Napoli vs Genoa - Highlights

Chelsea fans take note, Napoli are heading into the new year on fire with a 6-1 demolition of Genoa. Cavani struck twice, whilst Gargano and Zuniga scored belters from outside the box. Check out the highlights below.

Inter Milan vs Lecce - Highlights

Inter made it four from four with a 4-1 victory over Lecce. Despite going behind early the Milan side recovered to put four past Lecce and cement their spot near the top of the Serie A going into Christmas.

Cagliari vs Milan - Highlights 0:2

Milan continued with their pressure on Juventus going top of the table after defeating Cagliari. If Juventus win they go back on top, but for now, Milan occupy top spot.

Check out the highlights below

Supercoppa Italiana: AC Milan vs. Inter Milan Player Ratings

In what was a great curtain raiser for the upcoming Serie A season, I will take a look at how I think the respective players from each side of Milan performed. All scores are out of 10, with a perfect 10 denoting the best individual performance I have ever seen in a football match.






AC MILAN

Player	Rating	Goals + Cards	Minutes Played
Christian Abbiati	6	0;0	90 minutes
Gianluca Zambrotta	6	0;1 yellow	90 minutes
Alessandro Nesta	6	0;0	90 minutes
Thiago Silva	6.5	0;0	90 minutes
Ignazio Abate	6	0;0	90 minutes
Clarence Seedorf	7	0;0	90 minutes
Mark van Bommel	6	0;0	90 minutes
Gennaro Ivan Gattuso	5	0;1 yellow	75 minutes
Kevin-Prince Boateng	7	1 goal;1 yellow	82 minutes
Zlatan Ibrahimovic	7.5	1 goal;0	90 minutes
Robinho	5.5	0;0	62 minutes
Urby Emanuelson	>10min	0;0	8 minutes
Massimo Ambrosini	>10min	0;1 yellow	15 minutes
Alexandre Pato	7	0;0	28 minutes

Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Very quiet in the first half, except for a header that ended up hitting the post. In the second half however, he was on fire. He played brilliant interchange passing with the likes of Robinho, Seedorf and Boateng. Ended up scoring the goal to equalise, eventually taking Milan to victory. Great start to the season for the Sweedish International


INTER MILAN

Player	Rating	Goals + Cards	Minutes Played
Julio César	6.5	0;0	90 minutes
Cristian Chivu	5	0;0	90 minutes
Walter Adrian Samuel	6	0;0	90 minutes
Andrea Ranocchia	6	0;0	90 minutes
Ricardo Gabriel Álvarez	7	0;0	63 minutes
Thiago Motta	6	0;0	90 minutes
Obi	7	0;0	82 minutes
Dejan Stankovic	6	0;0	74 minutes
Javier Adelmar Zanetti	5.5	0;0	90 minutes
Eto'o	6	0;0	90 minutes
Wesley Sneijder	7.5	1 goal;1 yellow	90 minutes
Marco Faraoni	6	0;0	27 minutes
Giampaolo Pazzini	6	0;0	16 minutes
Luc Castaignos	>10mins	0;0	8 minutes

Wesley Sneijder: What a free kick! Sneijder looked to be having a phenomenal game in the first half. Seemingly untouchable as he guided Inter around the park. At times he had up to five Milan defenders on him. A little quieter in the second half, but still a force to be reckoned with. Don't be surprised to see Inter add an extra few million euros to his price tag after that goal.

Final Score: AC Milan 2:1 Inter Milan
Still much work to be done by both sides but positive signs on both ends.
What did you think of the ratings? Did you agree with them?

Mario Balotelli Offered a Loan Move to Roma for Upcoming Season

Manchester City haven't been as active on the transfer market this year in comparison to previous years. But out of the few signings City made the biggest of all was Sergio Aguero—another striker. And as things would stand it could pave the way for the exit of Mario Balotelli after just one season with the club.

After signing from Inter Milan, Balotelli hasn't had the greatest of impacts at City. He made 17 league appearances for City, scoring six goals in the process. In that short stint he also received a red card for violent conduct, resulting in a few missed games.

His attitude always proved to be a problem both on and off the pitch. During his time at Inter, Balotelli had numerous falling outs with players, fans and even coaches.

Altercations—sometimes physical—with fans had him in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. More recently it was his attitude on the pitch which caused an uproar. The famous attempt at a back heel backfired and saw Balotelli subbed by Roberto Mancini in the first half in a preseason match with the LA Galaxy.

