FOURTH PLACE

Lazio : Genoa (H), Lecce (A)
Udinese : Chievo (A), Milan (A)
Roma : Catania (A), Sampdoria (H)
Juventus : Parma (A), Napoli (H)

Udinese guarantee 4th place with a win at Chievo, who are strong at home but have nothing to play for.

Given Lazio's poor away form it's hard to see them making up 2 points on Udinese.

Why the f*ck are Roma still in with a shot? They're like an annoying in-law that won't go away. Catania are very strong at home & coached by former Laziali Diego 'Cholo' Simeone. He'll love nothing more than to stick it to Roma.

Juventus are another team who have come from nowhere to challenge for 4th although it's a longshot. A Parma side featuring Juve rejects Giovinco and Amauri will be very tough to beat and doubly motivated.

In all likelihood next season's UEFA Cup contingent will be Lazio, Roma & Juventus so there's no excuse for at least one of these teams failing to get to the semi-finals, they should wipe the floor with the crap the EPL (apart from Liverpool), La Liga, Ligue 1 & Bundesliga send into the competition.

RELEGATION

Lecce : Bari (A), Lazio (H)

Bari are more of a potential banana skin than Lazio, Lecce's record against the big clubs is amazing.

Sampdoria : Palermo (H), Roma (A)

Palermo have fearsome firepower and pace but could be distracted by the Coppa Italia, if they beat Milan in the 2nd leg of their semi-final on Tuesday. Against Roma Sampdoria have no chance.

Cesena : Brescia (H), Genoa (A)

A win against relegated Brescia guarantees Serie A next season.


9 May 2011

JUVENTUS 2 (Del Piero 13 Pen, Matri 55)
CHIEVO 2 (Uribe 68, Sardo 69)

Sardo fouled crazy little Peps to concede the penalty. Del Piero picked up a loose ball in midfield and clipped a lovely through ball to Matri who made a typically intelligent run between two defenders before taking a touch and poking wide of Sorrentino. That should have been the platform for a comfortable Juve win but once again they blew a two goal lead. Bogliacino's free kick was volleyed against a post and Sardo was first to the rebound though team-mate Uribe got the final touch. Sardo did get on the scoresheet a minute later. Rigoni played a great pass inside Chiellini to Pellissier, his shot rebounded off the right post and Sardo tapped in the rebound. Jokic found Pellissier with a fantastic crossfield pass, he ran clear off Marchisio, pulled the ball down but blazed over. Chiellini headed against a post from a corner. Buffon ran 40 yards off his line to chase down Pellissier who flicked the ball past him as he slid off the pitch onto the track, Pellissier then centred to Uribe who had an empty net and just Marchisio to beat but he struck an awful, timid shot straight at the midfielder. Toni headed a Matri cross against a post but couldn't get his follow up header on target.

Juve's defence is even worse than Inter's and that's with a defensive coach in charge. Walter Mazzarri is the latest name tipped to replace Del Neri.

Attendance : 23,740
Assists : Pepe (won pen), Del Piero, n/a, n/a


8 May 2011

BOLOGNA 0
PARMA 0

Attendance : 19,879
Assists : 19,879


BRESCIA 1 (Diamanti 91 fk)
CATANIA 2 (Silvestre 27, Bergessio 75)

Silvestre tapped in a Gomez cross at the back post. Caracciolo tried to help out his defence with disastrous results, his backpass to Lanzafame (what was he doing in his own half) was intercepted by Gomez and Bergessio whacked his shot past a poorly positioned Arcari. Lanzafame was shown red for elbowing Lodi in the back. Diamanti's injury time free kick wasn't enough to save Brescia from the drop.

Diamanti's dead ball delivery is the best in the league.

Attendance : 7,000
Red Card : Lanzafame 79 (Brescia)
Assists : Gomez, Gomez, Zambelli (won fk)


CAGLIARI 0
CESENA 2 (Jimenez 54, Malonga 84)

Astori was tackled as he brought the ball out of defence, Budan laid off Ceccarelli's pass to Jimenez as he ran between two defenders and slotted into the left corner. Malonga tapped in a Giaccherini centre. Barring Sampdoria winning their next two games, which isn't going to happen, Cesena are safe.

Attendance : 5,000
Assists : Budan, Giaccherini


INTER 3 (Pazzini 25, Cambiasso 28, Coutinho 77 fk)
FIORENTINA 1 (Gilardino 74)

In the battle of two former Fiorentina strikers Pazzini scored first, turning onto an Eto'o pass before firing into the bottom right corner, excellent finish. Cambiasso headed in Inter's second from an Eto'o free kick. Santana clipped a ball over the top of the Inter defence, Gilardino juggled the ball off his right thigh before volleying into the corner with his left. Great goal. Coutinho, rumoured to be sent out on loan next season (Parma would be ideal) curled in a free kick.

Attendance : 40,000
Assists : Eto'o, Eto'o (fk), Santana, Cambiasso (won fk)


LECCE 2 (Corvia 49 Pen, Chevanton 88)
NAPOLI 1 (Mascara 67)

Two successive defeats saw Lecce, who should have been safe weeks ago, heading into this match in 18th place. Olivera went down under a clumsy challenge. Not a stone wall penalty but possibly the ref making up for not giving the home side a first half penalty for handball. Corvia, who was booked for his first half protests over said non penalty, smashed the ball into the top right corner and was then shown a second yellow after Lavezzi tripped over his own heals and went down. I don't know which nation has the biggest cheaters, Argentina or Spain. Lavezzi played a corner short to Zuniga and Mascara headed in his cross. Cruel on Lecce who had been the better side. Cavani missed a sitter before being sent off for a scything tackle on Olivera. More controversy followed in the 88th minutes. Di Michele backheeled a headed cross and Chevanton run onto the ball and thundered a left foot half volley in off the underside of the crossbar and over the line, amid furious Napoli protests. The ball was over. Mascara should have equalised at the death but his flick header flashed wide of the left post.

