In what has become a habit for Juventus, the Bianconeri dropped two points and settled for a draw with Catania. Juve could not defend a 2-0 lead over the visitors who have yet to register their first away win of the season. The Bianconeri squad is lacking in quality and this is evident when the legendary but aging Alessandro Del Piero is the main source of creativity for the team.

As discussed in previous pieces (Check: www.serieatalk.com/will-juventus-qualify-for-the-champions-league/3502), the Bianconeri have seen slight improvement compared to last season but there are still some glaring problems:

- The Bianconeri are still weak at the full-back positions. Juve lack quality full-backs and have yet to replace Gianluca Zambrotta who departed following the Calciopoli scandal in 2006.

- Juve lack a creative player. Diego was sold and perhaps it was the proper decision but when Del Piero is not playing, the Bianconeri clearly lack a player who can create scoring opportunities. Alessandro Matri is decent but he is a finisher and not one who can easily create his own scoring opportunities. Fabio Quagliarella is perhaps the only player besides Del Piero who can create something on the attacking end yet he has been sidelined by long-term injury.

- The centre-back positions remain fragile, particularly when Giorgio Chiellini is out due to injury or suspension. Andrea Barzagli is a mere short-term replacement and can perhaps cover for a game or two but not for an extended period.

- The Bianconeri’s management must make the right decision during the summer by signing at least three quality players and bringing in another three decent players to cover various positions. There is a need for two full-backs, a centre-back, a winger and an attacking player who can create scoring chances.

- Luigi Delneri might be a good person but this is about coaching and he seems best fit to take charge of a provincial side. Delneri appears to be dealing with problems that might be too much for him to handle considering the ambitions of a prestigious club such as Juve. Below are some interesting stats about Delneri:

1) He lost 9 games while in charge of Sampdoria last season and has already lost 9 matches with Juventus in Serie A this season

2) With Roma he lost 16 games in just one season and his results with Palermo were not impressive

3) Delneri has never won more than 50% of matches he coached over a season. He achieved that once with Sampdoria.

4) Delneri is not great with substitutions. He has often been criticized for the changes he makes during a game. Against Catania he started with Marco Motta, a certain candidate to be replaced or to receive a red card in almost any game, and then replaced Motta. He also replaced Del Piero and Matri with Simone Pepe and the less mobile Luca Toni.

5) Delneri is not flexible when it comes to tactics. He does not seem to be a commanding figure and is not inspiring. Would established and experienced players or even rising stars want to play for a coach such as Delneri? It is doubtful Turin will be an attractive destination for quality players with Delneri in charge. Juve need a quality and well-established coach to take over.

Obviously this summer will be a busy one in Turin and the changes to be made could be drastic and will likely cover the coach as well as the squad. To blame everything on Delneri would be unfair and inaccurate. The squad at his disposal is lacking and has many glaring weaknesses but it is hard to see how Delneri can return Juve back to the top of Italian football when he seems to be limited in his tactics and substitutions. He also does not have the winning pedigree to garner the respect of big name signings. Feel free to contact @RamiSoufi on Twitter for further discussions.

The current Serie A season has seen a trio of clubs compete for the Scudetto with Milan ahead by a small margin over Inter and Napoli respectively. The Milan-Inter showdown, set after the international break, will determine to a large extent the direction of the title. From an individual standpoint, there have been very few influential signings this season who can be credited with shaping the fortunes of their respective clubs.

Milan’s capture of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, on a loan deal likely to be made permanent at end of season, must rank as the season’s best transfer with the talented Swede carrying the club on his shoulders for an extended stretch earlier in the campaign. Ibrahimovic currently has 14 goals and 11 assists in the league alone. The former Juventus and Inter striker had an unimpressive spell with Barcelona, yet he has been firing on all cylinders with the Rossoneri. The knock on Ibrahimovic is his habit of disappearing on the big stage, with one major exception being his decisive goal for Barca in a 1-0 win over Real Madrid last season. In recent weeks, the Swede has been underperforming and his reckless side surfaced leading to his sending-off against Bari. This resulted in a three-match ban which could be decisive due to his absence from the much anticipated Milan derby.

Another success story has been Napoli’s striker Edinson Cavani who is having a remarkable campaign after his loan move from Palermo this summer. Cavani, who is only 24-years-old, is having the best season of his young career with a tally of 22 goals in 30 league appearances as well as another 7 strikes in just 8 European games. Cavani scored two goals against Cagliari over the weekend but his best achievement this season must be the hat-trick he managed against fallen giants Juventus. He also managed to score both goals in a 2-0 in over Roma to show he can rise to the occasion when needed. His two goals against Cagliari halted a recent slump in front of goal which included a missed penalty in recent weeks. Cavani will be one of the players to keep an eye on in the upcoming years as he has the potential to keep improving.

