Ronaldinho the key to a Milan revival?

So it would seem that Sunday's draw away to Atalanta has secured Leonardo's job for another couple of weeks at least. Although it is yet another poor result on paper, the ingredients are there for this to be turning point for the Rossoneri. If Ronaldinho can build upon such an important goal and establish himself as the key member of the side, the heir to Kaka, then Milan can go forward, but if he fails, it leaves the team toothless what with the misfiring strikers already on display.

As often happens, it is the morale that is the problem with this Milan side, a team who are scared to play at home for the knowledge that when they miss-place a pass, the Ultrà will be on their back right-away, and it requires those that have been there and come through the San Siro jeers many a time - Clarence Seedorf for one keeps on defying the booes and winning his place back in the side. The side is one without a clear leader at present. Massimo Ambrosini should be that leader, along with Gattuso, but consistent runs in the side are hard to come by for both, and therefore their authority hard to implement.

The Crazy World of Serie A Presidents

They are the people who make all the final decisions, from transfer policy to stadium redevelopment. Some have a genuine long-term affection for the club; others want to make a quick buck. Some are adored by fans, others despised. Some are crazy, others are not.  But into which categories do Serie A’s money men fall?

 

The most famous ‘family’ club in Italy is probably Inter Milan, who have been previously owned by oil tycoon Angelo Moratti, from 1955-68. Since 1995, they have mainly been under the leadership of his son, Massimo.

 

An unassuming man, Moratti does all he can for the club, saying “I am convinced that every action I take is for the good of Inter”, and has provided a massive transfer kitty for a huge selection of footballing masters: Vieri €38.8m, Ibrahimovic €28.8m, Ronaldo €21.83m, Toldo €21.83m, Crespo €20m – The list really does go on. However, the failure to get any Champions League, or Scudetto, with what were probably the best strikers in the world, made Moratti unpopular with the Nerazzurri fans, and in particular the more radical Ultras.

 

Even going through 12 managers in the space of 9 years only brought about a solitary UEFA Cup success, and after a campaign by the Ultras, Moratti resigned in January 2004. He was to be replaced for two years by Giacinto Facchetti, an Inter legend from the Grande Inter era.

 

His return upon Facchetti’s death has seen Moratti get what he surely deserved: The Scudetto. The repercussions of Calciopoli meant that the 2005-06 Serie A title was awarded to Roberto Mancini’s men, and they haven’t stopped coming since. Moratti’s affection for the club has been the sole decision making factor under his presidency, and with his two children on the board of directors, Inter Milan look set to stay in the family.

 

No account on club owners can fail to mention Silvio Berlusconi, owner of AC Milan since 1986. His ‘Media monopoly’ is a source for debate, but his position as Italy’s richest man is not. Berlusca may not have sold any of his 3 Mediaset free-to-air television channels or his publishing company upon becoming Prime Minister of Italy, as he sees no need to, but he has ironically resigned as President of Milan due to the conflict of interests, where he is replaced by long-time friend Adriano Galliani.

 

As owner he is a constant source of confusion for a significant portion of Milanisti. As leader of a centre-right political party, Popolo della Liberta, (People of Freedom), in coalition with a North Italian separatist, anti-south, anti-immigration party Lega Nord (Northern League), and Prime Minister of the country, it is understandable that some fans have a political or ideological cross to bear against Berlusconi.

 

However, if that same man ploughs money into the club to make it great, like he did in the 1980’s in particular, wins Champions Leagues and Scudetti, and currently supplies you with the sublime talents of Kaka, Maldini, Nesta and Pirlo amongst others, it is an issue that can be brushed under the carpet for most.

 

Every major league has their share of trigger-happy club owners, but Serie A has more than most. When it comes to changing the manager 28 times in 17 years, (that’s an average spell of around 6 months), then I think Cagliari President Massimo Cellino deserves a mention here. Since becoming Chairman in 1991, Cellino is the epitome of the hot-headed, power mad owner who is never satisfied.

