While one of the biggest moves of the January transfer window happened recently, with Toni going to Juventus, there have been plenty of other, quieter moves which have gone unmentioned. Mostly they are young, aspiring Italians joining clubs on loan so that they can get some playing time to improve. Federico Macheda from Manchester United to Sampdoria is probably the biggest name, but there’s also Stefano Okaka who joined Bari, Davide Lanzafame who joined Brescia, and Palladino who joined Parma.

Having recently completed his loan deal from Manchester United to Sampdoria, Federico Macheda could already play tomorrow in Sampdoria’s match against Roma. Mimmo Di Carlo has chosen Macheda as part of the squad, and the young Italian might even get in the starting eleven. It depends on whether Giampaolo Pazzini, who has been ill, will be able to play or not. Whether or not he starts, Macheda should get some playing time, and I really want to see how the 19 year-old does in the Serie A.

So far this season Macheda had seven appearances in the English Premier League, scoring only one goal. It’s only because of an in-form Berbatov and the energetic Javier Hernandez that Macheda hasn’t played much, and his return to the Serie A is a smart one. Macheda is tall, technically gifted, and intelligent with his runs, so if Di Carlo can use him properly we should see some good things from him.

There’s another tall Italian forward who will be making an impact this season. Stefano Okaka joined Bari recently, and he played in Bari’s 1-0 win against Lecce, scoring the only goal of the match. It’s certainly a great debut with the Galletti, and it looks like he will be in the starting eleven tomorrow when Bari play Bologna. Okaka could look to Marco Di Vaio as an example of a goalscoring forward, and model himself on the Bologna captain. Okaka has the pace and strength needed to succeed, he just needs to implement it properly around the goal.

These January transfer moves aren’t all of successful players, Davide Lanzafame has been overshadowed this first half of the season at Juventus. While in the preseason he had a big part to play in friendlies, the arrivals of Krasic and Pepe ultimately pushed him out of sight of any playing time. I really like Lanzafame, and I expected big things to come from him this season. Hopefully he will deliver at Brescia, because an Italian with his talent should be playing every weekend.

This January transfer window we also saw some intricate dealings between Parma and Genoa. Parma received Palladino (who scored against Juventus in his first appearance for Parma) on loan. And then the two clubs basically traded Francesco Modesto and Luca Antonelli, with a half share of Alberto Paloschi also given to Genoa, where Paloschi will be playing for the rest of this season. So for Antonelli and half of Paloschi, Genoa gave Parma all of Modesto, half of Palladino, and seven million Euros. Only are transfers in the Serie A this complicated.

The upcoming matches tomorrow will be exciting, with many young (and some old) Italians with a chance to really make themselves known. What are your thoughts on these transfers? What do you think will happen tomorrow? Share your comments below!

After the sad news that Fabio Quagliarella will be out for the rest of the season, Juventus got a replacement in record time. It’s Luca Toni who will be replacing Quagliarella (out for 4-6 months with a torn cruciate knee ligament), the World Cup winner leaving Genoa to sign a one and a half year contract with the bianconeri. It was a free transfer from Genoa to Juventus, and Toni makes sure to thank Enrico Preziosi for letting him join Juventus.

“I’m extremely happy, it’s a dream to wear this jersey… I thank Preziosi for this opportunity, at Genoa there were some problems, the marriage [between the club and the player] didn’t end well.”

Toni continued talking about the transfer,

I didn’t hesitate in joining Juventus, it is an adventure which fascinates me. I know the group, I know that every player wants to win. I believe… The Scudetto? We will try to win all the games and then we will see what happens, there’s a lot of will to return to the win.”

While Toni is 33 years-old, the tall striker was a useful player for Roma last season in their attempts to win the Serie A. Juventus’s next match is against Napoli at the San Paolo, a tough match after their 4-1 defeat to Parma at home. Quagliarella had to be substituted just three minutes into the match after injuring his knee, and he was replaced with Amauri. But the Italian/Brazilian had another dry night, goalless as his side suffered Giovinco and Palladino’s wrath.

Toni says he is ready to play, and after seeing what Amauri provided up front (little to nothing), Delneri could try and spark the team this weekend with his new signing. Here’s what Toni said regarding his possibility to play this weekend, and what he hopes to do at Juventus.