An argument took place on the sideline as Balotelli tried to justify, what could only be described as, disrespectful play towards the opposition.

However, according to Goal.com Balotelli could be on his way out of Manchester, and back to the league where he made his name. The player has reportedly been offered to Roma on a loan deal.
The deal would see Balotelli link up with the likes of Bojan, to form a new—and young—attacking line in Rome. With Vucinic's move to Juventus imminent it would seem that Balotelli to Roma looks feasible.
The year long deal would give "Super Mario" some extra playing time with Aguero, Dzeko and possibly now Tevez all fighting for the front two roles at City.
Hopefully Balotelli can get back on track.

Juventus' American Tour. What Is on the Agenda for the Bianconeri?

As pre-season tours go America seems to be really popular in 2011, with some high profile clubs choosing to get their players ready for the tough European season by organising some friendlies with home clubs. Clubs including Real Madrid, Manchester United, Manchester City and now Juventus are currently in the United States.

Amongst meeting their adoring fans, Juventus in particular working on some key combinations for the upcoming 2011/2012. After a poor finish in the league last season, the Bianconeri will be looking to capitalise on the signings of a few new players. Most namely Andrea Pirlo, Stephen Lichtsteiner and Reto Ziegler will be looking to make a good impression on Juventus fans. Just for the record Arturo Vidal is on his way to Turin, where he will look to sign off on a contract which will see him join the club on a permanent deal. Along with Vidal, Giuseppe Rossi is being strongly linked with Turin and could join the starting XI prior to the commencement of the 2011/2012 season.

During their time in the US Juventus will play three friendlies organised prior to the tour. Over five days Juventus will play three clubs Sporting Lisbon on the 23rd of July, Club America on the 26th and C.d.Guadalajara on the 28th. But that is not to say that they will not play a few games against local sides, in between.

Notable absences from the squad are Felipe Melo and Amauri, with the futures of both players at the club still uncertain


The club are currently staying at the Four Seasons hotel in Philadelphia, whilst training at the NOVACARE COMPLEX not far from the hotel.
With much to prove in 2011/2012 Juventus will want to start off the season in the best shape possible, in their bid to once again reclaim top spot in Italy.

For those Juventus fans from America reading this, Juventus will be in Philadelphia (as previously mentioned), before heading to New York, moving cross boarder to Toronto in Canada and finally concluding the tour in Raleigh. Get out their and support the Bianconeri ahead of the new Serie A season.

Stay tuned as I bring match reviews and other news from their tour!

Diego, Wolfsburg Outcast and Former Juventus Player: What Happened?

Rewind two seasons. Italian giants Juventus had just completed a €24.5 million deal for Weder Bremen's Brazilian star Diego, he was set, ready to link up with a host of players and take Juve back to the top of Europe.

He arrived at Juventus full of passion, quickly became popular with the fans (and still is to some extent today) he made his debut in the Serie A against Chievo and grabbed an assist in his first game, going on to score a double against Roma not long after.

It all seemed to be going well for Diego, the Brazilian trio of Amauri, Melo and himself were working well together, Juventus were sitting top of the table in Italy (undefeated).

A loss to Napoli triggered a bad slump in form for the Bianconeri and just months later they were down 4-1 in a Champions League clash against Bayern Munich.

Out of the Champions League, sitting poorly on the table and having a host of players out saw Diego pushed to a central forward role for Juventus. Although he scored a few more goals for Juventus, they would not qualify for the Champions League for 2010/2011.

Diego's last game for Juve proved to be a 3-0 loss against Milan. Although Juventus had one of their worst seasons in the history of the club, Diego didn't fully disappoint. Fans agreed he needed a season to settle in at Juve and didn't do too badly in comparison to the performances of some of the other signings (Felipe Melo most noticeably).


After spending big in the 2010 transfer season again, Juventus surprisingly decided to part ways with the Brazilian central attacking midfielder, selling him to German side Wolfsburg in a move that would see him return to the league that made him one of Europe's most feared attackers.

The fee of €15.5 million was a record for Wolfsburg, but proved to be a €9 million loss for Juventus. Much was made in the media of Juventus' treatment of Diego, many questioned whether Juventus really understood the potential of the player they had at hand, especially because it was only his first season in the Serie A.