 

Spare a thought for Davide Ballardino. He became manager of Cagliari, for the second time, in December 2007, with the Rossoblu anchored to the foot of the table. The inexperienced coach from Ravenna then managed to lead his team to 32 points in the second half of the season, climbing to the dizzy heights of 14^th by the season end. Had he proved himself to be the man Cellino had been looking for all this time?

 

Unfortunately not: On the 27^th May, their lack of a contractual agreement meant that they ‘parted company’. The new boss, or latest managerial victim, will be the even less experienced Massimiliano Allegri, who just won promotion from Serie C1 with Sassuolo.

  

Another man with a penchant for firing managers is Palermo’s Maurizio Zamparini. Coach for the first half of last season Francesco Guidolin famously said “By now, Zamparini's words enter my head in one ear and go out the other," as the club owner continued to be critical of his manager when the Rosaneri were topping Serie A.

 

Not averse to causing controversy, he has racially attacked Romanians after an incident involving Adrian Mutu, claimed he wanted to sign Del Piero, before pointing out that the club could never afford it, and promised on many occasions to sell the club due to being exasperated with the whole experience. Disappointed with the clubs league form, he has even rooted for the other team: “I hope West Ham knocks us out of the UEFA Cup, otherwise I am sure we will lose again on Sunday against Chievo. This team cannot compete in two different tournaments and I honestly could not care less about the UEFA Cup”.

 

Finally, amongst the Palermo faithful, he is the man who allowed Luca Toni to join Fiorentina for just £7 million, something that they rue more every season as il Bomber goes from strength to strength. Then more recently, he is the seller of their current stars, Amauri, Barzagli, Zaccardo and Rinaudo to name some of this summers departures. Although this season sees the arrival of Marco Amelia and Fabio Liverani, the decision to cash-in on so many important players and the lack of enough quality replacements will surely back-fire for Zamparini.

 

The world of club presidents, owners and chairmen in Serie A make for a hugely colourful and varied environment, especially for the neutrals. If you’re a manager on the other hand, job security is something of a luxury, and if you’re a fan, its pot luck as to whether you end up with a crazed despot, a free-spending club fanatic, or anything in between.

Italy's Euro 2008 strikers

As we reach the end of the season, and our attention turns towards Euro 2008, it is time to analyse who will be scoring the goals in the “Group of death” and beyond in the summer. Serie A has thrown up some magnificent telent that may not have been in the reckoning just two years ago – Marco Borriello, Amauri and Fabio Quagliarella notably, but with this there will be the inevitable absentees to allow for them, and some hard choices for Azzurri boss Roberto Donadoni.

Lets firstly look at the general set of players we are discussing:

I know what your thinking – Where’s Del Piero, Borriello, Iaquinta et al? We will come to that later on, but I’ll start with what I think is a done deal in terms of a starting place, but is maybe the least predictable in terms of squad selection – Centre-forward. Luca Toni, barring injuries will lead the frontline, and more than likely will do very well considering his astonishing record of 35 goals in just 41 games so far this season for Bayern. This position at the head of the 3 man attack requires pace, power, height, control and heading ability, things that Toni has in abundance. That should be an easy decision, but it becomes more difficult deciding who goes with him as reserve. Marco Borriello has been in fine form for Genoa, top of the goalscoring chart with 19 goals so far, and he also fits the bill perfectly. He will be in direct competition with the more experienced, and highly sought after Amauri of Palermo, who so far has 13 goals, but has been getting rave reviews. His being Brazilian shouldn’t be a problem as he should get Italian citizenship in time for the competition, barring difficulties with the Italian bureaucratic system, which is not beyond the realms of possibility. Roberto Donadoni has mentioned how he would find Amauri difficult to turn down if the chance offered itself, and the in-form Juve target may well get the nod ahead of Borriello.

As for any other alternatives, it has been too little too late for Christian Vieri, whose resurrection has been commendable, and also for Juventus striker Vincenzo Iaquinta, whose innabilty to hold down a first team spot at the Old Lady should cost him his place.

