13 May 2012

FIORENTINA 0
CAGLIARI 0

Attendance : 10,000
Assists : n/a

JUVENTUS 3 (Marrone 10, Del Piero 28, Barzagli 91 Pen)
ATALANTA 1 (Lichtsteiner 84 og)

Marrone began the party with a terrific shot following a spot of ball
juggling and a back heal lay-off from Borriello. Del Piero marked his
last ever (league) game for Juve with a goal via a deflection. He made
way to a standing ovation for Pepe. The fans were in tears though
surprisingly he wasn't. Lichtsteiner turned in a Bellini centre but
Barzagli restored Juve's two goal lead from the penalty post after
Lucchini hauled down Borriello.

It was a season in which everything that could go right for Juventus did
go right. Their rivals were beset by problems, they sucked so much last
season they didn't have any European distraction and that lazy,
treacherous c*nt Pirlo made more effort in a Juve shirt in one season
than he has in about 5 for Milan. This past week he attacked Allegri for
wanting to switch his position because heaven forbid a coach tells his
players where to play. Nesta made a point of saying he would not play
for Juventus.

Juventus have the best defence in the World and a hard running midfield
but when the star of the team is Pirlo it doesn't say much for the
quality of the forwards. Injuries and the fatigue of playing in Europe
will almost certainly take their toll next season and when Pirlo is shot
by Christmas, Juventus better have a plan B. Their top targets are
Higuain, because a team with shitty finishers needs another one, and
Cavani who would cost around €40 million which is imagine is most of
Juve's budget. Dzeko has also been linked and I could see him being a
huge success in Italy. I'm convinced Juve will take out either Real
Madrid of Barcelona in next year's Champions League.

Attendance : 40,994
Assists : Borriello, n/a, n/a, Borriello

MILAN 2 (Flamini 56, Inzaghi 82)
NOVARA 1 (Garcia 20)

Trademark sloppy defending from a free kick, at least since Thiago Silva
was injured, allowed Novara to take a shock lead. Aquilani should have
cleared, Gemiti's shot deflected through the wall and Garcia poked the
ball wide of Amelia. Flamini, who replaced the injured Boateng on 11
minutes stroked a Cassano centre into the corner. Unusual for him to
show good technique. 10 or so minutes from time the moment every Milan
supporter had been waiting for arrived. Seedorf chipped a ball over the
top towards Inzaghi, with his back to play he trapped the ball on his
chest, ran wide of Fontana then volleyed into the net. The celebrations
lasted for two minutes.

At full time Inzaghi, who wrote a moving open letter to the fans earlier
in the week, was presented with a plaque by the ultras. Many of the
players were in tears although Ambrosini, who unlike Inzaghi, Gattuso,
Nesta, Seedorf, Zambrotta and Van Bommel isn't leaving, probably cried
the most. Earlier in the week Van Bommel was interview by the Milan
Channel who showed  a two minute video of his highlights with Coldplay's
Fix You as the soundtrack. When they returned to the studio he was in
floods of tears and could barely speak. It was a similar case today.
Remarkable given he's only been at the club for 18 months. He said he
wants to return one day, possibly as coach. He will be welcomed with
open arms. He was fantastic.

Of those leaving Inzaghi, Gattuso and Nesta have a special place in the
hearts of all Milan supporters, indeed the ultras held aloft three giant
shirts with their names on them covering a whole section of the ground.
No one, absolutely no one loved the shirt more than Super Pippo and he
will be forever loved for exorcising the demons of Istanbul. In one fell
swoop Milan have lost one of the leading strikers in European cup
completion history, the best DM of his generation, Makelele had NOTHING
on Gattuso, and the best defender of his generation. The three of them
genuine all time greats. Even by the standards set at this great club we
may never have a group of that quality again and a part of us dies with
their leaving.

Milan face a huge rebuilding job. They have signed Montolivo, who lacks
personality and is a soft touch but is a decent passer of the ball and
Traore, another DM. Defenders Acerbi and/or Granqvist are strongly
tipped to arrive. Robinho and that bastard Pato could be leaving. Tevez
or Balotelli are the main targets. Dealing with Man City, who has a
gross overestimation of the value of their players, will again prove
difficult but Milan need another forward while they wait for El Shaarawy
to mature and finish growing. Allegri has been confirmed and received
the backing of Berlusconi, which is the reverse of a the dreaded vote of
confidence. Barbara hasn't been seen as much since her father retook his
presidency which doesn't help Pato.

Attendance : 45,000
Assists : n/a, Cassano, Seedorf

CESENA 2 (Del Nero 9, Santana 90)
ROMA 3 (Bojan 27, Lamela 32, De Rossi 49)

Del Nero, who once played of Livingston, smashed home a Santana centre.
Bojan equalised with a diving header! Lamela gave Roma the lead with a
blistering shot after Totti laid off a Bojan pass with a back heel. De
Rossi met Marquinho cross with a header on the run into the bottom
corner. Santana scored a wonderful consolation goal. With his back to
play he flicked a firm pass behind him, turned and slammed a shot into
the roof of the net. Similar to a goal Bergkamp scored I believe against
Newcastle.

The Luis Enrique experiment has, as I expected, failed miserably. He's
stepping down and Montella, the man who coached Roma last season, is
expected to return. They had been linked with AVB who would have been a
disaster.