Nevertheless he returned to Germany with Wolfsburg. His first game in the German outfit saw him score a debut goal, even though Wolfsburg went on to lose 4-3.

He continued to shine in a below-average Wolfsburg side, who had come to the conclusion that they were fighting to stay in the Bundesliga, rather than contest the title as they so brilliantly did the year before.
On the Feb. 5, 2011, Diego won a penalty in a league match, that ultimately proved to decide the future of Steve McClaren. Instead of allowing the designated penalty taker (Patrick Helmes) to step up and attempt to convert, Diego subsequently hit the crossbar and Wolfsburg went on to lose the match by a single goal.


He was fined and dropped for his actions, and from here Diego never really got another look into the squad. A combination of not following team orders off the field and not being given any playing time have seen him dropped to the fringes of the squad, in essence looking for a new club.

So where to now for this talented player? A stay at Wolfsburg isn't on the cards, but a return to Brazil? Perhaps. Many clubs have tried to lure him away from Wolfsburg, including Malaga and a couple of Premier League sides (Aston Villa and Liverpool); whether it will eventuate into anything will be determined in the coming weeks.

One thing is for certain though, Diego's great talent will go to waste if he cannot secure a transfer to a club that needs him equally as much as he needs them.

Ferguson has "no real interest" in signing Wesley Sneijder

After weeks of discussion and rumour, Sir Alex Feguson has come out and denied that Manchester United are in the hunt for Wesley Sneijder. The statements come after Ferguson was questioned about the replacement of Paul Scholes and the likelihood of Sneijder filling the role.

Ferguson is quoted as saying "I keep reading about this, there's absolutely nothing at all to that";"first of all I don't think Inter are prepared to sell him. You get conjecture and you get speculation every week unfortunately." It is believed that the €40 million price tag, combined with the extremely high wage demands of Sneijder have proved to much for United. The question of whether they were ever in the hunt for a replacement for Scholes still remains. Luka Modric may be on the cards as well as a host of other names.

Although one must not forget the face that United have already signed David de Gea, Phil Jones and Ashley Young this window. The signings push Manchester's total spending to way over €50 which was the intended limit. It would certainly seem by the way that Ferguson answered to the rumours would suggest that United are not pursuing, and were never pursuing him.

Wesley Sneijder still has a few years left on his contract at Inter, and to jump ship after one below average season (mind you they did win two trophies), would certainly question his loyalty to a club which has propelled him onto the world stage.

Ferguson concluded that there was "nothing imminent" in terms of transfers for the remainder of the window. Perhaps, investing the money in the youth of United would be the correct move?
Would you sign Sneijder?

Rossi to Juventus?

It would seem the Juventus have given up their chase for Sergio Aguero rather turning to Italian Giuseppe Rossi in their hope to achieve the Scudetto. Talks with Aguero broke down when Manchester City came calling with their transfer kitty. City were willing to meet what ever Athletico wanted for their start man and in turn Aguero decided to turn down Juve.

Rossi would seem the more realistic target for Juve. A bid in the region of 30 million euro would certainly secure his services. As well as this Juve are willing to tripple the wages he currently earns. As well as the monetary incentive Rossi would find the transfer back to his home country easier than other targets, not having to worry about learning a language, or settling in. He would team up with Italian International team mates Giorgio Chiellini and Gigi Buffon, and almost slot right into the first team, with Juventus desperate for some firepower up front.

It is believed that Giuseppe Marotta and Federico Pastorello (Rossi's agent) are good mates, and have already settled on a personal contract. Earlier in the week Villarreal invited Juve to bid for Rossi. It may just look as though Juventus will have some hope in the Serie A this year!

Napoli unveil players the fun way!

Napoli have announced the signing of Gorkhan Inler on a permanent deal. It is believed Undinese reliquished their player for a sum of 12 million Euros.

However what has dominated the headlines is not the signing, but the way the signing was revealed.

CHECK IT OUT!

Falling Like Dominoes: Allegations of Matching Fixing in Football

By Marcel Abboud

Betting is (for some) an added item of luxury and excitement that's brought to the game of football. Many fans will bet on their favourite teams to win games and/or leagues, or perhaps who's going to score the first goal. There's literally thousands of options that a fan can bet on. Who knows, a five dollar multi-bet could reap dividends and make one lucky fan a quick buck in a very short return. With advancement in technologies and greater access to live scores from all over the world, it would be hard to disagree that betting is something that can't be avoided in the game of football.