“I played 90 minutes yesterday with Genoa, I’m ready to play against Napoli, but Delneri will decide. I did my best to come to Turin, in 2007 I was a step away from Juventus but then I went to Germany. To play here I turned down offers which were economically more beneficial, I’ve cut my wages because I want to show my value here”

“I’m ready to play at Naples. I will find myself well, I’m a man of the penalty box and I can count on two strong wingers. I chose the number 20 even if I like 9 and 30, they were already taken.”

While this is a big move in the Serie A for this January transfer window, there’s a possibility of more to come from Juventus. It seems like they aren’t happy with just Luca Toni, especially after seeing the poor display of Amauri and Del Piero. Marotta didn’t say yes or no to whether Juventus will try and find a more similar forward to Quagliarella in hopes of replacing him.

I’m unsure about how Toni will do. While he won’t have a major part in Delneri’s plans, he will be a a useful player who will provide some goals. Krasic’s excellent service will finally be put to some use with Luca Toni often being a commanding presence in the box.

How do you think Toni will do at Juventus? A good or a bad signing for the bianconeri? Share your comments below!

The eternal Hernan Crespo has struck again, ending Fiorentina’s Coppa Italia run. While the Coppa Italia isn’t too interesting in the early stages, I really do enjoy it when it reaches the round of eight, like it has now. Maybe it’s due to the different mentality teams have when they play knockout football, and it occasionally produces spectacular last-minute goals.

Parma hosted Fiorentina in the round of eight of the Coppa Italia, and the match dragged deep into extra time with both sides creating chances, but Fiorentina having more. Fiorentina’s substitute Santana came on in the first half of extra time, and just six minutes from the end of extra time he produced a long-range goal. All of the Fiorentina team celebrated wildly, with Santana taking his shirt off, thinking that he had sealed Fiorentina a spot in the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia.

But a minute later, the eternal Hernan Crespo got on the end of Lucarelli’s header to volley right at the Fiorentina keeper Avramov. While it should’ve been a fairly simple save, Avramov let Crespo’s solid volley spill into the back of his net. After the late equalizer, Crespo popped up again just two minutes later with the winner. Avramov parried a shot, and Crespo’s predatory instincts took over as he rushed to tap the ball into the goal to make it 2-1.

So much emotion in just one match, hopefully the other round of eight Coppa Italia matches will be just as exciting. The next ones taking place are Inter – Genoa and Palermo – Chievo on the 11th of January. The day after Juventus will face Catania, and then on the 17th of January Napoli will face Bologna. Then on the 18th we have some very exciting matches, with Roma facing Lazio and Sampdoria facing Udinese. And the final match of the round of eight will be played on the 19th of January between AC Milan and Bari.

Plenty of exciting match-ups in the Coppa Italia, what are your thoughts regarding the competition? And what are your thoughts of Crespo’s magnificent double which puts Fiorentina out of the tournament? Comment below!

The Serie A is getting more and more exciting, especially after these recent results, and the matches which will be played this Sunday. Napoli got an important 1-0 win away against Genoa, Palermo came back to beat Parma 3-1 at the Renzo Barbera, and Udinese also completed a comeback win at home, 2-1 over Fiorentina. While we had three important matches today, there’s plenty more action to come tomorrow when AC Milan travel to Bologna and then Juventus host Lazio.

Napoli defeated Genoa 1-0 at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, and what separated the two sides was a bullet header by Marek Hamsik. It was Gargano’s free kick on the 25th minute, swung in with great pace, which Hamsik flicked wonderfully past Eduardo. Genoa created opportunities, but they weren’t able to capitalize on key chances. This win puts Walter Mazzari’s side in second place, equal on points with Lazio who will be facing fourth placed Juventus tomorrow. The bianconeri are three points behind Lazio and Napoli, so if Juve can manage to win, there will be three teams equal on points in second place.