Attendance : 14,883
Assists : Santana, Lamela, Totti, Marquinho

PARMA 1 (Biabiany 37)
BOLOGNA 0

Giovinco has been linked with Barcelona but I just don't see it. Parma
own 50% of his rights and if Juve want him back they'll have to pay
through the nose also I don't see how he fits with Pirlo playing in a
more advanced role.

Attendance : 16,922
Assists : Giovinco (ck)

CATANIA 0
UDINESE 2 (Di Natale 19, Fabbrini 58)

Di Natale chased down a longball and managed to shot wide from six yards
out. He made amends with an outrageous second. Domizzi angled a ball
inside the left channel, with his first touch Di Natale rounded the
'keeper but was almost parallel with the goal-line, as Spolli came
diving in with a slide tackle, Di Natale toe poked the ball over him and
as it bounced off the turf it spun inside the left post. I've never seen
a shot like it. Italy U21 star Fabbrini made a 40 yard run in from the
left and dropped a shoulder to go past a defender before shooting hard
into the bottom corner.

Apparently Guidolin may not stay on at Udinese and I can't blame him.
He's got them a Champions League place for two seasons straight and no
doubt he'll have to start again as his cheap bastard of a president
sells of his best players.

Attendance : 16,300
Assists : Domizzi, Asamoah

CHIEVO 1 (Vacek 78)
LECCE 0

Vacek scored his first Serie A goal from the edge of the box and in
doing so sent Lecce down into Serie B. Muriel and Bertolacci aside, who
are both on loan, there's not much to this Lecce side. Cuadrado, who I
believe has the most successful dribbles in Serie A, has been linked
with Inter. He can dribble but his finishing is the shits even if he did
score one of the all time great goals this season.

Attendance : 11,000
Red Card : Carrozzieri 81 (Lecce)
Assist : Paloschi

GENOA 2 (Gilardino 52, Sculli 70)
PALERMO 0

Sculli headed a longball out of defence down to Biondini, Rossi touched
on his cross and the once mighty Gilardino tapped in what was only his
5th goal of the season. Sculli played a one-two with Gilardino and rode
two lucky bounces before scoring the second.

Attendance : n/a
Assists : Rossi, Gilardino

LAZIO 3 (Kozak 59, Candreva 63, Mauri 91)
INTER 1 (Milito 45 Pen)

Ledesma tripped Maicon to concede the penalty on the stroke of half
time. Kozak headed Lazio level from a corner. Lulic, who has been on the
finds of the season, nutmegged Maicon then went around him before
pulling back a centre to Candreva who had time to take a touch before
smashing past Castelazzi. Candreva helped on a Mauri ball with a semi no
look pass, Kozak, who is quick despite his size, ran through the square
Inter back-line and tried to chip Castelazzi, Castelazzi parried the
ball and Mauri drove home the rebound.

Kozak has potential to be a new Klose. He's a giant, strong in the air
and has good technique. Kozak could learn a thing or two from Klose.
Reja is expected to leave Lazio. They need a progressive coach to bring
through their younger players. Gasperini would be perfect. Lazio and
Roma have been linked with Siena's former Inter youth team striker
Destro. The boy has bags of technique and is very strong but is he
another one season wonder like Acquafresca?

As for Gasperini's former club they have missed out on Champions League
football for the first time in a decade. Shame. Lavezzi is the big
target which would surely mean the end for Sneijder? A striker is also a
pressing concern, Milito is 33 next month and Inter have become far too
reliant on him. Pazzini is a bust and Forlan, who will leave, has been
one of the flops of the season. Inter have an excellent youth team and
it's high time they started making use of it instead of their league of
nations approach.

Attendance : 50,000
Assists : Maicon (won pen), Ledesma, Kozak, n/a

NAPOLI 2 (Dossena 3, Dossena 34)
SIENA 1 (Destro 6)

Hamsik tried to bring down a cross, miss-controlled but nonetheless got
the luck of the bounce and centred for Dossena to give Napoli the
perfect start. De Sanctis however threw away the lead when he raced out
of his box to clear a ball but missed and Destro bagged his 12th of the
season. Campagnaro nutmegged a defender as he cut in from the left,
Farelli parried his centre and Dossena became the unlikely match winner.

Attendance : 41,000
Assists : Hamsik, Brienza, n/a

WRAP-UP
1. 84 points - Juventus (Champions)
2. 80 points - Milan
3. 64 points - Udinese
UEFA CUP
4. 62 points - Lazio
5. 61 points - Napoli
6. 58 points - Inter
RELEGATED
18. Lecce - 36 points
19. Novara - 32 points
20. Cesena - 22 points

TOP GOALSCORERS
28 goals - Ibrahimovic (Milan, 10 penalties)
24 goals - Milito (Inter, 8 penalties)
23 goals - Cavani (Napoli, 3 penalties)

ASSIST LEADERS
14 assists - Miccoli (Palermo)
13 assists - Giovinco (Parma)
13 assists - Pirlo (Juventus)
12 assists - Robinho (Milan)

TEAM OF THE SEASON
GK. Buffon (Juventus)
LB. Chiellini (Juventus)
DB. Bonucci (Juventus)
DB. Thiago Silva (Milan)
RB. Maggio (Napoli)
DM. Nocerino (Milan)
DM. Vidal (Lazio)
AM. Pirlo (Juventus)
FW. Milito (Inter)
FW. Ibrahimovic (Milan)
FW. Giovinco (Parma)

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