But with every positive aspect that's in making money (especially when it's a quick dollar for little or no effort) there's always bound to be a negative, ugly connotation that's attached to it. In sport, there is always the sneaky suspicion (whether fabricated or not) that who knows, perhaps that a game/s can be fixed and the results already pre-determined (known as match fixing). It's as of late (the past few years or so) that match fixing has reared it's ugly head in the game of football (but this isn't to say that it hasn't always been around).



Recently, the Italian footballing world has been rocked (once again) by allegations of match fixing after calls for Inter Milan to be stripped of the 2006 Scudetto (title) due to evidence not originally included in the 2006 Italian football scandal (known as Calciopoli in Italian). These allegations are based on wiretapped phone calls by late Inter Milan president Giacinto Facchetti who FIGC chief investigator Stefano Palazzi claims tried to influence the referring sector. For those who don't recall, Italian football was rocked with a massive betting scandal in May 2006 (Calciopoli) involving its top leagues, Serie A and Serie B. The Italian police current league champions at the time Juventus as well as other teams including AC Milan, Lazio, Fiorentina and Reggina were accused of rigging games by selecting favorable referees to determine favourable outcomes for games. After all was said and done, Juventus were stripped of the 2006 and 2006 titles, relegated to Serie B , withdrawn from the 2006/07 UEFA Champions League and forced to play three home games behind closed doors. The other teams who were found guilty received various punishments ranging from point deductions to massive fines and withdrawal from continental competitions.

Turkey is the latest country to be rocked by betting scandals. Reports suggest that various league matches have been staged and fixed in the last Turkish football season, with a number of high profile clubs such as Fenerbache and Eskisehirspor being implicated, with around 30 people being held in this match fixing probe. Whether they are found guilty of match fixing is yet to be seen, but the investigation is still on going.


Even in the European lower leagues, suspicious activity involving clubs is active. In 2009, UEFA investigated three Macedonian clubs (FK Pobeda, FK Milano and Rabotnicki) in their losses in their Europea League ties against various opposition. FK Pobeda were banned by UEFA from continental competitions for eight years after being convicted of match fixing. In June 2011, the Finish top flight had its own match fixing scandals when Finnish officials opened up a criminal investigation against clubs suspected of money laundering.

This kind of scandals aren't limited to European leagues, in fact it can happen anywhere and in any country. In September 2010, the national team of Bahrain took on a supposed Togo national team and won 3 - 0. After total domination of the African side and having numerous goals ruled out, this supposed Togo team was found to be entirely "fake" and not even the Togo Football Federation knowing of this match that took place in Bahrian. This Togo team was linked to a match fixing allegation, who placed a lot of money on the result of the game.

This type of activity is deplorable and is a detriment to the beautiful game of football. It takes out the passion, excitement and anticipation that fans crave when they go watch a game. What is the motivation for these activities? Above all, it always comes down to money because in plain and simple terms, money makes the world go around (especially in the footballing world).


Betting is a quick and easy way to make money (and if you're good at it lots of of) and if you can fix the results to make lots of money and you can pull it off, then you're going to be rich and then-some. But when you know that your team has won a game/league/championship because results "fell" your way, it makes many fans sick and ashamed to be following that club.

Match fixing is a scar of the game of football and more must be done (both by local federations in conjunction with their governments and along with FIFA) to help stamp out such disgraceful activities.

What needs to be done in such circumstances, as always, remains to be seen.

Pastore could be leaving Palermo

Highliy rated Argentinian and Palermo midfielder Javier Pastore could be leaving Palermo for a bigger club. The rumours come about after Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini suggested that a bid in excess of 50 million euros had been proposed by another club. Although the club is unknown at the moment, speculation has been surrounding Chelsea, Roma and Real Madrid.

Earlier in the year it was reported that Roma would offer 25 million euros plus three players. However Palermo would not relinquish their player as they believed that they could get a cash only deal for their man.

The 50 million dollar tag is a big step down from the 80 million wanted last campaign. Although less spectacular performances from the talented midfielder have contributed to a more realistic price tag. Pastore has proved to be a useful player at the Sicilian club. this campaign he scored 11 goals in 24 games.

He is currently on duty with Argentina in the Copa America, but has not made an appearance yet.