Finally, Juventus winger Milos Krasic deserves to be mentioned because he was instrumental in the early season push by the club before the Bianconeri started their plunge in the standings early 2011. Krasic’s drop in form coincided with Juve’s fall but he cannot be the one to blame for everything and he is clearly not the main reason. In recent weeks, coach Luigi Delneri has on more than one occasion subbed Krasic without a clear indication to the reasons despite the Serb’s critical role in providing much needed width. Krasic managed 5 goals in 26 league appearances which might seem as a low number but one must remember the Serb is not a striker. The winger provided 6 assists which ranks highest amongst his Juve teammates in Serie A. Krasic must also be dealing with fatigue since the Russian season’s schedule and his lack of rest must have exhausted him prior to joining the Bianconeri.

Considering various factors such as results, the importance of certain goals and the team’s progress, Ibrahimovic might be considered the summer’s best signing ahead of Cavani while Krasic’s stock has fallen as a result of Juve’s poor performances.

# To discuss your choice of Serie A’s best signing of the season or anything related to Italian or European football, feel free to contact @RamiSoufi on Twitter

Juventus suffered last season following one of the worst campaigns in their glorious history. There were multiple reasons behind their collapse such as instability due to coaching changes, a number of injuries to key players, the management’s bad decisions in the transfer market and the age factor catching up with star players among other factors. Fast forward to this season and the Bianconeri look completely different in terms of their performances on the pitch, in particular their fighting spirit which has been visible in a number of games.

Against Fiorentina, the Bianconeri struggled to score yet the players refused to give up and Simone Pepe was able to grab a late and deserved goal to earn a precious point. Last season, Juventus would have quit and would have probably ended up on the losing side given the same circumstances but this is a different Juve and the results back this up. Last weekend, the Bianconeri managed to snatch a late and precious win over Lazio to rise to second place ahead of Lazio and Napoli on goal difference. So what are the main factors behind the return of Juve as a force in Serie A?

One of the most important factors is the change in the management which has enabled the Bianconeri to make the right decisions when it comes to hiring a new coach and getting involved in some shrewd player signings. New coach Luigi Delneri has shown he is not just a capable tactician but also one who can motivate his players to get the best out of them. The Bianconeri squad is lacking in terms of full-backs and is in need of a striker capable of scoring between 16 and 20 goals a season, but Delneri has been able to revive the career of Felipe Melo and Alberto Aquilani while getting the best out of other players. Juventus lost only twice in Serie A this season and have an impressive against the top teams including wins against Milan and Lazio as well as draws with Inter and Roma.

Another reason for the revival is down to the summer transfer campaign which might have disappointed some but turned out to be a positive one with loan signings Aquilani, Simone Pepe and Fabio Quagliarella all contributing this season. One of the best summer transfers in Serie A must be Milos Krasic who has been a difference make for the Bianconeri. Besides the players brought in, Juventus did even better in terms of dispensing of some of the unwanted squad members such as Jonathan Zebina and Tiago while Fabio Cannavaro did not get a renewal offer after a dismal campaign. The outgoing players were a combination of aging and underachieving names so the Bianconeri did benefit tremendously by offloading players who could have had a negative influence on the squad.

There are other factors which have helped the recovery process and the re-emergence of Juventus, yet for the Bianconeri supporters the fighting spirit and commitment shown by the players on almost every weekend must rank on top of the list. The Old Lady prided itself on the dedication and never die attitude of the players, both of which were hallmarks of the prestigious Juve squads prior to the Calciopoli scandal which hit the club hardest.

Delneri and the likes of Krasic could signal the beginning of a new era of success in Turin as long as a couple of other players, in particular a full-back and a goal scorer, are added to the squad. Obviously, a talented Milan side spearheaded by former Juve striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic might also stand in the way between Juve and immediate success in Serie A. However, the future does look bright for Juve with Leonardo Bonucci maturing in his defensive role as a partner for Giorgio Chiellini while the squad includes a host of players who are still in the mid 20s such as Krasic and Aquilani.

While this was a mere friendly and many of the starters from both teams were not on hand, the manner with which Inter overcame Manchester City serves as a warning for those aiming to dethrone the Serie A champions and Champions League winners.

The Nerazzurri were missing the likes of Diego Milito, Lucio and Wesley Sneijder but still managed to put a solid display with some silk passing and neat moves. In midfield, Esteban Cambiasso was as productive as ever with his passing and disrupting of opponents while captain Javier Zanetti was as usual reliable at the back and a useful player going forward.

Inter dominated the match and were in control of possession even before the sending off of Patrick Vieira who was in all fairness unlucky to see red. The former Juventus and Inter midfielder deserved a yellow card in the worst case scenario. The 3-0 final score can be considering a flattering one for Manchester City since the game could have easily finished with a bigger win for the Nerazzurri.

