CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Sampdoria : Livorno (H), Palermo (A), Napoli (H)
Palermo : Siena (A), Sampdoria (H), Atalanta (A)

Needless to say Sampdoria have the toughest run-in. Their round 37 encounter will decide it and Palermo are formidable at home.

I'm dismissing Juventus and Napoli as they have too many points to make up, 6 and 7 respectively.

RELEGATION

Chievo, on 44 points, are mathematically safe. In theory the seven teams below them could get relegated but it's really between Bologna and Atalanta and they play each other next week.

Atalanta Fixtures : Bologna (H), Napoli (A), Palermo (H)
Bologna Fixtures : Atalanta (A), Catania (H), Cagliari (A)

Bologna : Guarantee survival with a win next week. If they lose or draw they're still probably safe.
Atalanta : Are fucked. Even if they win next week they face Napoli and Palermo in their final two games.


25 April 2010

BOLOGNA 2 (Di Vaio 38, Di Vaio 50)
PARMA 1 (Biabiany 23)

Biabiany raced onto a deflected pass, powered his way past two defenders then shot into the bottom left corner. A ridiculous red card turned the game. Zaccardo clashed with Zalayeta when challenging for a high ball in midfield, Zalayeta got a touch a split second before the defender, who was clearly going for the ball, Zalayeta fell and he took Zaccardo with him. Di Vaio ran across his marker and touched Busce's low cross past Mirante with a lovely back heel. Most players making their Serie A debuts grab the headlines for the right reasons but Parma's 19 year old defender, Abel Gigli, sold his 'keeper short with an awful backpass and Di Vaio pounced to score his 11th goal of the season and give Bologna a five point gap over Atalanta in 18th place.

Attendance : 23,970
Red Card : Zaccardo 29 (Parma)
Assists : n/a, Busce, n/a


FIORENTINA 0
CHIEVO 2 (Pellissier 54, Sardo 75)

Fiorentina lost another defender to injury - Felipe was substituted on 11 minutes and his replacement, Comotto, only lasted 27 minutes, Ljajic came on in his place. Vargas missed a 52nd minute penalty and two minutes later Fiorentina's scratch defence botched an offside trap leaving Pellissier to run clear and score. Sardo combined with Pellissier on the edge of the box before beating Frey.

I cannot understand why more of the money from the sale of Felipe Melo wasn't spent or why Fiorentina didn't sign more players in the January window. Not only will Fiorentina not be playing in the Champions League next season there's a strong chance they'll miss out on Europe altogether which could force the sales of Frey and Vargas and Prandelli could also leave to coach Italy.

Attendance : 26,198
Assists : Jokic, Pellissier


GENOA 1 (Palacio 8)
LAZIO 2 (Dias 25, Floccari 32)

Lazio hit back from an early goal to earn a priceless 3 points. Milanetto played a quickly taken free kick to Palacio and he beat Muslera with a grasscutter from the edge of the box. Dias headed in his second Lazio goal to equalise and Floccari toe poked in the winner after a Lazio free kick took a couple of deflections in the box.

Lazio can guarantee safety next week - at home to Inter!

Attendance : 26,000
Red Cards : Reja 65 (Napoli), Genoa 70 (Napoli)
Assists : Milanetto (fk), Baronio (ck), n/a


JUVENTUS 3 (Iaquinta 63, Del Piero 69 Pen, Iaquinta 86)
BARI 0

Camoranesi was booked for barging into a linesman over the non award of a penalty. He should have been sent off besides he's far too ugly to playing in Serie A. There was some customary violence in the stands. Iaquinta ran onto a Diego pass, wide of a poorly positioned Gillet and lobbed into an empty net. Diego, who was absolutely jobbed out of a penalty in the first half, was floored by Gillet and this time the ref pointed to the spot but didn't show the 'keeper a red card. Iaquinta tapped in his second from a Candreva centre.

Attendance : 24,147
Assists : Diego, Diego (won pen), Candreva


LIVORNO 3 (Lucarelli 50 Pen, Bellucci 60, Bergvold 66)
CATANIA 1 (Lopez 87)

Capuano brought down Di Gennaro to concede a penalty and for some reason a long conversation followed between the ref and one of his linesman before he dished out a second yellow and sent off the defender. Lucarelli kept his composure and scored. 10 minutes later Lucarelli headed up a cross, Bellucci steadied himself then slammed a right foot volley in off the crossbar and post, fantastic goal. Bergvold steered in Livorno's third from the edge of the box. Last week I claimed Tiribocchi scored the goal of the season. I was mistaken. He second the second best goal of the season. Lucia punched out a free kick, one of his defenders headed the high ball further away from goal, Maxi Lopez watched it drop, shaped for a volley, leapt in the air and sent a right foot scissor kick in off the right post. Unbelievable goal.

