Roma 1-2 AC Milan: Top three performers as Rossoneri bounce back in style

After two consecutive defeats in Serie A, as well as two draws in Europa League, Milan desperately needed a win against Roma earlier this evening. And they managed to get the job done with their best performance in a long time, creating many goalscoring opportunities especially in the first half. 

Juventus got just one point from their clash against Hellas Verona and with Roma just behind in fourth, it was important for Milan to take advantage of the situation. Franck Kessie and Ante Rebic stepped up and scored the goals, but the entire Rossoneri team should be praised for the display.  Continue reading

Serie A Fantasy Recap – Round 24

Standings implications: Inter looked dominant again in the bout with Genoa, but Milan kept pace by returning to winning ways versus Roma, as a Giallorossi just can not seem to get over the hump. Juventus again showed inconsistency as they were held to a tie by Verona. Atalanta did quick work of Sampdoria and took advantage of the Old Lady and Lazio’s missteps, as the Biancocelesti got torpedoed by Bologna. Napoli continued their home cooking at the expenses of Benevento. The five teams vying for two Champions League spot are bunched up within three points.

Continue reading

Sevilla win offers Barcelona renewed hope

It was, by a distance, Barca’s best performance of the season.

Heading into the match at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan, although the Catalans were on a credible winning streak away from home in La Liga, they were up against a Sevilla side that hadn’t conceded a goal in five league games.

What’s more, Barca were well beaten just a couple of weeks before at the same venue in the Copa del Rey. Continue reading

Antonio Conte finds the winning formula with Inter

It may have taken Antonio Conte two seasons at Inter, but the veteran tactician appears to have found the winning formula in Milano. The Nerazzurri have been in emphatic form in recent months and have since run away as title favorites. With both Milan and Juventus struggling for form, Inter is now well on its way to its first Scudetto in 11 years – but how have they got here?

Initially, Inter sporting director Giuseppe Marotta backed his manager heavily in the transfer window. The likes of Nicolo Barella, Romelu Lukaku, and Achraf Hakimi were all brought in and remain crucial pieces to the puzzle. That being said, it still takes a manager to put it all together.

Conte has toiled with a number of different lineups and setups before finally establishing his winning formula. The veteran tactician has since gone with Stefan de Vrij, Alessandro Bastoni, and Milan Skriniar at the back, offering the side some much-needed stability. The trio possesses an interesting blend of experience and youth and are all capable of playing from out from the back.

Beyond its staunch backline, Inter boasts one of Italy’s best midfield units. Conte has a number of options on the bench including Stefano Sensi and Arturo Vidal but appears to have finally decided on his best lineup. The former Azzurri boss deploys Marcelo Brozovic from the deepest role and flanks him with Christian Eriksen and Nicolo Barella.

The former was almost on his way out in January but has since undergone a resurgence of sorts. Eriksen has played a crucial role for Inter in recent weeks, adding creativity between the lines. Brozovic is tasked with sitting back and dictating the tempo, while Barella is Inter’s all-action midfielder. The former Cagliari man is a constant menace in the final third and is always looking to combine dangerously with Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi.

Moving forward to the attack. Inter’s one-two punch of Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez is among the very best in football. The Belgian international has taken his game to another level under Conte and enters the final stretch of the season in sensational form. Martinez, on the other hand, is arguably playing the best football of his young career, stringing together a number of positive outings together since the turn of the new year. The duo possesses the necessary speed, power, and skill to unlock any defence and could very well prove to be the difference for Inter.

An article on Conte’s Inter would not be complete with a brief discussion on the wingbacks. Hakimi marauds the right flank at will, tormenting defenders, while Perisic’s improvement as a left wingback has been notable. Both wingbacks offer Inter the stability and creativity they need from the wide areas.

With Juventus in a transition season, the title is very much Inter’s for the taking. The Nerazzurri have been the best side in Italy this season and have shown no signs of slowing down. When Inter initially brought Conte in, the goal was to dethrone Juventus. With just 14 games left, the Italian tactician is set to deliver.

Join the most popular Fantasy Serie A game here: fantasyseriea.com

The Andrea Pirlo Dilemma: Back or replace him?

When Andrea Pirlo was handed the reins this offseason, it came as a huge surprise across the calcio world. After all, the World Cup winner had no prior experience at the top level and was still in the midst of completing his coaching licenses. Fast forward six months later, and Pirlo’s inexperience is becoming increasingly clear.

Injuries have not helped the rookie tactician, but Pirlo has made many questionable choices in his debut season. The Italian champions are set to relinquish their stranglehold over Serie A to arch-rivals Inter, while they already have one foot out of the Champions League. Once the season comes to an end Juventus will have a big decision to make: Should they back Pirlo or fire him?