Gian Piero Gasperini takes charge at Inter

After a season which failed to meet expectations, Inter have decided to part ways with temporary replacement Leonardo instead signing former Genoa manafer Gian Piero Gasperini. Inter won two trophies in the 2010/2011 European campaign (Club World Cup, Coppa Nazionale). After failing to regain their league title, and mount a successful Champions League campaign, Massimo Moratti is looking at signing a host of players.

Attacking midfielder Wesley Sneijder as well as Maicon have been heavily reported as leaving Inter. But Interisti would hope that the signing of a new manager will result in such key players remaining in the capital, rather than jetting off abroad (Manchester United and Real Madrid the most likely destinations).

Gasperini will sign a two year contract with the Italian giants. It will prove to be the first of many signings for the club who are hungry to regain the title they forfeited to Milan in 2010/2011.

Can Juventus rebuild?

Turin giants Juventus have all but ended their hopes for another Champions League birth after being defeated 1-0 by Parma in a clash which saw loanee Giovinco score yet again against his parent club. Juventus sit 7th on the table just one point ahead of Palermo and three points behind Roma.

Juventus began the season in poor form losing 1-0 to Bari in the opening matchday. From here the Bianconeri seemed to improve going on a long unbeaten streak, just before the Christmas break, where they lost to Chievo and lost Quagliarella for the season. Winger Milos Krasic found his form and last season flop Felipe Melo began to take leadership in the middle of the park, brutally dominating any midfield that stood in the way of the Bianconeri.

The men from Turin alo had a brief spell in the Europa league, bowing out on the group stage after scoring six consecutive draws and equalling a record set by AEK Athens. Lively games against Manchester City brought out the best in the Bianconeri, who were unlucky to have done better in both legs against the Sky Blues.

It would be fair to say that the Bianconeri have the team to win the Serie A, when compared against the top seven in head to head the Bianconeri come out on top beating Milan, Inter and Roma this season. Where they have really lacked quality though, is in the area of consistency. Due to consecutive injuries and constant formation changes, Juventus never really developed into a team you would put your money on - so to speak. Even Del Neri's usually "set in stone" 4-4-2 merged into a 4-3-3 as less and less first team players became avaliable for selection.

So where to now for the Bianconeri?...... The transfer market?......... Again? In the last two season campaigns big name players have failed to make an impact with Juve, most notably Diego and Felipe Melo. But with the Juve board stating that they are keen to sign one or two big names, Juventus may just be turning to the cash once again as a solution.

In this constant spiral of buying and selling, Juventini around the world will be asking, when will we start to see results? Hope may just be on the horizon. Juventus' new stadium is nearing completion and will be in operation for the 2011/2012 season, this feat will see Juventus be the first Italian club to own their own stadium, also meaning they are the first Italian clubs to reap the benefits of owning their own stadium. With the new financial fair play system coming into play, the stadium could just be the saving grace for Juve, allowing them to sign high profile names, without falling beneath benchmarks set by FIFA and UEFA.

Juventus will, for a long time, be regarded as the best team in Italian history, but if they wish to hold that mantlepiece, they will need to prove that they have rebuilt from Calciopoli. Beating Milan, Inter and Roma all within the one season is a start, but qualifying for the Champions League for successive seasons, and progressing through the knockout will highlight that Juventus are back...... to their best!

Edinson Cavani pledges his loyalty to Napoli

Napoli forward and Parlermo loanee Edinson Cavani has been in scintillating form this Serie A campaign. He has lead Napoli to possibly, qualification in the Champions League and sits second on the top scorers list just one goal behind Antonio Di Natale (26 goals).

His stunning performances have rightfully attracted the attention of big name clubs, including Chelsea, Juventus and just recently Real Madrid who are looking to add to their strikeforce, with the loan of Adebayor coming to an end. With uncertainty about his future arising Cavani did the work of his agent and quashed all rumours by pledging his loyalty to Napoli.

The forward was quick to say that he wanted to stay at the club and play for them in the Champions League next season. Napoli had been challenging Milan for the title, but a recent loss to the Rossoneri have all but ended their hopes. They face Parlermo this week, the club that Cavani may return to next year.

Video - Highlights from Roma vs Parlermo

As the title race heats up Roma have missed the chance to put pressure on Lazio for a top four finish, and may have also relinquished their 6th to a rampaging Juventus who are still yet to play this week.