Inter will be a force to contend with in the Champions League and appear to be confident about their chances of repeating as European champions. As for Serie A, it will be hard to see any club, including Roma, Milan and Juventus, challenge the Nerazzurri for the title. Roma do not have a big squad and there is a major drop off in level between the starting XI and the bench players while Milan rely on too many of the senior players who are edging closer to retirement such as Clarence Seedorf, Andrea Pirlo, Alessandro Nesta and Massimo Ambrosini. The Rossoneri will only have one youngster featuring regularly in their starting lineup and that is Brazilian striker Alexandre Pato. As for Juventus, they are still in the process of recovering from a dismal season and it will be hard to see them challenge for the title unless all pieces of the puzzle fell in the right place for the Bianconeri.

Inter’s victory against the Citizens showed that the Nerazzurri have a big squad and a deep bench which can be relied upon when there are injuries and suspensions. In fact, the Nerazzurri will probably have to trim their squad in order to save on some of the big salaries paid to fringe players and reserve players. Having a big squad has another disadvantage which is growing discontent amongst those not getting enough playing time. Such players might begin to cause undesired distractions and might hurt harmony within the squad.

Two factors will shape the Nerazzurri starting XI as well as the quality on the bench and these are related to the future of Maicon and Mario Balotelli. If both players remain with the club then Inter’s bench will be even stronger, but if they leave then the bench will be a weakened a bit since Balotelli will be gone while a full-back will have to start in Maicon’s place on the right flank. Even if the duo will depart, Inter will remain top contenders to sweep the trophies in their path and repeat as treble winners. Only Barcelona and Real Madrid with their talented roster can dethrone Inter as European champions as the elite English Premier League sides are perhaps a step below the Italian giants and the two Spanish clubs.

Inter’s starting XI will likely be (provided Maicon & Balotelli stay): Julio Cesar, Maicon, Lucio, W. Samuel, Chivu, Cambiasso, J. Zanetti, Sneijder, Eto’o, D. Milito and Pandev.

It will be interesting to see if Davide Santon and Mario Balotelli can establish themselves as regulars under new coach Rafael Benitez. The upcoming season certainly looks promising for the Nerazzurri and their supporters.  Feel free to comment below or simply contact me on Twitter  @RamiSoufi for further discussion. I am including below two pieces written following the end of last season which pertain to Inter:

www.serieatalk.com/diego-milito-inters-hero-as-nerazzurri-complete-historic-treble/2432

www.championsleaguetalk.com/what-next-for-inter-after-winning-the-champions-league/748

Milan defeated fallen giants Juventus 3-0 in a match with no consequence to the Serie A title race yet it served as the proper farewell for coach Leonardo who managed to do well despite the lack of depth in the squad and the limited resources.

The Rossoneri only spent on Klaas-Jan Huntelaar who turned out to be a flop and was unimpressive forcing Leonardo to confine the Dutchman to the bench and use Alexandre Pato and Marco Borriello as his starting duo in attack. Unfortunately injuries had a negative effect on Milan’s season with Pato missing a chunk of the season due to injury along with centre-back Alessandro Nesta who has been sorely missed in recent weeks.

The lack of alternatives to both Pato and Nesta meant the Rossoneri had no chance to compete for the Serie A title and this was evident as the club’s progress was halted in recent weeks with defeats against both Sampdoria and Palermo. Defeating Juve is always a positive thing and a welcome sign but the current Bianconeri players are a shadow of the feared side in the mid 1990s and early 2000s.

Leonardo proved he can remain calm and make the right decisions despite the tremendous pressure heaped upon him and the constant criticism from president Silvio Berlusconi. The tifosi gave the Brazilian coach a tremendous farewell as they chanted his name and held banners to thank him for his efforts. Milan’s management has committed a big mistake by letting the Brazilian leave as he has been part of the club for over a decade in multiple roles and has helped bring in some of the brighter Brazilian talent to Milanello. With every Milan defeat one could see how that affected Leonardo who would cheer on with every goal scored by the Rossoneri throughout the season.

Milan will also need to replace not just the outgoing coach but also some of the veterans who are nearing retirement and must address the status of Huntelaar. The Dutchman will be best served if he is sold and that can bring in some much needed funds which can be used to bring another quality attacker who can hopefully adapt to life with the Rossoneri and meet expectations. The Rossoneri are in desperate need of at least one full-back considering Gianluca Zambrotta and Massimo Oddo are no longer capable of properly fulfilling their role in that position.