Thrusting a rookie manager into the spotlight without fully backing him is a recipe for disaster. Year after year, Juventus neglects its stuttering midfield and persists with overvalued bosman deals. See: Adrien Rabiot and Aaron Ramsey. While both have flashes of brilliance, neither are good enough on a consistent basis to form a world-class midfield unit.

It would be completely unfair to criticize Pirlo without first mentioning that Fabio Paratici has done him no favors himself. The Juventus sporting director has done close to nothing to revitalize the midfield or other areas of concern. Beyond the middle of the park, Juve’s fullbacks leave a lot to be desired. Alex Sandro is on his final legs, Gianluca Frabotta is simply not ready, while Danilo is a backup at best.

Pirlo has had to adapt in this respect, promoting Frabotta from the second team. Decisions to sell Joao Cancelo and Leonardo Spinazzola have undoubtedly come back to haunt Juventus this season. While Paratici has made a number of mistakes on the transfer market, it doesn’t totally absolve Pirlo from the blame.

The rookie tactician has regularly demonstrated he is stubborn in his ways, persisting with a 3-5-2 when it clearly doesn’t suit his players. Pirlo has shoehorned Dejan Kulusevski up front, while deploying the side’s most dangerous player – Federico Chiesa – at right wingback. Both players would be better suited to a more conventional 4-3-3 and offer the Bianconeri some much-needed unpredictability in the final third.

Pirlo’s decisions in the middle of the park have not been much better either. Rodrigo Bentancur and Adrien Rabiot continue to feature, despite their inability to dominate proceedings week in, week out. Injuries have ravaged Juventus’ midfield core in recent weeks, but Pirlo still has alternatives on the bench.

Weston McKennie can be used from a deeper role as was the case in Juve’s 3-0 win over Barcelona, while Nicolo Fagioli is ready for a bigger role. At a time where the side’s midfielders shy away from dictating play, Fagioli would be a breath of fresh air. Beyond Arthur, the young Italian is one of few players who is comfortable in possession and willing to progress the ball forward. A midfield duo of McKennie and Fagioli with Kulusevski or Ramsey roaming in front of them should be tried before the all-important clash against Porto.

All this leads us back to the initial question: Should Juventus fire Pirlo or back him? Well, it’s tough to say. In many ways, the second half of the season could serve as his final audition. If the rookie manager shows he is willing to adapt and shake things up, Juventus would be wise to back him and accept the growing pains. That being said, if Pirlo continues to persist with a losing formula, it would be difficult to justify significant spending to fit his system.

At the end of the day, Juventus is in desperate need of an overhaul, which is very much out of Pirlo’s hands. The rookie boss can’t be faulted for what he doesn’t have, but if his first season in charge is anything to go by, Pirlo has a lot to learn.

Join the most popular Fantasy Serie A game here: fantasyseriea.com

Three Players Outside of Italy’s Top Six That Could Be on The Move

Italian football has been ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, threatening the very livelihood of many of calcio’s sides. In most cases, the lack of revenue from ticket sales has meant subdued transfer windows. Nowadays, the very best players command a premium – prices most Italian clubs simply can’t afford.

As a result, sporting directors are forced to look within Italy to bolster their sides with a number of budding talents catching the eye.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at three players Italy’s giants should be taking a look at.

Gaetano Castrovilli (Fiorentina): The 24-year-old broke onto the scene last year as a relatively unproven talent and has since established himself as a regular for la Viola. Fiorentina’s instability has not helped Castrovilli, but the midfielder has still managed to stand out with five goals and two assists in 21 appearances.

Despite his side’s struggles, Castrovilli continues to dominate play and take his game to the next level. While he has impressed this season, it may be time for the Italian international to reconsider his future and leave his boyhood club. Federico Chiesa did so this summer and is benefitting as a result of it, thriving at Juventus.

Fiorentina’s pursuit of Maurizio Sarri can tilt the balances in their favour, but as of right now, Castrovilli should weigh all his options. If la Viola’s top brass are not serious about making wholesale changes, he might just be available come the summertime.

Rodrigo De Paul (Udinese):  Where would Udinese be without Rodrigo De Paul? It feels as if the Argentine maestro has singlehandedly saved the Zebrette from the drop zone in recent seasons. An all-action midfielder by nature, any club in Italy would be lucky to have De Paul in the middle of the park. The Udinese midfielder is versatile enough to play as the side’s regista, shielding the back four, or as the side’s number 10.

Juventus and Inter have both been heavily linked with a move over the years, with the former emerging as favourites. Inter’s midfield trio of Christian Eriksen, Marcelo Brozovic and Nicolo Barella is among the very best in Italy, making it difficult for De Paul to breakthrough. At Juventus, by contrast, the 26-year-old would slot in directly into the starting 11 and offer some much-needed creativity and industry in the middle of the park.