In a game that finished 3-2 there was alot of action, which including two penalties a number of shots and even a shot by Vucinic with an open goal that some how missed.

It looks as though the takeover of Roma did not go as smoothly as expected

Check out the highlights below:

From Ferrara to Zaccheroni to Del Neri to...... Juventus' coaching saga continues!

The 2010/2011 instalment of the Serie A has seemingly mirrored that of 2009/2010 for the Bianconeri. A new coach brought a new hope for the fans who have been disappointed on a regular basis, amongst some poor performances and some woeful transfers the Juventus of old has seemingly disappeared post Calciopoli.

 
The Turin giants sit 7th in the Serie A on 41 points. In perspective they lie 17 points behind rivals and next opponents Ac Milan, and 7 points outside of the top four. They remain in the hunt for a spot in the Champions League spot, although with only 11 games remaining this season this may seem to be an insurmountable task.
If one thing is for certain though the Juventus board will look to hold those responsible for the utterly diappointing season. It looks as though the first person to go - as is always the case - will be Luigi Del Neri.

Many would argue that Del Neri is not responsible for the poor run of Juventus form. Rather it is the players, both newly transferred and season campaigners who have failed to produce consistency on the pitch. Nevertheless Juventus will be on the look out for a new coach. Several high profile managers have already been linked with the Old Lady.

During the January transfer window, former Roma coach and current Zenit St Petersburg coach Luciano Spalletti was linked with Del Neri's job. During his time in the Serie A he lead Udinese to a Champions League position, and later lead Roma to a host of Coppa Italia victories. He continued his good run of form in Russia winning two league titles with Zenit.He would certainly have the Serie A experience to take over the role of coach at Juventus.

Current English national coach and former Juventus coach Fabio Capello was also linked with a move to Juventus. Capello was at the helm of the Bianconeri in the period leading up to Calciopoli. He developed a team that proved to be one of the most lethal in Europe, there was the possibility that he was even going to lead Juventus to a third Champions League title in the following years. However his team was dismantled when Juve were relegated. Capello is not the man to back down from challenges, and the challenge for him to finish the task he started 7 years ago is still more than alive.

With rumours as absurd as a Lippi return, or a certain Arsene Wenger walking in on the action, Juventus will certainly have an abundance of choice to choose from when choosing their new coach. For now the board will hope that Del Neri has the ability to lead the disappointing Bianconeri to an elusive Champions League spot, so that his certain predecessor is given an opportunity to make his mark.

Juventus face Milan at home this weekend, a win is almost necessary to keep European dreams alive.

Italian Serie A Round 26 - Lecce vs Juventus - Review

After a stunning performance to see out Inter in the Derby D'Italia, Juventus' season looked to be back in full swing. However a dismal performance - to say the least - has resulted in a Champions League position slipping away from the Bianconeri. A red card as well as some questionable defending did not help the Juventus cause as they ran out 2-0 losers to Lecce away from home.

An early Juventus shot by Luca Toni just secons into the match looked promising for Juve as they attempted to string three consecutive Serie A victories together. The Juventus back four did however look shakey with Barzagli and Bonucci anchoring Sorenson and Chiellini.
By the time the first 10minutes had past Lecce had seemingly deciphered Juventus' defence with consecutive long balls catching Barzagli and Bonucci out of position.

Eventaully they paid dividends as a ball through to Di Michele saw the striker through; one on one with Buffon. Committed, Buffon had no choice but to instinctively put out a left hand to prevent a certain goal. The offence saw Buffon sent off within the first 15minutes, leaving Del Neri to make a tactical change.
In response, Storari was substituted for Krasic and Juventus turned to a 4-3-2 formation.

The subsequent freekick proved to do little damage to Juventus as it crashed into the wall. However the extra man that Lecce possessed was slowly making itself apparant. Wave after wave of attack came the Juventus way, and although the Old Lady held more possession than Lecce, it was the home side who was making it count. A lobbed pass from Munari 31 minutes in found an unmarked Mesbah, who calmly slotted the ball in beneath Storari to put Lecce up 1-0, to the delight of the home fans.

Just on the 41 minute mark, Juventus remarkably unleashed their first shot of the match. A glorious opportunity missed, through midfielder Aquilani who missed a ball that was absolutely begging to be put home.