In midfield Gennaro Gattuso must be replaced and it is clear Frenchman Mathieu Flamini is not the ideal solution so the club ought to bring in a defensive midfielder to reinforce the squad. Finally, the biggest concern will be the status of Brazilian duo Pato and Ronaldinho. Pato has been linked with a move to the England Premier League while Ronaldinho has had his best season in Serie A and was one of the key players behind Milan’s ability to end the season in third place. Ronaldinho will finish the season as Serie A’s top assist man and has managed to find the net four times in two matches against the Bianconeri. He showed flashes of brilliance in several matches this season and while he has yet to return to his Barcelona form, the Brazilian managed to end the season on a high and produced a series of convincing performances during this campaign which merited a recall to the Brazilian squad headed to South Africa 2010.

The summer will be a crucial period for the club to make the necessary adjustments and bring in a qualified coach. The rumours point to either Mauro Tassotti or Filippo Galli taking over and while this means the Rossoneri will look for their former players to lead the line, this move might backfire as not every former player can become a decent coach.

Juventus finished their abysmal campaign with another humiliating defeat as they were brushed aside by a rampant Milan side 3-0 at the San Siro. The hosts did not do anything extraordinary but rather the visiting Bianconeri once again were deflated after conceding a goal first.

As has become habit during this season the Juve players dropped their heads after conceding a goal and were not able to mount a comeback. The Bianconeri started the first 10 minutes strong as has become their habit yet they wasted two scoring opportunities and never recovered after conceding the first Rossoneri goal. Without delving into further details pertaining to the match and its major incidents, it is quite fair to say the blame for Juve’s tragic season must be shared by everyone from the management to the coach staff and the players. The management made a mistake by hiring Ciro Ferrara because he lacked the necessary experience to lead such a prestigious side and to copy the Barcelona model under Josep Guardiola would require a united, well-balanced and talented squad which the Bianconeri clearly did not have.

To make matters worse the management opted to sack Ferrara without really addressing the main problems facing the club as the January transfer window would have offered the club the opportunity to bring some reinforcements while farming out the underachieving players. Hiring Alberto Zaccheroni for the remainder of the season was a grave mistake not because of the results but due to the fact the players were unlikely to show the same respect and commitment towards a tactician who is only staying for a few months as opposed to one who will be in charge for the seasons to come. This was a drastic error on behalf of the management considering many of the Bianconeri players have vast experience and some have big egos so there was a need for a confident, authoritative and long-term coach capable of forcing his ideas upon the squad.

Moving on from the management and the coaching, the players, with perhaps the exception of Giorgio Chiellini and Gianluigi Buffon for the most part, were certainly responsible for much of the season’s catastrophic results. Injuries took their toll on the squad but those who played were not deserving of wearing the prestigious Bianconeri shirt as they did not display the fighting spirit which has long defined the Old Lady. The tifosiare not used to seeing their players quit after conceding a goal and their reaction, albeit exaggerated in a number of cases, was somewhat expected considering this expensively assembled squad was expected to challenge for both domestic and European trophies. Instead of fighting for the Serie A title, Juve were unable to secure Champions League football for next season while also suffering two humiliating losses in Europe by the same score of 4-1 to Bayern Munich and Fulham.

Veterans such as Buffon and Alessandro Del Piero were visibly upset with the club’s performances yet there was not much that they can do to lift the spirits of the team and urge their fellow players to fight on because the club missed on one objective after another beginning with the Scudetto, then the Champions League, Coppa Italia and Europa League before failing to grasp the coveted fourth spot in the Italian top flight. There is nothing positive to take from this campaign except the fact the current management will be overhauled in a move which is long overdue because a team of the Old Lady’s prestige and resources could have competed for trophies from last season yet the management kept using the excuse of returning from Serie B to justify some mind-boggling decisions.

Summer signings Felipe Melo and Diego were unconvincing, have certainly disappointed and ought to be classified as flops. Juve should sell the Brazilian pair if they get the proper offers which will hopefully come if Melo can play consistently for Brazil during SouthAfrica 2010. As for Diego, he might be given another season to prove his worth yet he must be surrounded by the proper players if he is to rediscover his best form. The duo were not the only two grave disappointments considering veterans Fabio Cannavaro and Fabio Grosso were a pale version for the World Cup 2006 winners as they struggled to put in two solid performances together in consecutive games. Grosso was below par for the majority of the games he played while the veteran Cannavaro showed a few glimpses in recent weeks but was utterly outpaced and outplayed against Milan. The older version of Cannavaro would have stopped Luca Antonini from scoring the first goal in the match.

Buffon saved Juve early in the season when the club were still on top of Serie A as he performed a series of stunning saves to guarantee valuable points for the Bianconeri or else they would be perhaps now stuck in 10th position if not worse. However, the Azzurri number one has suffered a drop in form due to injuries and other setbacks not to mention the club’s negative situation which affected everyone including experienced players such as Mauro Camoranesi and Del Piero. Unfortunately, no one but Claudio Marchisio emerged as a certain starter for the club next season along with the aforementioned Chiellini. The rough tackling and determined Chiellini will carry the Azzurri hopes in the defensive line considering he will be surrounded by a number of veterans in the twilight of their career such as Cannavaro, Grosso and Milan full-back Gianluca Zambrotta.