Palermo hosted Parma at the Renzo Barbera stadium, and Parma coach Pasquale Marino was unable to see his side take the lead due to his mother’s death. It was a header by Lucarelli which hit the back of the net after a well placed corner. The first half lacked the usual inspiration which Javier Pastore provided for Palermo, and Delio Rossi eventually decided to take the Argentinean off at halftime. Instead it was the Chilean Pinilla who took his place, scoring the equalizer just five minutes into the second half, and then assisting Miccoli for Palermo’s second goal. Kasami secured the result when his header bounced off of Zaccardo’s head, and into the back of the Parma net for an own goal.

And in the third match today, Udinese came back against Fiorentina to win 2-1, and it was a match filled with wonderful goals. Santana struck first, a low, long-range effort which Handanovic had fallen asleep on allowed the visitors to take the lead. But in the second half Guidolin’s side reacted, first with Pablo Armero’s thunderbolt strike from far out, and then Di Natale’s goal which was preceded by some beautiful one-touch build-up play. An important win for Guidolin’s side which is making up for their bad start to the season, and right now Udinese are 8th in the table.

What are your thoughts regarding these matches? Plenty of exciting play, moments, and goals, and hopefully more will come tomorrow when Juventus and Lazio face off. Share your comments below!

This weekend in the Serie A, among the results there were plenty of 1-1 draws, a goalless draw, a couple of 3-1 wins, and then a 5-2! Yes, a 5-2 win took place in the Serie A this weekend, and it was Inter Milan which defeated Parma in the seven goal thriller. This weekend there was also a match which didn’t take place, Bologna – Chievo was postponed because of heavy snowfall which was too much to play on. But there were nine other exciting matches which took place over the weekend, and here’s five things to note about them.

Juventus and AC Milan halted

Both AC Milan and Juventus were looking relatively ominous and powerful, especially the rosseneri, yet both of them were unable to get wins this weekend, drawing 1-1. Juventus faced Fiorentina at home, and they were a goal down in the first five minutes, with Motta heading a powerful cross/shot by Vargas into the back of his own net. But Delneri’s team fought through the entire match, and they eventually found an equalizer in the 82nd minute with Simone Pepe curling in a free kick. AC Milan on the other hand travelled to face Sampdoria, and they went up before halftime with a cool volley by Robinho, assisted by the ever-present Ibrahimovic. But in the second half Sampdoria clawed back to earn a point with Pazzini scoring yet another goal, the forward was in the right place at the right time, finishing off Gastaldello’s header from a corner.

With these two draws, the question arises: Will AC Milan and Juventus be able to reuturn to their winning ways? Share your comments below!

Inter Milan slowly returning to form

I mentioned above that Inter Milan won 5-2 at the San Siro against Parma, and this result was unpredictable considering that Benitez’s side has had difficulty scoring one goal per match, let alone five. But it was Parma which scored first, with the eternal Hernan Crespo expertly finishing a good chance past Castellazzi to score against his former team. Inter Milan responded with Dejan Stankovic scoring twice in a minute, both goals deflected shots of the Serbian. After the two goal flurry Cambiasso scored as well, seemingly earning Rafa Benitez three secure points. But Parma fought back and scored again, and it was Crespo yet again, leaving the nerazzuri insecure about their three points going into the second half. In the second half, Inter finished off the match for good, with Thiago Motta scoring on his return, and then Stankovic finishing off his hat-trick.

So have the nerazzurri finally returned to their winning ways? Rafa Benitez has certainly got his team to play much better than in previous weeks, the question is whether they can rise from fifth to first, making up seven points between them and AC Milan. Share your comments below!

Palermo defeat Roma 3-1 to go sixth in the table

This weekend Palermo hosted Roma, and the giallorossi were going into the match having won six in their last seven matches in the Serie A. Palermo had quite a tough game on their hands, and Roma started off with plenty of chances until Palermo found the back of the net with Miccoli. From there Ilicic and Nocerino tapped in simple goals to make sure that the home side won. Roma created many chances, and they eventually scored in the 90th minute with Totti slamming a powerful shot through Sirigu’s hands.

With this win, Palermo jump over Roma in the table, leaving the giallorossi in seventh place as Palermo are even on points with Inter Milan. I think that Palermo can claim a Champions League place this season, but that means that another team doesn’t get to enter Europe’s top competition. Will that team be Roma? Comment below!