Mauro Camoranesi may not pose the threat to goal that Di Natale specialises in, nor the class and inventiveness of a Cassano or Del Piero, but what he offers is more important, if less spectacular. Gone are the days when Italy would play with small, technical strikers, encouraging a very tight passing game. Since the arrival on the scene of Vieri, there has been a need for a good old-fashioned winger, one who has the pace to get to the by-line, yet also, as international football demands, has the ability to supply a top quality cross. With Luca Toni in the box, Camoranesi is relatively sure of his place in the Azzurri line-up.

The left-hand support attacker is occupied by a different type of player, and another one who is assured of his place. The variation in attack is complete with a small player who has great ball control, a vicious shot, and the ability to consistently score goals. Antonio Di Natale loves to cut in from the left, and can cause defences real problems, as he has proved in Serie A all season, totting up 16 goals. Add to the squad Fabio Quagliarella, who has the ability to play a number of positions in the forward line, and has a good understanding with Udinese team-mate Di Natale, and has scored 10 goals this year. More than fantastic performances, this is due to the ineligibility of Cassano and Del Piero to be squad players.

Is it as simple as that then? I think so yes. Antonio Cassano was told by Donadoni that it was in his own hands – behave and play well, and you can come with us. But he has only kept half of that agreement, and has severely shot himself in the foot with recent outbursts, and shows of petulance on the pitch. I’m sure theres a part of everyone reading that wants to see him thrown on in a tight game to stir up the game and run at the defence. But there are problems, in that with such a volatile player, staying on the bench will frustrate him, and any problem causing in a tournament dressing room can be disastrous.

Del Piero however has said that he does not want to be part of the Italy set-up if he is not going to start the games. Considering Di Natale having been instrumental in qualification, I think we can say he will start, and as a result, Del Piero will watch on a television screen despite a reasonably successful season in Turin.

Tim D

Toni in top form

Luca Toni is on course to shape the Azzurri Euro 2008 campaign as he continues to impress all at Bayern Munich. Italians don't generally travel that well in Europe when it comes to new clubs, Lucarelli's spell at Shakhtar the latest example, but Toni has bucked that trend this season. Last night Toni added another two goals to his collection, including the extra-time winner for Bayern to overcome Borussia Dortmund in the German Cup 2-1. This brace takes his goal tally to a staggering 35 in 41 games for Bayern, something that bodes extrememly well for the Italian National team. He is likely also to win the League with Bayern, as they lead by 10 points, and they are still in the UEFA Cup.




Toni has of course got his admirers in Italy, and has like many other strikers been linked with a return to the peninsula with AC Milan. Although it wuold no doubt be a great signing for the Diavolo, he is enjoying himself too much in Germany at the moment, saying in February that "Ifeel very much at home here and I am here to help Bayern win trophies". And who can blame him for staying put? He will be challenging with the big boys in the Champions League next year, will be in pole position for all domestic trophies, and after helping his country to the World Cup win, is assured of both his place in the Italy team, and his place in Italian history. Che vita!

Tim D - Discuss on our forum

Fiorentina out to hold 4th spot

Fiorentina will be looking to improve their chances of securing fourth spot, and that highly lucrative Champions League position, by winning at home against the sicilians Palermo in the Saturday night game in Serie A. Pressure will be on as main rivals for this position, fifth place AC Milan, host Reggina on Sunday afternoon in what should be a safe 3 points for the Rossoneri.

The Viola boss Cesare Prandelli will have a full squad to choose from with Milan target Seb Frey in goal, and star player Adrian Mutu fit. Giampaolo Pazzini will also need to impress after rumours linking Inter owned forward Adriano with a reunion with Prandelli, with whom he worked with at Parma. Palermo will be without defensive stalwart Andrea Barzagli and 41 year old goalkeeper Alberto Fontana. All eyes will be on Italy, Juventus and Arsenal target Amauri up front, whose form is constantly increasing his price-tag.