Of all the teams struggling to stay up Lecce play by far the best football as their 42 goals (more than any other team in the bottom half) suggests.

Attendance : 14,400
Red Cards : Corvia 55 (Lecce), Cavani 74 (Napoli 74)
Assists : Olivera (won pen), Zuniga, Di Michele


UDINESE 2 (Di Natale 35, Di Natale 42)
LAZIO 1 (Kozak 75)

Di Natale gave Udinese a long overdue lead with a fabulous strike. Sanchez clipped Benatia's pass over the Lazio defence and Di Natale, standing right of the Lazio goal, touch a touch before hammering the ball into the roof of the net. Sanchez chipped another ball out wide right and this time Isla centred and Di Natale tapped in goal #28 of the season. Angela was sent off for bringing down Rocchi, who had only just come on as a substitute. Zarate's pathetic penalty was easily saved by Handanovic. Kozak rifled in a Zarate cross and headed another one against a post. Handanovic made a fantastic point blank save from Dias as Udinese held on to win this crucial six pointer. They're one win away from the Champions League.

Lazio are in desperate need of a striker. By the time they address that problem there will only be three Champions League places up for grabs and it's hard to see them claiming one of them.

Attendance : 23,000
Red Card : Angella 66 (Udinese)
Assists : Sanchez, Isla, Zarate (cross)


GENOA 2 (Floro Flores 46, Boselli 97)
SAMPDORIA 1 (Pozzi 66)

In the last seconds of first half injury time Palacio flicked on a corner and Floro Flores connected with a spectacular diving header. Eduardo, who has been a disaster, forgot to catch an eminently saveable shot and Pozzi tapped in the rebound. Mesto was sent off for a scuffle with Ziegler, who actually started it by pushing Rossi in the face then punching Mesto. Needless to say referee Tagliavento was, once again, awful. Genoa struck late again. Wigan reject Boselli turned his marker Lucchini and swept a shot into the bottom left corner, Genoa's president, Enrico Preziosi, and his entourage erupted. It seems the prospect of sending Sampdoria into Serie B gave Genoa extra incentive. The heat was incredible.

Attendance : 45,000
Red Card : Mesto 90 (Genoa)
Assists : Palacio, n/a, Milanetto


7 May 2011

PALERMO 2 (Miccoli 39, Bovo 53)
BARI 1 (Bentivoglio 7)

Gazzi jumped in the air with Sirigu diving at his feet, volleyed a centre to the back post and Bentivoglio turned it in. Pinilla won a ball in midfield, played a one-two with Kasami before feeding his portly captain who worked an opening before finding the corner. Miccoli played a short corner to Ilicic and Bovo tapped in his centre at the back post. Sirigu made a stunning save from Kopunek, the impressive Huseklepp made the chance.

Huseklepp is a great point man. Big, strong and quick. I will be surprised if he's in Serie B next season. I think he could do a good job at any club in Serie A, not necessarily as a starter for the big clubs but as a substitute. Darmian, on loan from Milan, won a penalty. Miccoli attempted a Panenka but Gillet just stood in the middle of his goal and caught the ball making him look like a complete twat.

Attendance : 19,808
Assists : Gazzi, Pinilla, Ilicic


ROMA 0
MILAN 0

Abate missed a header at the back post, Vucinic trapped the ball on his chest but as he shot Abbiati made a phenomenal point blank save. Robinho curled a shot against the outside of the right post and Boateng ran though onto an Ambrosini through ball but poked wide. Ibrahimovic floored Doni with a fearsome free kick but Juan charged down Seedorf's shot on the follow up.

While the match was disappointing Milan made up for it with epic celebrations at full time. In addition to the champagne and jumping around, unfortunately Silvio's lovely, buxom daughter Barbara didn't join in, Allegri finally broke into a smile and there were plenty of high jinx in the dressing room with towel flicking, players being dunked in the showers, stripping, chanting etc, etc. This must have been the first title celebration in which an Ipad made it onto the pitch.

In one of the numerous post match interviews, Barbara, who refused to speak on the pitch, said :

"I would above all like to develop a team that focuses on youth."

Any doubt who is in charge now?

Allegri becomes the fourth Milan coach to win the scudetto in his first season following Sacchi, Capello and Zaccheroni. He is by far the best tactician in Serie A, successfully employing several formations and pulling off wild experiments such as Boateng as trequartista. His man management and more importantly his Berlusconi management skills were key to winning the title. The main turning point wasn't the derby victory over Inter but standing up to Berlusconi and convincing him Ronaldinho had not future at the club. He also benched sacred cows Pato, Pirlo and Gattuso for poor form, unheard of under previous regimes. The slow, aging midfield is in the process of being replaced by powerful, athletic block of DMs in which Boateng has played a starring role. The plan is for a trequartista behind the forwards. Who that will be is anyone's guess. Taiwo and Mexes have already been signed on free transfers to reinforce the defence. Next stop Europe and unseating Barca or Man United, should they fluke a victory.

Attendance : 60,000
Assists : n/a