Di Natale bags another hat trick

Antonio Di Natale has been fantastic for Udinese for many many seasons, and this one is no exception. Di Natale is now at eight goals this season after scoring yet another hat trick over the weekend. It was a sensational hat trick, the first goal was a penalty, the second a spectacular top-corner long range effort, and the third was directly curled in from a corner. It had been a long time since I’d seen a corner scored directly, and Di Natale did it very well to make sure his side won the match against Napoli. Hamsik got a consolation goal with a stunning long range rocket, and Napoli had the chance to make the score 3-2, but Handanovic saved a penalty taken by Hamsik.

A fantastic match with Di Natale asserting his talent as one of the best Italian forwards playing right now, the question is how far he can drag this Udinese side up the table. Right now Guidolin’s side is 9th, but can Udinese rise up the table and maybe get into a European competition? Comment below!

The most exciting team in the Serie A is Palermo

The reason that Palermo are the most exciting team in the Serie A is based upon statistics and my own personal opinion of the side. Right now Palermo have scored 25 goals in the Serie A (second only to Juventus which has scored 26), and the side has conceded 19 goals so far this season. Their average amount of goals per game is 3.14, better than any other team in the Serie A and any team in the French Ligue 1! Regarding their style of play, the team is a joy to watch. With the Argentinean playmaker Pastore illuminating the field with his talent, supported by the energetic Ilicic who always takes a shot when he can, their midfield is fantastic, and with Miccoli up front along with the young Abel Hernandez, scoring goals isn’t difficult at all.

Although they’re the most exciting, it doesn’t mean that they’ll win the Serie A this season, especially with the amount of goals they’re conceding. While I think it would be fantastic for all of Italy if the side manages to get into the Champions League and prove the stereotype of “boring Italian football” wrong. Please share your thoughts by commenting below!

Although not all of the Serie A matches have been played, I’ve still decided to write about the nine matches which were played. Tomorrow AC Milan will face Napoli at the Stadio San Paolo, and it’ll be interesting if they can take advantage of Inter Milan’s draw against Sampdoria. But first, here’s five things to note from this weekend’s Serie A action.

1. Inter Milan aren’t incisive

Inter Milan hosted Sampdoria at the San Siro, and while I predicted a 3-1 win for the nerazzurri, the match ended in a 1-1 draw. Altough Rafa Benitez’s team kept possession, and were able to pass the ball around well, they created few notable chances in the first half. And the more they passed around, the more I realized that they weren’t going to be able to win the match. Inter just ominously lurked around Sampdoria’s penalty area, but they didn’t create many dangerous moments, and they were eventually punished when Sampdoria scored to take the lead in the 62nd minute. Chivu got the ball stolen from him by Cassano, and then Guberti finished Cassano’s cross to beat Julio Cesar. Inter Milan finally grabbed a goal with Samuel Eto’o tapping in a cross, but they were unable to find a winner. Coutinho was their main source of inspiration and danger, and if Benitez doesn’t get the rest of the team shooting on net, then Inter could have some trouble next week against Genoa.

2. Even Krasic’s dive can’t help Juventus score

After Juventus played out a 0-0 draw against Bologna, it was the third match this season where the bianconeri haven’t scored. Although they have the best attack in the league with 16 goals scored so far, they haven’t spread them out over their matches very well. Against Bologna they created chances, the best one coming when Krasic’s blatant dive in the box was awarded with a penalty. Iaquinta stepped up to take it, and the ever-improving Viviano parried to make sure Bologna earned their point from this match. Krasic’s dive was atrocious, and a yellow card should’ve been given to the Serbian winger, it’s interesting seeing such a great player showing that he has a little bit of evil in him.

3. Lazio continue winning to go five points clear

Lazio won 2-1 against Cagliari this weekend, and this win is their fourth in a row, which is part of a streak of seven unbeaten games. And while I credit this success to Edy Reja’s fantastic coaching skills, I should also credit the team which is playing well. Floccari and Mauri scored the goals for Lazio, and those two players were fantastic throughout the match. Mauri provided the assist for Floccari, and it was Hernanes who provided Mauri the assist for  his goal. Now the question must be asked: are Lazio title contenders? Share your thoughts below!