In midfield the Bianconeri have failed to impress with Melo going as far as engaging in verbal exchanges with the tifosi and Mohamed Sissoko spending a chunk of the season in the treatment room while Camoranesi’s age is beginning to show. Antonio Candreva showed some glimpses but he lacks the experience and consistency to perform at the highest level and shoulder the responsibility of carrying the side while Marchisio was doing quite well prior to the injury he suffered and as a result was sidelined for several weeks. Marchisio has yet to recapture his early season form. Finally, Christian Poulsen was on the verge of being offloaded early in the season only to benefit from Sissoko’s injury. There is no doubt Poulsen is a hard worker and is dedicated but he does not possess the necessary skills and guile to wear the Bianconeri shirt.

Other players such as Zdenek Grygera, Martin Caceres and Jonathan Zebina were unimpressive when used as starters in the right-back or centre-back position. Only Caceres showed some signs of improvement and played a couple of decent matches but he does not represent the type of quality defensive players the Bianconeri are accustomed to fielding. Finally, in attack the Bianconeri suffered with the injuries to David Trezeguet, Del Piero and Vincenzo Iaquinta while Amauri was a disaster during the current campaign.

Del Piero did manage to return to full fitness but at his age he can no longer carry the team. The club’s all-time leading scorer ended the Serie A season with 9 goals while Frenchman Trezeguet had 7 to his credit and Iaquinta managed to find the back of the net on 6 occasions in league action. Brazilian-born Amauri who became an Italian citizen during the course of the season was perhaps the biggest underachiever in attack forcing Azzurri boss Marcello Lippi to overlook him despite hints in 2009 that the striker could be included in the squad headed to compete for World Cup 2010.

Besides the disappointment of seeing Melo and Diego perform well below expectations, the Bianconeri had to cope with the loss of one of their best players in the last decade in the shape of Pavel Nedved who retired at the end of last season. Perhaps Nedved should have played for another season but the management was again at fault for not trying hard enough to convince the Czech midfielder of playing on for one more season. Last campaign the likes of Trezeguet, Del Piero, Buffon and Nedved carried the team along with Chiellini to earn qualification to the Champions League. Clearly Nedved’s retirement has been a big blow for the club and it appears the management is looking to bring him back in some managerial post.

The coaching decision expected to be made soon along with the drastic changes in the squad will hopefully have the desired effect on the prestigious club. The Bianconeri have already brought back Roberto Bettega in a managerial role and have chosen Andrea Agnelli as president (He is expected to take charge in June). Alessio Secco will no longer be the sporting director while Jean-Claude Blanc will have a reduced and scaled back role with a focus on finances and managing the club’s revenue. All these moves should have been made following the end of last season when the Bianconeri began to show signs of weakness and the players brought in such as Portuguese Tiago and Danish Poulsen proved to be flops.

Roma were able to fight back and beat their city rivals Lazio after trailing 1-0 at half-time. There were major events during the match starting with the missed penalty by Lazio and then the two surprising yet key substitutions made by Claudio Ranieri. The former Juventus boss removed both of his stars Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi at the half and his move paid off because the substitutes put in a lively performance in the second period.

The Giallorossi obviously owe the win in no small measure to Mirko Vucinic who scored a brace and remained calm during the tense moments of the match. While Sergio Floccari missed Lazio’s penalty-kick the Montenegrin confidently converted from the spot to draw the teams level. The victory puts Roma on top a point ahead of Inter with four matches remaining in the Serie A season.

Inter were able to beat fallen giants Juventus 2-0 on Friday in an expected win considering the struggles of the Bianconeri this season. The Nerazzurri struggled to breakdown the Old Lady despite the visitors playing with 10 players after Mohamed Sissoko was sent-off for a silly bookable foul in the first period. Sissoko had earlier received a yellow card so the meaningless foul on Javier Zanetti yielded the second yellow card and meant the referee had no choice but to issue his marching orders. There were debates as to whether the first yellow shown to Sissoko was a merited one but there are no doubts he deserved to be cautioned the second time.

Inter did deserve to get all three points and the goal which broke the deadlock was a stunner by Brazilian full-back Maicon who showed great skills to control and then volley the ball beyond Gianluigi Buffon. It can be said the Bianconeri were not horrible during the match but they were overmatched the moment they went a player down. One player who ought not to be chosen for the Azzurri squad headed to South Africa 2010 is Brazilian born Amauri who recently became an Italian citizen. The experienced Marcello Lippi said he would consider picking Amauri yet it is mind boggling as to why the struggling forward could be chosen ahead of other worthy strikers.