Italian clubs will have to act fast, however, as recent reports have suggested both Liverpool and Leeds United are keeping tabs on him. Both sides are expected to ramp up their pursuit in the coming weeks.

Mattia Zaccagni (Hellas Verona): Hellas Verona continues to surprise in Italy and punch above their weight. When looking at their starting 11, it is difficult to pinpoint one big name that consistently makes the difference. Upon closer inspection, however, that player just happens to be Mattia Zaccagni.

The 25-year-old has been a revelation under Ivan Juric, making a name for himself cutting in from the left-hand side of Hellas Verona’s 3-4-3. Operating in a free-roam role, Zaccagni combines to devastating effect with Verona’s frontline, drifting between the lines dangerously. The Verona man has shown no signs of slowing down this season, registering five goals and five assists in 20 appearances.

Napoli has been linked with a move for Zaccagni in January, but never pulled the trigger. Milan has reportedly kept tabs on the 25-year-old as well, given his ability to slot in anywhere across the frontline. Zaccagni has proven he can play on the left or through the middle, making him a great fit for either side. Given Hellas Verona’s low-profile, Zaccagni’s price should be modest.

Anywhere between 10-15 million euros should be enough to secure him, making him an intriguing fit for any side looking for some help in the final third.

Join the most popular Fantasy Serie A game here: fantasyseriea.com

Juventus Top Perfomers – Round 24 vs Verona

In what often looked like more of a chess match than a football one, Juventus kept it together for about an hour, but then ran out of gas and allowed Verona to get back into the game, to the point that the opponents were more deserving to win thanks as they created more chances in the final stretch.

Federico Chiesa (2 points): he was a trooper in this one, as he served both as a right-back, since none were available in this one, but also did not shy away from attacking. Like the rest of his teammates, he was effective until about midway through the second half, then the chain on that flank came apart and generated the equalizer. Before that, though, he set up Cristiano Ronaldo thanks to a very smart channel run and an even batter square ball for the onrushing teammate. Dejan Kulusevski showed glimpses of his best some with some very powerful and technical sprints that could have easily resulted in clear-cut scoring opportunities if just a little more touch or simply better luck on his dishes. Continue reading

Roma vs. AC Milan: Serie A Round 24 – Team news, stats and prediction

After two consecutive defeats in the league, as well as two draws in Europa League, Milan will take on Roma away from home tomorrow evening. It’s a big opportunity for Stefano Pioli’s men, who with a win would regain some much-needed confidence and secure more safety standings-wise. 

It hasn’t been easy for the Rossoneri in recent weeks and it’s clear that a reaction is needed, not just for themselves but also to calm down the fans. After sitting in first place for so long, while continuing to play well, it’s certainly normal that the reactions are strong when performances suddenly drop. Especially when they drop like this.  Continue reading

Lazio suffering from Champions League blues

Before Lazio’s Round of 16 clash against Bayern Munich, Simone Inzaghi’s men were among the most in-form sides in Italy. The capital-based club surged up the table, winning seven of its last eight games in Serie A. Beyond a defeat against Inter, Lazio entered the game in near-perfect form and looked good value to upset the Bavarian giants.

Boasting a deadly Ciro Immobile, and the impressive midfield duo of Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, the Lazio faithful believed in the possibility of an upset. After all, Bayern was just coming off a defeat against Eintracht Frankfurt and a disappointing draw against Arminia Bielefeld.

When the final whistle blew on Tuesday, their optimism was quickly replaced by disappointment. A collection of individual errors handed Bayern a commanding 4-1 lead, heading into the second leg. Having conceded four away goals, Lazio would need nothing short of a miracle to progress past the reigning champions.

Lazio’s woes continued this weekend in league action, losing to Bologna 2-0. Sinisa Mihajlovic’s men went into the game with just one win in their last five but dictated the proceedings against Lazio from start to finish. Immobile’s missed penalty shot did his side no favors, essentially condemning them to their eighth defeat of the season.

The defeat cast serious doubts over Lazio’s Champions League credentials, as Inzaghi’s men enter a crucial stretch in the season. If the Biancocelesti are to return to Europe’s elite competition next season, they cannot afford to drop games like these. The race for top four is simply too tight.

Morale may be low following a drubbing, but there are no excuses not to overcome Bologna. Lazio currently sits in sixth place, just one point behind arch-rivals Roma in fourth place, setting up a fiery second half to the season. As reports surface that Lazio may be penalized for not following the appropriate COVID-19 protocols against Juventus and Torino, the Biancocelesti might fall further behind in the race.