Saturday night - Juventus vs Milan

A very entertaining match at the Olimpico di Torino saw Juventus beat AC Milan 3-2, in a game that makes the Rossoneri bid for Champions League football all the more unlikely. Goals from former Bayern Munich man Hasan Salihamidzic, and an opener from Alex Del Piero cancelled out two from Milans Inzaghi, in what was one of the games of the season.

It was an end to end start that swept away the old stereotype of Italian football, with some excellent attacking football. Indeed it seemed as if we were watching a game from 5 years ago, as Alessandro Del Piero and Filippo Inzaghi played as if they were in their prime in the first half, both hitting the back of the net, and looking very lively. The first was from Del Piero who locked on to a Camorenesi through ball to strike across Kalac in the Milan goal. Where Camoronesi was influential in setting up opportunities for Juve, it was Kaka who set up the first Inzaghi goal, cutting in from the left and fizzing the ball across the front of goal, where goal poacher Inzaghi was on hand to equalise. His second came as the Juventus defence cleared from a free-kick. Daniel Bonera started a one-two with Ambrosini, to cut through the defence, where he squared it to Inzaghi for number two, with only 30 minutes gone. The game continued to make chances, and just before half time the Bianconero grabbed an equaliser. Paolo Maldini uncharacteristically lost the ball, and Camoronesi immediatly delivered a devastating cross for Trezeguet, whose header was too hot to handle for Kalac, and Salihamidzic netted his first.

The second half started off slower, and the turning point came as Daniel Bonera turned from hero to villain with a dangerous tackle on Momo Sissoko, resulting in him being sent off. This in turn forced Ancelotti into a very defensive move, taking off the sole striker Inzaghi for Cafu, but the pressure this invited resulted in Juve's winner. A Camorenesi free kick from the right in the 78th minute was met by Salihamidzic, and there was no way back for Milan.

The game was well fought, but Juventus played some excellent football throughout the game, and will be delighted to have gotten the better of their bitter rivals, and to have consolidated 3rd place. AC Milan however, must now rely on Fiorentina losing on Sunday away to Inter, but even then, Sampdoria and Udinese will be fighting for 5th spot as well, close on their tales.

Tim D. - Discuss this on the Forum

Inter poll position - but not by much

Most would say this hasn’t been the most compelling title race to grace Serie A in recent years. For the most part, the media’s “favourites” Inter have been the only side consistently achieving wins week in week out with Roma, and for the most part Juventus, having remained close on their tails desperately waiting for the Nerazzurri to slip up – hardly captivating. But, cast your minds back to Week 23 - 17th February to be more precise – Inter had just recorded a 2-0 home win over Livorno to go 11 points clear of Roma, but after Week 32’s results, that lead has been cut to just 4 points. Hope yet for a thrilling finale.

Post Calciopoli, there has been only one team to have played like champions, sweeping aside most teams in their way, winning when perhaps lesser challengers would draw, and otherwise dominating the league – Inter Milan.

Before summer 2006, Serie A had been controlled (in more than one way it turned out) by two clubs - AC Milan and Juventus. Traditionally, each year would see these two giants, alongside an oft-considered unlucky Roma, fight it out to the wire. Every year nothing was predictable (except maybe the refs) and despite the title having gone to the Rossoneri or Bianconeri in 10 of the past 12 years, there was always a race.

Last year it was been all about the chase, with everyone trying to catch the blue and black blur left by the shirts of the Nerazzurri as they powered through the league with their new look superstar squad. However, things having gone according to plan this year and despite Roberto Mancini’s team sitting at the summit, things don’t look quite so rosy at the top. Four points behind with six games to go – Roma will not want finish runners-up for the fourth official season in a row. *