4. Chievo in fourth spot with win over Cesena

I was worried for Chievo when Mimmo Di Carlo left them to go coach Sampdoria, but Sergio Pioli has done a fantastic job with the club, taking them up to fourth place in the table. Chievo are just six points off of the table leaders Lazio after their 2-1 win over Cesena. Cesar scored first for Chievo, a wonderful running header into the top corner of Cesena’s goal, but the newly-promoted side equalized at halftime. An unlucky own goal from Guana, who had Jimenez’s shot flick off of his foot, and into the back of Chievo’s net for the equalizer. Chievo grabbed the winner in the final minutes of the match, a goalmouth scramble from a corner finished with Thereau slamming in the winner, which gives Chievo three important points.

5. Roma and Parma are doing very badly

Last season both Parma and Roma finished wonderfully, but it seems like a whole different story this season. Roma and Parma faced each other at the Stadio Ennio Tardini in Parma, and although there were plenty of chances to go around, neither side scored. Although you could say that a point for each side isn’t a bad result, both sides had a wealth of chances which should’ve been scored. For Parma Marques flipped the ball over the bar in front of an open net, and for Roma Julio Baptista had a chance with four teammates to pass to in front of goal, and he laid it off to nobody. Right now Roma is 14th with nine points, and Parma are 20th with only seven points. I expected better from both sides, we’re going to have to see whether these two teams will pick themselves up, or continue to sink. What are your thoughts? Share your comments below!

Niccolo brings up an interesting debate in his weekend review post that I wanted to put to a vote.  This weekend we saw two incredible goals in Serie A, and I will throw it out to the readership to vote on which one was the best.

Contender #1 – Ilicic’s Opening Goal Against Fiorentina

Josip Ilicic’s goal was the first of the match and one of two scored in Palermo’s 2-1 defeat of Fiorentina this weekend.  The angle and arch of the shot is what makes this so beautiful – as it leaves his feet you know there is no chance Frey will save it.  Extra points for this video showing the shirtless fans celebrating like it’s Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

Contender #2 – Pirlo’s Game Winner Against Parma

Pirlo’s return to action saw him score the first Milan goal from anyone besides Ibrahimovic in the last three matches.  What makes this an amazing goal is the distance from where he launches it, and you don’t actually think it could work until the ball lands in the back of the net.  It proved to be the only offense on the day and allowed Milan to remain within two points of the top of the table.

To say the truth, this weekend’s Serie A fixtures weren’t that exciting. There was no match this weekend with more than three goals scored in it, and there were two goalless matches. This weekend there were few memorable results, but there were five things to note, regarding the Serie A.

1. Pirlo saves AC Milan with a wondergoal

AC Milan only managed to defeat Parma 1-0 this weekend, and while you might think Ibrahimovic scored the goal, instead it was the veteran Pirlo. Pirlo’s goal was fantastic, an amazing shot far from the goal which dipped right after clearing Mirante’s gloves, flying in right through the top right-hand corner. While this effort was amazing, it wasn’t followed up by a second or a third by the rossoneri. And with the world-class players that they have in their attack, you’d expect a little more than their slightly passive performance against Parma. But let’s look at the positives for AC Milan, they managed to win. And while many other teams weren’t able to find a goal, AC Milan was able to, and they won three important points.

2. Lazio continue to fly

Lazio find themselves at the top of the table, with only one loss and one draw, the Roman side have won four times so far in the Serie A. While there are plenty of reasons why Lazio is doing so well, in my opinion the main one is Edy Reja. One of my favorite coaches who sets up sides to play an attacking style while still having a solid defence. Lazio defeated Brescia this weekend with Mauri scoring thanks to a sublime through pass from Hernanes. But we’ll have to see if they can continue their good form, and push for a Champions League spot, or whether they’ll die down into the midtable.

3. Roma suffer with continued inconsistency

While last week was the perfect chance to kickstart their season, Roma have stumbled yet again this weekend. The giallorossi suffered a 2-0 loss to Napoli giving Walter Mazzarri’s side plenty of chances to score. Right now, Roma find themselves 19th in the table, having won only one game. While I didn’t think that Roma could be a title contender this season, I certainly expected a little more from them. If Ranieri’s side can’t begin to string some wins together, then it could be a very glum season for any Roma fans.