Juve went into half time clearly the dominated side. They came out much the same way as Lecce continued where they left off. Immediately after the break Bertolacci scored a second for the home side as Di Michele cushioned the ball for a neat finish. 2-0 to Lecce, and the game looked to be sealed.

Juventus' defence was in shambles, failed clearances were becoming a regular occurence. Storari seemed to be the only thing keeping Juventus in some sort of contact. Juventus were given a lifeline with 20 minutes remaining after Lecce captain Vives was sent off after a second yellow.

From there Juventus began to push forward, taking control of play. However the Bianconeri could not make anything of their time on the ball. Iaquinta and Del Piero could not spark the Turin giants and they were left to fight out the loss.

The loss sees Juventus' fantastic work agianst Inter last week undone as the Milan side secured a victory over Bologna. Juve face Bologna next week, with league leaders AC Milan awaiting them in the following round of games.



Final Score - Lecce 2 - Juventus 0

Man of the Match - Di Michele (Lecce)

Andrea Pirlo in Juventus move?

Midfield maestro Andrea Pirlo has been linked with a possible move to Juventus fromlong time rivals Ac Milan.

The news comes as Pirlo's contract with the Rossoneri comes to an end, and with an influx of new signings the 31 year old looks to be on the out. Giuseppe Marrotta tried to quell the rumour however recent sightings of Juventus scouts at Milan games would suggest otherwise.


Prilo has been linked with clubs such as Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester United also. He has been in stellar form this year guiding Milan to a seemingly untouchable state at the top of the Serie A. With the rumours that midfield workhorse Mohammad Sissoko may be on the way out, Pirlo would serve as a suitable replacement alongside hard man Felipe Melo or possibly Alberto Aquilani.


If the deal goes ahead Juventus would sign Pirlo on a free contract as his contract is at it's end at the conclusion of the 2010/2011 season.

No word has been heard yet from Pirlo's camp, and many Milanista would be happy to see him stay to help guide the young guns of the new look Milan side.

Italian Serie A Round 25 - Juventus vs Inter - Preview

The two most successful teams in the history of the Serie A will face each other yet again in round 27 of the Serie A. The rivalry between the Bianconeri and the Neazzurri is one of the most intense in the world. It stretches far beyond the pitch into the ranks of management and with the fans. Recently Inter have asserted their dominance over the Turin giants, however a desperate Juventus side will look to go go one up this season after drawing their first match with the Milan side.

Last season the Derby D'Italia finished one game a piece with both games proving to be absolute crackers. Both teams have had mixed seasons. Juventus on one hand starting brilliantly, but fading off into obscurity, whilst Inter have just started to pick up the pace under new coach Leonardo. Both teams have made a host of new signings in the winter, with Pazzini and Matri about to get their first taste of the historic fixture.

Inter come into the game on a four game winning streak. After a stunning performance in a high scoring affair against Roma, a more defensive lineup is expected. They will also come into the match knowing that a Champions League clash against Bayern Munich is coming up.

Juventus' season is in shambles. With the chances of winning the Scudetto all but lost the Bianconeri will be hoping that they qualify in the top four positions, to ensure not only a Champions League spot but extra funding. Del Neri will also be under pressure, with a loss surely calling for his job to be put under review. Juve will hope that new signings Matri and Barzagli add a new dimension of play to the Turin side.

Juventus Team News: Quagliarella and Iaquinta will be missing upfront yet again, with Traore, Rinaudo and De Ceglie also missing from the squad. Alessandro Matri is expected to partner either Del Piero or Luca Toni upfront. After a good performance last week, Sissoko is expected to start along with Felipe Melo and Alberto Aquilani. Chiellini will be used a left back again after his stellar performances continue to make the flank a less vunerable part of Juventus' defence

Inter Milan Team News: Samuel and Lucio are two massive blows in defence for th Neazzurri. With Milito missing in attack it will be left to Pazzini to find the back of the net. Sneijder will control the midfield in the absence of Stankovic. Chivu is suspended after his terrible conduct against Bari. Rannochia and Zanetti are expected to be the Centre Back pairing for Inter.

As is similar to the Manchester Derby, a host of players will be missing from action. Nevertheless the game will prove crucial to both sides. Juventus will be looking to keep in contact with the top four, and Inter will want to break dow Milan's lead at the top. It is a game not to be missed and home advantage may just play a part.

Prediction - Juventus 2 - Inter 1