Despite victory Livorno are officially relegated.

Attendance : 1,000
Red Card : Capuano 49 (Livorno)
Assists : Di Gennaro (won pen), Lucarelli, Lucarelli, n/a


NAPOLI 0
CAGLIARI 0

Attendance : 40,000
Red Card : Cossu 73 (Cagliari)
Assists : n/a


UDINESE 4 (Pepe 18, Pepe 42, Sanchez 61, Di Natale 81 Pen)
SIENA 1 (Calaio 40)

Udinese were all over Siena in the opening minutes and finally took one of their chances when Pepe met Isla's cross with a towering header. Calaio exchanged passes with Maccarone before slamming a left foot shot past Handanovic. Udinese were back on top within two minutes, Pepe curled in a rebound after Di Natale forced a save and Udinese's third also followed a Di Natale shot, this time Sanchez put away the rebound. Di Natale finally got his goal from the penalty spot after Sanchez was upended.

Di Natale joins Rooney in 2nd place on the Golden Shoe rankings with 26 goals. Messi is leading on 27 and will almost certainly win the award given there are four rounds left in La Liga and the shite standard of defending in that league.

For all intents and purposes Siena are relegated.

Attendance : 13,000
Assists : Isla, Maccarone, n/a, n/a, Sanchez (won pen)


ROMA 1 (Totti 14)
SAMPDORIA 2 (Pazzini 52, Pazzini 85)

Perrotta won a ball in midfield and released Vucinic, he ran up the left flank and pulled back a centre, Totti's first time shot crept past Storari. They combined for another chance, but Totti wasted a great reverse pass by blasted the ball against a post. Totti missed an even better chance when he attempted a spectacular yet unnecessary volley after Storari parried from Menez, he was way off target and probably could have scored with a header.

Inevitably Roma paid the ultimate price for missing so many chances. Cassano lead the Roma defenders a merry dance before hanging a cross upto the back post and Pazzini emphatically headed Sampdoria level. Storari made brilliant saves from Toni, Vucinic and Riise then Samp hit Roma on the break. Once again the goal followed an attack down the right, Mannini centred and Pazzini ran across Riise and poked the ball past Julio Cesar. Mexes was in tears as he watched from the bench. If I were in his shoes I'd be crying as well.

Roma are going to need a huge favour from Lazio next week if they are to wrest the title from Inter. I think they've blown it.

Attendance : 60,000
Assists : Vucinic, Cassano, Mannini


24 April 2010

INTER 3 (Milito 24, Mariga 35, Chivu 78)
ATALANTA 1 (Tiribocchi 5)

Inter's scratch defence blew an offside trap and Tiribocchi followed up last weeks' goal of the season with a more conventional finish. Inter equalised from a LIGHTNING counter attack that lasted all of seven seconds and started near their penalty box with Cordoba driving a pass into Eto'o, he laid it off to Sneijder and his first time pass arrived at Milito's feet via a deflection, as Coppola came off his line to close down the Argentinean striker he dropped a lob over his head into the back of the net. This has to be a play Mourinho is working on in preparation for Barca. Mariga scored his first Inter goal from an Eto'o cut back and Chivu completed the come from behind victory with a brilliant 25 yard shot which flew in off a post.

Sneijder went off with a thigh injury and is a major doubt for Wednesday's trip to Barca. Mourinho is a f*cking idiot for risking him in this match.

Attendance : 63,779
Assists : Manfredini, n/a, Eto'o, Eto'o


PALERMO 3 (Bovo 9, Hernandez 19, Miccoli 67)
MILAN 1 (Seedorf 55)

Miccoli's inswinging corner went through a posse of bodies in the Milan penalty area, Hernandez got a touch and Bovo scored at the back post. Oddo, deployed as a makeshift centre back, blasted a clearance against Hernandez, Miccoli controlled the ball, gave it to Hernandez and the youngster slammed in his 7th goal of the season and he's still 19. Pirlo and Ronaldinho combined for Seedorf's goal but Miccoli restored Palermo's two goal lead with another brilliant strike. Turning onto a Liverani pass he took one step to open up an angle then curled the ball inside the right post.

Look out for Hernandez and Cavani, if recovers his form, at the World Cup. In fact Palermo could send as many as seven players to South Africa, in addition to the Uruguayans Sirigu (Italy), Miccoli (Italy), Kjaer (Denmark), Pastore (Argentina) and Bresciano (Australia).

Attendance : 25,695
Assists : Hernandez, Miccoli, Ronaldinho, Liverani