4. Ilicic scores a “Goal of the season” contender

While Pirlo’s goal was majestic, I certainly preferred Ilicic’s against Fiorentina. Palermo defeated Fiorentina 2-1 at the Artemio Franchi, and it was the opening goal which left me stunned. A superb left foot strike from the slovenian which flew into the top left hand corner, impossible for Frey to keep out. It’s probably one of the best goals I’ve seen in a long time, and I truly appreciated it when I saw it from the camera which was behind the player. From this viewpoint I saw the ball swerve and move around until it finally slotted in beautifully into the back of the net. If you haven’t seen this goal, be sure to check it out.

5. Juventus show signs of recovery

This weekend’s big game was Inter Milan against Juventus, and both sides played a good match creating plenty of chances. And while Inter Milan were slightly handicapped thanks to their large amount of injuries, Juventus played a fantastic match against the European champions. Krasic was a constant threat on the right wing, and he even created a goal for Iaquinta which was disallowed for offside. Quagliarella missed a great chance in front of Julio Cesar who was particularly inspired on the night, and Del Piero was subbed on for the final ten minutes of the match, providing an attacking incentive. A great result for a stuttering Juventus side, and from here the bianconeri will look to grab three relatively easy points at home against Lecce coming up.

What were your thoughts on this weekend’s action? Was Pirlo’s goal or Ilicic’s goal better? Comment below!

Things have been shaken up this weekend, mostly thanks to Roma. And although the giallorossi won 1-0 against Inter Milan, they’re still down at the bottom of the table in 18th place, while Inter is at the very top of the table sharing first with Lazio. While this last-gasp win might help Roma gain a bit more consistency with their results, it doesn’t mean that Inter’s winning run will stop altogether. Apart from that win, there were plenty of other things to note from this weekend of Serie A action, here are five of them.

1. Teams getting into their stride with wins

While the obvious subject would be Roma, who won 1-0 against Inter Milan, they’re not the only team which began to enter its stride with a win. AC Milan defeated Genoa 1-0 with Ibrahimovic scoring a stunning lob over Eduardo, the Genoa keeper. Along with AC Milan, Fiorentina and Napoli also won with the Viola winning 2-0 over Parma, and Napoli traveled to Cesena and won 4-1. Juventus also got a big win against Cagliari, 4-2 for the Bianconeri, a big scoreline which should motivate them for their midweek Europa League fixture, and then when they’ll have to face Inter Milan the next week.

2. Young talent is prospering

For me, this point has to be mentioned, mainly because the Serie A is full of young and talented players from around the world. This weekend we saw Adem Ljajic score from the penalty spot yet again for Fiorentina in their 2-0 win over Parma, and the young Serbian had a fantastic match. Along with him we saw Cavani score two beautiful goals for Napoli when they defeated Cesena 4-1, the first was a twist and turn dribble which he finished with a low shot, but the second was a work of art. Lavezzi served him a through pass on the edge of the left side of the penalty box, and the Uruguayan decided to hit it first touch, using the inside of his right foot to curl and loop the ball into the far corner. Krasic also had a fantastic game this weekend, it was his hat-trick which sealed Juve’s 4-2 win against Cagliari. The 25 year-old has shown that he is a fantastic player, and is already being called the next Nedved.

3. Udinese finally get their first point

When Francesco Guidolin left Parma to join Udinese, I thought that his new team would certainly prosper under his guidance. But things have been very different, in five games they lost four times, and recently just managed to draw against Sampdoria. One point out of a possible 15 is a terrible record, and the 0-0 draw which they played out shows that they need to find a way to score goals. While I believed that Udinese could’ve challenged for a Europa League place this season, it seems like their goal will have to be to stay in the Serie A. And if Guidolin doesn’t find a way to grab a win next week at home against Cesena, his bench will be very hot.