Juve’s defeat was not Amauri’s fault yet coming in as a substitute the only notable contribution he made was his messy attempt to clear the ball and block Maicon who easily tricked Amauri to launch his classy strike which effectively won the match for the Nerazzurri. Simply put, Amauri just cannot do anything right at the moment and his season has been nothing short of catastrophic considering the high expectations placed on his shoulders.

On another front, Milan were effectively eliminated from the title race after a 2-1 loss in Genoa to Sampdoria who were grateful for strike duo Antonio Cassano and Giampaolo Pazzini for scoring the two goals. The next two rounds will be crucial in determining the destination of the title. Next weekend Roma will host Sampdoria in a tricky match but the Giallorossi ought to be able to defeat the visitors who have already lost nine games away from Genoa this season. As for the Nerazzurri they will have a relatively easy match against the visiting Atalanta who are struggling in the relegation zone. The visitors did achieve a good result this weekend by beating Fiorentina but Inter will be a better quality opposition.

The title race might be decided during the last round of fixtures when Inter Milan and Roma travel to take on Siena and Chievo respectively. Roma will have the advantage of being able to focus on the league while Inter will be distracted by the two titanic clashes against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final. The Nerazzurri are still on course for a historic treble while the Giallorossi could still achieve the domestic double since they are going to play Udinese in the return leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final.

It will be an interesting few weeks for Calcio fans with the supporters of Milan, Juventus and Lazio perhaps the least content amongst the tifosi across the peninsula. As for the supporters of both Roma and Inter, this could be a rewarding season or it could as easily turn into a disappointing campaign depending on the results.

Milan were once again guilty of wasting an opportunity to close in on city rivals Inter after the Nerazzurri drew 2-2 in Florence a day prior to Milan’s match against Catania. The Rossoneri were determined enough to fight back to earn a 2-2 draw against visiting Catania but the club’s response came perhaps a little too late. Leonardo and his players were aware of Inter’s 2-2 draw with Fiorentina since the game was play a day earlier yet they appeared to tackle the challenge of beating Catania in a casual manner. They ultimately paid the price and are now behind Roma and Inter by four and three points respectively.

With five matches remaining in Serie A anything is possible and a four point difference can be overcome yet the recent performances of the Rossoneri have left a lot to be desired and their remaining fixtures will see them take on five clubs with European ambition. Sampdoria, Palermo and Juventus are fighting to win the coveted fourth spot which allows the club to play in the Champions League qualifying round while both Fiorentina and Genoa are aiming to play in the Europa League. Thus, considering the form of the Rossoneri (as well as key injuries to Alessandro Nesta and Alexandre Pato) and the quality of the opposing teams left on the calendar, Milan do appear to have blown their chances of fighting for the Scudetto.

This leaves new leaders Roma and current champions Inter as the main contenders for the Serie A title. The Giallorossi have a major advantage which is the fact they are focused on the league and do not have to play in Europe while the Nerazzurri are facing a major distraction in the shape of the extremely difficult semi-final tie against Barcelona in the Champions League. The two additional matches in Europe might seem like nothing but in reality Inter will have to expand a lot of energy in order to continue their course and try to advance to the final in Europe. The Nerazzurri have been desperate, in particular their president Massimo Moratti, to achieve European success and add it to their dominance on the domestic front.

Coach Jose Mourinho will have to focus much of his attention the next couple of weeks on containing Barca’s lethal hero Lionel Messi and midfield schemer Xavi Hernandez who was behind most of Barca’s attacks against Real Madrid in the 2-0 triumph in El Classico. Unfortunately for Mourinho the danger does not end with these two quality players because the Catalans have other weapons such as Andres Iniesta, former Inter star Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thierry Henry. Clearly this enticing match-up will consume a lot of time, energy and preparation from both Mourinho and his players.

In the midst of all this the Nerazzurri must still face the semi-final return leg in the Coppa Italia against Fiorentina and then take on fallen giants Juventus on Friday. Provided Mourinho rests many of his key players against la Viola, he will still have to put a strong team against the Bianconeri because a defeat or draw combined with a Roma victory could effectively hand over the title to the Giallorossi. Juventus might be struggling and look unlikely to head to Milan with the aim of beating Inter but if the Bianconeri have one last opportunity to redeem themselves then it would be by beating the Nerazzurri. The Calciopoli scandal, Inter’s recent dominance in Serie A and now the latest rounds of Calciopoli news have created an increasingly intense rivalry between Inter and the Old Lady. The Bianconeri players will try their utmost to upset Inter or at least snatch a draw in order to halt Inter’s progress in the league and also keep their hopes alive of making the Champions League.

