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, giving two fingers to Pirlo.
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
LEADERS
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 (Juventus)
AM. Pirlo (Juventus)
FW. Milito (Inter)
FW. Ibrahimovic (Milan)
FW. Giovinco (Parma)