4. Edy Reja working his magic at Lazio

Eduardo Reja in my books is one of Serie A’s best managers. He took Napoli back to the Serie A, and when he was kicked out, the club took a nasty dip in results. This season he has returned with Lazio, and already you’re seeing the manager’s prowess considering that his side is sharing the top of the table with Inter Milan. He’s been able to get the most out of Hernanes and Zarate, as his side has claimed 10 out of 15 points so far. This is a notable improvement compared to Lazio’s last season, in which they ended up 12th, with 46 points. It’ll be interesting to see if Reja can keep these results going, and reach fourth place, bringing Champions League football to the blue side of Rome.

5. Are Inter Milan ready to face Juventus?

Inter Milan have just lost to their biggest rival from last season, and this loss comes with plenty of detrimental effects to morale, form, and ultimately, results. And while Inter Milan lost to Roma, Juventus had little trouble winning with Krasic scaring the entire Cagliari defence. So is Rafa Benitez’s team ready to face Juventus? While you could say yes, considering that they’ve recovered from losses like this before, but you must also look at what Inter faces this midweek. Werder Bremen will be coming to the San Siro, the German team which knocked Sampdoria out of the competition and got a 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur last Champions League matchday. So if Inter gets distracted against Werder Bremen, then Juventus could be facing a wounded animal, we’ll just have to wait and see…

What were your thoughts on this weekend’s matches? Can Inter defeat Juventus next week? Share your thoughts below!

Udinese have been underachievers, this was especially seen last season, when the club only arrived in 15th place. While it could seem strange that I define them as underachievers, I know the talent in the team is incredible, especially going forward. Maybe they’ve never had the right coach, or maybe the team never gelled together all that well, but for some reason or another, Udinese have almost always disappointed their fans. While in the transfer market they haven’t been extremely active, the team already has a nucleus of top-class players. Di Natale up front, Zapata in the back, and especially Sanchez as a trequartista, who had a great World Cup with Chile. Now Guidolin will have to unify these players and make a team, like he did with Parma last season, taking them up to the midtable. And hopefully in charge at Udinese, Guidolin will find the right formula between the players, and then Udinese will prosper.

New signings

like I said before, Udinese haven’t been extremely active in the transfer market, while there are two known names, the rest are relatively uknown. Candreva returned from Juventus, where he was on loan, and he will play an important part in the midfield, especially helping out in attack. To give support up front, Udinese were able to buy Denis from Napoli, who wasn’t having a good time with his former club. But what may be more important to look at is who Udinese have sold, among which there’s Pepe and D’Agostino. The winger left for Juventus, and Gaetano D’Agostino went to Mihajlovic’s Fiorentina, two losses which could cost the club a little in solidity and speed.

What’s missing

Now that Udinese have signed Denis, the offensive area is settled, but the midfield and defense could use some reinforcing. It’s probably the defense which needs the most work, which is being built around the promising 23 year-old Zapata. A central defender and a full-back could be useful, but Udinese could still manage with what they have.

Formation

It seems very possible that Guidolin will play attacking football, especially with the talent he has up front, and most probably he’ll use a 4-3-1-2. Handanovic is in goal with a back-line of Ferronetti, Zapata, Domizzi, and Pasquale, which is probably not the most well-known defense, but it’ll do. In the midfield he’ll have Pinzi, Inler, and Candreva supporting Sanchez who will play as a trequartista, behind the attacking duo of Di Natale and Floro Flores. While this could eventually morph into a 4-3-3 with Sanchez on the right, Di Natale on the left, and Floro Flores in the middle, Guidolin will probably start with a 4-3-1-2 and move on from there.

There have been rumors about Di Natale leaving, but the forward recently commented about his possible move to Juventus and said this,

“I don’t know anything. I want to stay in Udine where I feel good and where I want to finish my career. I’ve been here seven years and I want to stay here, I don’t know anything about a transfer.”

Definitley some good news for Udinese fans who could’ve seen they’re star player move off to replace Diego, who will be moving to Wolfsburg sometime soon. So with the assurance that their top scorer will stay, Udinese will be able to play with more calm now that their captain can guide them. But a lot of what will happen this season also depends on Guidolin, and whether he’ll be able to get the best out of Di Natale. While he did wonders coaching Parma, things could turn out differently at Udinese, where the expectations will be to push up into the mid-table, and maybe into a Europa League spot. While some fans are negative about the new coach, I think that under Guidolin, Udinese will prosper.