While fatigue, exhaustion and European distraction might signal the downfall of the Nerazzurri, Roma will have to be careful not to let their one point lead slip away because nerves could be a decisive factor in the title race. The Giallorossi squad, except for Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi who won the World Cup with Italy, have little or no experience winning major trophies. The club’s coach Claudio Ranieri has often been labeled as soft and incapable of delivering on the big stage. Ranieri has never won the league title in Spain, England or Italy so this could serve as the perfect opportunity for him to earn his first major trophy.

Roma’s schedule appears easier on paper but they still must deal with Lazio in the Rome derby which could be a tricky prospect considering Lazio are still in danger of fighting for survival despite being outside the relegation zone. This round of matches will be crucial because Roma and Inter can drop points against Lazio and Juventus respectively. If they both lose and Milan win then the Rossoneri can jump right into the chase. However, in all likelihood the title race is going to boil down to Roma’s ability or lack off to win the remaining fixtures with the players not showing any signs of nervousness.

New Coach Alberto Zaccheroni saw his first game in charge end in an unflattering 1-1 draw with Lazio. Just like in previous games, the Bianconeri conceded late in the match. Against Roma (in Serie A) and Inter (in Coppa Italia), the Old Lady lost both games after taking a 1-0 lead. It is clear the club cannot hold on to a slender leader while also struggling to keep opponents at bay.

It is too early to judge Zaccheroni  and whether he will be able to guide the Bianconeri to a top four finish to make the Champions League. In two days no man can make drastic changes to a team’s formation and tactics, but Zaccheroni will gradually try to stamp his authority and perhaps in 10 games he can be better judged in terms of what he has done or failed to do. Even the firing of Coach Ciro Ferrara will not suffice to lift the gloom at Vinovo as shown by the players during the match against Lazio and as confirmed by goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon who admitted the squad must perform to achieve positive results.

 Buffon is one of the very few players not at fault for Juve’s dismal season. The whole defensive line (with the exception of Giorgio Chiellini who has often saved Juve from heavier defeats) needs to be replaced with new, younger and more capable players. As mentioned on several occasions, Fabio Grosso has not been the solution to the team’s problems at left-back while the club did not bring in a solid right-back as Martin Caceres (who is on loan from Barcelona) is quite inconsistent.

The match against Lazio showed Zdenek Grygera is not much better than Caceres while Paolo De Ceglie (at left-back) brought in much enthusiasm and fight on the left flank but not much in terms of efficiency and threat to the Lazio defense. He is probably not the answer to the full-back dilemma unless his performances improve dramatically. Moving to the midfield area, Mohamed Sissoko provided the muscle with his running and tackling, but he cannot string a few passes together. His midfield partner Felipe Melo was not awful during this match but he appears to be like a primitive version of Sissoko. Melo cannot tackle as well nor can he cover the pitch as much as Sissoko does. Clearly one of the two players must be sacrificed because having both players on the pitch will cost Juve dearly in terms of points as stray passes will likely be converted to goals by opponents while some of the Bianconeri’s attacks will come to a sudden halt as a result of the midfield duo’s poor passing. In this case, Sissoko ought to get the nod and Melo should act as cover or perhaps as a substitute to strengthen the midfield when the Bianconeri are trying to keep a lead. This is  another proof of how flawed the Bianconeri transfer market has been the past couple of season as Juve did not need Melo.

As for the loan signing Antonio Candreva, it must be noted he provided decent contribution and performed better than Melo with his pass leading to the penalty which was converted by Alessandro Del Piero. Candreva can pass, run, dribble but he definitely needs to work on his shooting. The loan signing is a work-in-progress but is showing he has potential to deliver once he gets accustomed to his new teammates. Juve definitely need Mauro Camoranesi and Claudio Marchisio to return and start performing at their best. The Bianconeri have sorely missed both players who bring a lot to the table in terms of passing, shooting and scoring.

Brazilian Diego, the other major signing of the season, has been performing inconsistently but he was orchestrating most of Juve’s attacks against Lazio so things could have been a lot worse without him. The problem is not Diego himself but rather the players around him who are not as gifted technically and who are incapable of providing the ideal stage for his skills. Amauri has been nothing short of a disaster and his price must be decreasing with every match as he continues to struggle. He did not have a single shot on target against Lazio and he certainly does not appear to be comfortable playing upfront. When Diego was with Werder Bremen he was quite successful and threatening because the players around him complimented his talent but in Turin the case is totally different. Diego is still the same player but he cannot deliver with the current system and the forwards being used.

Early in the season Juve were grinding results thanks to Buffon and Chiellini but also Diego and the injured Vincenzo Iaquinta. Who can forget how Diego single handedly led Juve to winning against Roma and Lazio which had the media prematurely hailing him as the new super star in Serie A. With Camoranesi, Marchisio and Iaquinta all sidelined, Diego has struggled to cope with their absence as the alternatives are not on the same level. Amauri must be benched or else Juve will continue to squander points as they appear to be playing without any strikers while the Brazilian toils upfront.