ATALANTA 0-2 INTER MILAN As unpopular now as Juventus were when the Bianconeri could do nothing but win every Sunday afternoon, Inter Milan have had few challengers to the crown controversially awarded them in 2006 and audaciously won with a staggering 22 point margin over their nearest rivals in 2007. They started the 07/08 campaign in now typically fine form, winning for the most part and not losing until March. But since the turn of the year, it hasn’t been all plain sailing for the Nerazzurri. They have struggled to recapture the form that so effortlessly befell them week in week out last season and have often relied on the heroics of their back line. Last season may have belonged to the emphatic attacking and efficiency of their strikers and wing play, but this year Inter can thank Julio Cesar for the fact they haven’t dropped more points than perhaps their recent performances have merited. With Roma and Juventus having maintained a fairly consistent form that a pre-Calciopoli title race would have seen both still in with a shout at the title coming up to the final few rounds of matches, Inter will be nervously looking over their shoulder in the next few games.

Up against the mecca of superstar talent that is the Nerazzurri, both have struggled with smaller, more inexperienced squads to keep pace. But keep pace they have, just, with Roma in particular matching Inter game for game and now just 4 points behind the current champions and with real hope that they could snatch what would be a surprise title from under the noses of Mancini’s men.

ROMA 3-2 GENOA Roma will be ruing the capitulation they suffered against the league leaders in Week six when they lost 4-1 at home to the reigning champions. Luciano Spalletti’s men have been on the back-foot ever since and despite that game being played in September, many will look back at the 10 crazy second half minutes that saw them ripped apart by an on-song Inter strike-force. As crucial when the prizes are handed out this May (no pun intended Giuly, whose crazy handball in the aforementioned top of the table clash left the Giallorossi with ten men for more than an hour).

Roma have remained as close to Inter as possible throughout the year but have failed to fully capitalise on the rare occasions that Inter have dropped points – Roma themselves guilty of more than a few bad days at the office. Inter may have dropped a massive 12 points over the past eight games, but Roma have also dropped 7 of their own - the recent derby defeat and the draw away to Cagliari in March just recent examples of the times throughout the year that the capital club’s fans have been left frustrated. If anyone can catch Inter, it’s Roma, but if anyone can drop points like Inter, it’s Roma.

PALERMO 3-2 JUVENTUS Juventus have gone about their return to the top league in relatively quiet and unspectacular fashion, over-achieving with what both fans and pundits viewed as a lightweight squad. A shadow of their former selves, a smaller transfer budget meant they could only flesh out the squad with nearly-made-its of footballing talent – Tiago, Iaquinta, Boumsong, Andrade, Salihamidžić, Cristiano Zanetti – they were viewed as a side preparing for a fair cop at a UEFA Cup place. And with the unexpected departure of Didier Deschamps and his replacement with a relative underachiever at the larger clubs, Claudio Ranieri, Juve fans were perhaps hoping for nothing more than a top-six finish. But the boys in black and white have done their fans proud – the Bianconeri owe it to them after recent events – and they have more than competed with sides with stronger forces in their ranks. A solid defensive unit and the ability to score goals saw them briefly mount a serious challenge to both Inter and Roma, but have since fallen back after a few off-nights. 13 points dropped in the last two months have put pay the pre-Christmas title challenge aspiration and this has now faded away to what will still be a dream-like top three finish in their first season back.

And finally…

MILAN 3-1 CAGLIARI AC Milan were out of the running even before Christmas with a startlingly poor start savaging their hopes of a first Scudetto since 2004 with indifferent results against teams that they really should beaten with ease. Unable to record a win at home until January 13th, last years title race may have been hampered by an eight-point penalty, but this year’s premature submission has been 100% self inflicted. Aging, injury-hit and fast becoming solely reliant on the shining talent of World Player of the Year Kaka, Milan have a long summer to look forward to, perhaps looking towards Euro 2008 for a few, younger stars to bolster their squad and keep their Number 22 happy.

So who will win this year’s most coveted prise in the peninsula? Well, it’s Inter’s title to lose and realistically Roma are clinging onto the faint hope of what would have to be an astonishing slip up from the champions. But, as the past few seasons have shown us, stranger things have happened in Italian football.

*2004/05 season was declared null and void after Calciopoli.

By Rob P. Discuss this on our Forum