

AIR-AUSSIE

Questions raised over Buffon payments to bookmaker
The Juventus goalkeeper is said to have handed over 14 cheques worth a total value of €1.5 million to a Parma-based tobacconist and betting shop

http://www.goal.com/en/news/2898/euro-2012/2012/05/31/3139663/questions-raised-over-buffon-payments-to-bookmaker

grenache

Jelle1880 wrote: »

But I think Lazio, at least in the big games, have that little edge in spirit.

Napoli beat Milan, Juve, Udinese, Man City, Chelsea and Inter (3 times) this season. They were not little games


Speaking of Napoli, they now too seem to have been embroiled in the Scommessapoli scandal. Former players Matteo Giannello and Silvio Giusti, bet on and purposely tried to facilitate a Sampdoria victory when Napoli played them in April 2010. They also apparently asked first teamers Paolo Cannavaro and Gianluca Grava to throw games too, but both players deny ever having such a conversation. Three other games involving Napoli from April 2010 and May 2011 are also under investigation. Now the FIGC are considering whether to deduct Napoli points for the season just finished. Meaning they could be excluded from playing in Europa League. It seems outrageous that the club could be punished for the actions of two rogue players, who both left the club 2 seasons ago.

Mr. Presentable

AIR-AUSSIE wrote: »

http://www.goal.com/en/news/2898/euro-2012/2012/05/31/3139663/questions-raised-over-buffon-payments-to-bookmaker

Buffon has a well documented gambling problem, so this is no surprise. It is against the FIGC law in Italy for footballers to bet on football, so they tend to go to unregulated bookies. It doesn't have anything to do with the criminal investigation into Mauri and his activities.

The match fixing scandal is a good omen for Italy. Previously they had one exposed in 1982, and another in 2006 - World Cup winning years.

Question: Is Italy a hotbed of illegal betting and attempted influence of results in football, or are the Italian authorities more proactive in trying to stop it?

dor83

Mr. Presentable wrote: »

Question: Is Italy a hotbed of illegal betting and attempted influence of results in football, or are the Italian authorities more proactive in trying to stop it?

I think it is just a case of the Italians doing a little more about it than others and that they seem to do it in a very public manner, I don't think searching the national team's training base would happen in any other country. Although, like you say, they do well at international tournaments when there is a controversy around the league.

I agree with you about Buffon too, I can't see him being involved and even if he was I don't think the club would have been. I can't see the clubs getting too much punishment because I reckon it was mainly down to players and the clubs generally knew nothing about it.

Rekop dog

Did anyone read Swiss Rambles review of Milan's financial situation? Makes very worrying reading for Milan and also other top Serie A sides.

pickarooney

Mr. Presentable wrote: »

Buffon has a well documented gambling problem, so this is no surprise.

Or else he really likes his cigars.

dor83

Rekop dog wrote: »

Did anyone read Swiss Rambles review of Milan's financial situation? Makes very worrying reading for Milan and also other top Serie A sides.

The biggest problem for Italian clubs(except Juve) is the stadiums, they pay the city council to rent the stadiums and also pay a percentage of the gate receipts to them, plus they lose out on all the other potential income from the stadium like events, shops etc. There are clubs looking at building their own stadia but the city councils are blocking this because they will lose a lot of money if clubs move and they'll be left with empty stadia. Moratti said a couple of years ago that a new stadium would be worth an extra €60-70m per season to Inter, which just shows how much teams are losing renting from the council.

On the note of new stadia, Moratti was in China last week meeting with China Railway Construction Corporation and he presented them with a red Inter jersey(next seasons away?). CRCC released a statement saying that they were forming a cooperation regarding investment project, cultural project and team project. The statement also mentioned building a new stadium for Inter, hopefully this actually happens and when the agreement with the council for San Siro is up in 2016 Inter can move to their own stadium.

Seaneh

Inter and Milan are both in the early stages of Stadia planning.

Rumor for Milan is a 75k seater basesd on Shalkes stadium. Inters will be smaller afaik.

There us a belief that Milan will let Inter move and then buy the San Siro from the city on the cheap by threatening to build a new ground which would force the councils hand as they would be left with an empty ground with expensive upkeep and no income. Milan would then be free to develop it as they wish.

dor83

Yeah Inter had everything set out for the new stadium a couple of years ago, even had the land picked out, but the problem is still there with the council having to grant planning permission. I am hopeful that the discussions with CRCC mean that things are moving forward but I'm also a little doubtful that it will happen anytime soon.

I reckon the best option would be for both Inter and Milan to share the expense of building a new stadium and move together, it would have the benefits of reducing construction costs and both clubs would save the rent and be able to keep 100% of their gate receipts.

While I'm talking about gate receipts, Inter are including Europa league and Coppa Italia home games(except semi-final and final) in the season tickets for next season, that is a great deal.

Pinturicchio

That's because F all people would go to those games otherwise.

dor83

Doesn't matter really, they are still games included with the season ticket and they start from €175. You could end up getting 25+ for that price, which is an absolute bargain.

Pinturicchio

STOP FOOTBALL

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/jun/01/euro-2012-prandelli-italy-pulls-out