Alessandro Del Piero did create and convert the penalty but he frankly is no longer the same player. He is and will always be a Juve legend but time is close to setting on his glorious  career and it is hard to defy the natural course. Del Piero can serve as a valuable substitute often coming in during the last 25 to 30 minutes of a match but having him play the full 90 minutes will hurt the team on the long run. He must remain because he has the right work ethic which will hopefully become contagious and transfer to the other squad members (Exactly why in previous articles one major point highlighted was the damaging retirement of Pavel Nedved- the Czech star should have been convinced to play one more season).

Zaccheroni will have the ability to choose the team’s starting lineup and formation just like a chess player does, but the question is whether he can succeed where Ferrara failed! The players at his disposal are a mix of expensive yet unnecessary signings as well as old veterans on their last legs and a few inexperienced yet promising youngsters (Candreva & Sebastian Giovinco). Can Zaccheroni blend them into a cohesive unit? There are plenty of matches in Serie A and a potential run in the Europa League which can help answer this. Once again the players must hold responsibility for their efforts but the club’s management needs to be restructured as well (Alessio Secco ought to be released from his duties).

There are 16 rounds left in Serie A for the Bianconeri to regroup under Zaccheroni and make the Champions League plus perhaps put a positive spin on an otherwise disastrous season by winning the Europa League.

There has been widespread criticism of the Bianconeri board and its directors yet there are some obvious aspects which have been overlooked by the reporters and fans alike. The Juve management has actually erred in allowing Pavel Nedved to retire, in hiring Cirro Ferrara to lead the team and in their choice of players brought in to Turin.

The board seems to have acknowledged making some of the mistakes and this is precisely why they rushed to bring back Roberto Bettega. The shrewd director has plenty of experience which equals if not surpasses the whole management team’s experience as a package put together! Unfortunately the presence of Alessio Secco and Jean-Claude Blanc in Vinovo does not bode well for the Bianconeri fans. The two have been nothing short of a disaster since joining the club in their respective roles. Secco deserves much of the criticism for his role in bringing in some unqualified players or over paying for others. On the other hand, Blanc seems to lack the charisma and does not have the knowledge required to head a club of Juve’s stature. Blanc was in charge of Roland Garros (French Open) as well as the Paris Master Series which are tennis tournaments prior to joining the Bianconeri. He has not previous experience in football.

Moving the focus onto some of the players recruited by Juventus, it is quite clear many if not most of them are below the customary Juve standards. Even the hard working and continuously running Mohamed Sissoko was bought from Liverpool at a relatively high asking price as the fee paid was €11 million. The Anfield outfit wanted to offload the midfielder and were quite happy to do so for such a sum. No doubt Sissoko has worked hard in Turin but considering his plethora of injuries and his inability to pass the ball, the amount paid was a bit too much. Sissoko was not a bad signing when compared to the disastrous purchase of Portuguese flop Tiago and Danish midfielder Christian Poulsen. Those two midfielders came at a hefty price with Poulsen costing €9.75 million.

In attack the current management signed Brazilian Amauri who after a bright start to his career with the club has become sort of a liability and cannot seem to buy a goal at this time. The club also signed two Brazilians Diego and Felipe Melo with each player costing the club in excess of €24 million (Melo cost around €20.5 million plus Marco Marchionni). While Diego clearly has the talent to succeed, he has suffered due to high expectations and the lack of proper players around him who are suited to his game. Diego’s strong and impressive start to the season did not help because it placed added pressure on his shoulders. On the other hand, Melo has been misused by Coach Ferrara but has also performed inconsistently and is not an upgrade when compared to Sissoko. Thus, the Juve management wasted close to €25 million to get a player who is in fact not better than Sissoko and what makes the situation even worse is the fact both players do not seem to be compatible on the pitch due to their inability to pass the ball.

The latest market disasters were the recall of Yago Falque and the return of Michele Paolucci (never represented the Juve first-team before his recent return to the club despite being on the club’s book from 2004 to 2006). Clearly the previous management in Turin did not believe in Paolucci or else he would not have been loaned to Ascoli. As for Yago he is still quite young to be able to help the club in a period of crisis. To add insult to injury, the club chose to get Antonio Candreva on loan for the remainder of the season. The young midfielder appears to be a quality player with a bright future but considering his limited experience, is he the appropriate type of player to help a club of Juve’s status emerge from such a deep crisis?

Without delving into details, the management made grave mistakes by hiring then firing Claudio Ranieri and then eventually announcing Ciro Ferrara as his permanent replacement. Both were the wrong choice for various reasons. The Bianconeri fans are wondering what is in store for the club and will there be more disasters before qualified individuals are brought in to steady the ship and bring back the glory days to Turin?