Inzaghi has no choice to go back to the drawing board and shake things up. When in form, fewer sides in Italy play better football than Lazio. The Italian giants play with a clear identity and move the ball around efficiently. Immobile and Joaquin Correa are always there to finish, while their midfield boasts a near-perfect blend. At the back, Francesco Acerbi is tasked with marshaling the rearguard, leading with great aplomb.

While an early elimination from the Champions League may be on the cards, Inzaghi must turn to the side’s veterans and turn Lazio’s season around. Last year, the Biancocelesti challenged for the Scudetto for much of the season, before hitting a wall and finishing fourth.

Lazio cannot afford a similar drop-off this time around as they have not built a similar cushion atop the table. With Napoli, Roma, Juve, Milan, and Atalanta all in the battle for top four, missed opportunities will come back to haunt Lazio. Their defeat against Bologna is not the be-all, end-all, but cannot turn into a trend.

Lazio failed to deal with adversity last season, but must learn from its lessons and once again qualify for Europe’s elite competition. The financial windfall that comes with qualification would help the side bolster its roster across the board and add some much-needed depth in crucial areas. This summer’s arrivals have not been up to snuff, failing to make an impact when called upon.

As the season draws to a close, defeats like Saturday’s must become an anomaly for Lazio. Inzaghi has been there before, but this time around must deliver different results. The benefits of yet another season in the Champions League are endless, but with the pressure on, will Lazio falter?

Join the most popular Fantasy Serie A game here: fantasyseriea.com

 

 

Who should replace Gennaro Gattuso?

Napoli took aggressively to this past transfer window, securing Victor Osimhen for a record fee. The southern-based club was largely expected to challenge for the title this season but has since failed to deliver. While recurring injury problems have undoubtedly played their part, Napoli has simply not been good enough. As their struggles persist, reports suggest Gattuso will not last past this season.

Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis is yet to offer him a contract renewal, highlighting his lack of faith in the World Cup winner. A number of high-profile names have been linked to the Napoli hot-seat, including Massimiliano Allegri, Vincenzo Italiano, Maurizio Sarri, Rafa Benitez, and most recently Luciano Spalletti.

Let’s start with Allegri. Napoli would be lucky to have the former Juventus boss on its touchline, but his arrival remains unlikely. Allegri is reportedly holding out for his next opportunity and has his sights set on a move to England. While he would definitely bring some much-needed stability to Napoli, the chances of him arriving are slim to none.

Beyond Allegri, a sensational reunion with Maurizio Sarri has been reported. As the old Italian saying goes, “la minestra riscaldata non e mai buona.” Reheated soup is never good. The veteran tactician had his shot and brought Napoli as far he could take them. The season he spent in Turin with Juventus will not help his chances either, but as a whole, Napoli should stay away from Sarri. Their side is vastly different from the one he lead and would require a total shift in the way they play.

The same logic applies to Rafa Benitez. The only reason the Spaniard is being linked back with a move to Napoli is due to the familiarity he already has with the club. The former Liverpool boss is not a great fit with the club’s current project and would not be able to deliver the consistency they so desperately crave.

That leaves us with the final two options: Spezia’s Vincenzo Italiano and Luciano Spalletti. In many ways, these are arguably Napoli’s best two options to replace Gattuso. On one hand, Spalletti has a proven track record of results in Italy, most recently delivering Champions League football with Inter. While on the other, Italiano has impressed with Spezia and appears ready to take the next step to a bigger club.

Spalletti definitely offers more guarantees, but Italiano would introduce a fresh style of play, opting for an aggressive pressing system. At the end of the day, the final decision will come down to De Laurentiis. The Napoli president has proven he can swing either way – going with experienced options in the past in Benitez or Ancelotti or going the unproven route by hiring Sarri off the back of his breakout year with Empoli.

An article on Napoli’s managerial situation would not be fair without giving Gattuso a fair shake. Who knows – the Partenopei can still turn their fortunes around, string a positive run of results, and finish the season strongly. Crazier things have happened. Gattuso has already proven he can steady a sinking ship, leading Napoli to a Coppa Italia triumph last season, but appears to be in his final days.

Napoli would be wise to start considering alternatives starting with Spalletti and Italiano. While Benitez and Sarri are both on the table, going back with your ex is seldom a good idea. Let’s face it – neither would be able to lead Napoli to new heights. Elsewhere, securing Allegri would be a masterstroke, but the veteran tactician reportedly sees his future elsewhere.

With just 15 games to go and a big decision looming large, De Laurentiis has a lot to consider. Whether he opts for an experienced bench boss or the new kid on the block remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure: He is not short on options.

Join the most popular Fantasy Serie A game here: fantasyseriea.com