The soccer press has been buzzing about the latest Wayne Rooney press conferences, statements, and rumors.  The usual suspects have been named as possible destinations: the ATMs that are Manchester City and Real Madrid, EPL rival Chelsea, and Bundesliga giant Bayern Munich.  But where Wayne Rooney really belongs is in Italy, and specifically Inter Milan.

Here is why Rooney in the Black and Blue makes the most sense:

• He moves to a team that is already successful and won’t need him to be their savior: Don’t get me wrong, Inter Milan needs the talents of a player like Wayne Rooney.  Although they are well positioned to repeat as Serie A champions again, their campaign so far has been lackluster.  Their nine goals are the fewest scored by any of the top six and its been their defense that has won attention.  An on-form Wayne Rooney immediately boosts their offense.  But Inter Milan does not absolutely need him; if they did not sign him Eto’o, Milito, and Sneijder are still world-class up front.  His addition would add a key component without the pressure of being “The Man” for Inter.
• Rooney counters the Milan signings: The media attention in Serie A has been on Inter’s intercity rival.  Their Ibrahimovic signing so far has been worth every euro, and they have become the popular pick to snatch the title away from Inter (sorry Lazio fans).  While press clippings don’t win scudettos, signing Wayne Rooney reminds everyone which club is the defending champions of Italy and Europe and pushes Milan to the second page.  This is a definite benefit to management.
• He provides needed youth up-front: It’s hard to remember, but Wayne Rooney is just 24 years old.  Milito is 31 and Eto’o is 29.  Rooney becomes the young striker that Balotelli had been for the Nerazzurri.
• Rafa Knows Rooney: Having managed against him in the EPL, he is well aware of his skills so the learning curve on how to use Wayne Rooney in his system will be short.  Plus, he has dealt with the press in multiple countries and can help with that aspect.
• Serie A is a clean start away from the English press:  Athletes in crisis management are well served stepping out of the spotlight for a time to re-craft their image.  While Rooney playing with Inter would still cause a media circus, he would be covered daily by the Italian press and not the English press.  While the Italian press can be critical (to put it lightly), he is out of the country where he is seen as THE face of football.  At the same time he would still be playing top-flight football and could showcase his skills on the international stage.  And I suspect Fabio Capello still has a few friends in Italy who can keep an eye on Rooney for English national purposes.

What do you think of Wayne Rooney with the Nerazzurri?

The Serie A has returned, and we’re beginning to see some interesting developments regarding teams which might need a new manager sometime soon. Just looking at the bottom three teams: Fiorentina, Parma, and Udinese, you find underachievers which will need to either start winning, or be replaced. The question is, how much time will Mihajlovic have at Fiorentina? Does he have another couple of weeks? Or will he be kicked out before that? Well, I can’t answer that, but here are five things to note from this weekend’s Serie A matches.

1. Lazio continue to rise with win at Bari

Lazio currently find themselves at the top of the table, two points ahead of Inter Milan and AC Milan. This is wildly unexpected, but as I’ve always said, Edy Reja is a fantastic coach, and he’s proving it at Lazio. Bari is a difficult side to face, even at home, but travelling away to the Galletti can often be slightly humiliating for most sides. And while Giampiero Ventura’s side tried to stretch out Lazio with huge spells of possession, Reja meticulously prepared his side to stay compact and organized. After a boring first half, Reja’s side found the back of the net after the break, first with Hernanes coolly finishing at close range, and then with Floccari awkwardly looping it over Gillet with an unintentional touch. But now the question must be asked, can Lazio continue to stay in front of the two Milanese clubs? We’ll have to wait and see, but I’m sure that this season under Edy Reja, Lazio fans can expect a Europa League spot at least.

2. Krasic a continuos creator for Juventus

Krasic started the season wonderfully for Juventus, and he’s continuing this devastating form which single-handedly cuts through teams. In Juventus’s 4-0 win against Lecce, Krasic was a key player, and he contributed three assists for the final three goals, and so far this season, he has scored three goals, and assisted six! That means that Krasic has either created or scored 56% of Juventus’s goals this season! Talk about an influential player. Delneri has been praising Krasic after the match, and he’ll certainly be looking to help this youngster develop into the next Juventus legend.

3. A weekend of great goals

While there wasn’t a huge amount of goals scored this weekend, there were plenty of fantastic ones. You had two rockets in Palermo’s 4-1 victory over Bologna: first Pastore lashed one into the top-right hand corner, and then Ilicic blasted one right through the middle of the net. We also saw a sublime finish by Di Vaio in Bologna’s consolation goal, he squeezed the ball into the back of the net from a very tight space, and if you’re an aspiring forward, watch this goal because it’s pure textbook finishing. We also had Pato score two goals in AC Milan’s 3-1 win over Chievo, one of which was a very nice scissor kick.

Another great goal was Samuel Eto’o's winner against Cagliari for Inter Milan, the Cameroon forward controlled, twisted past a defender, and then released a low rocket which rose off the ground with his left foot. Juventus had some good goals in their 4-0 win over Lecce, along with Sampdoria scoring two nice goals in their 2-1 win over Fiorentina, one which was a swerving free kick, and the other a wonderful move by Cassano. So if you have some free time, be sure to watch all the goals of the Serie A this weekend, because there’s some fantastic ones in there.

4. Julio Cesar does some fantastic goalkeeping to save Inter Milan

In my opinion Julio Cesar is the best goalkeeper in the world. I truly think that he has more agility, faster reactions, and better defensive organization than any other keeper out there. And as Inter played out a 1-0 win away against Cagliari, Julio Cesar produced some epic saves.here they are below.

Well, what do you think? To me these are two fantastic saves which stopped Cagliari from drawing level, and so far Julio Cesar has only conceded three goals this season which is better than any other keeper in the Serie A. What do you think about Julio Cesar? Is he the best in the world? Comment below!

5. The Scudetto probably won’t go to Inter Milan this year

I know that this is a big call to make so early into the season, but I’m making it anyways. Although Inter find themselves tied second in the table, I dont think that Rafa Benitez’s side can muster up a league winning run. While they have only conceeded only three goals, and they’re winning matches, they haven’t convinced me, at all. The entire team seems tentative, and it’s only thanks to moments of brilliance by Eto’o and Julio Cesar which win them games. They don’t create many chances, and I think that while Juventus and AC Milan win with big amounts of goals, Inter always manages to squeeze by. I expect AC Milan to win the upcoming derby della Madonnina, and I think that from there Massimiliano Allegri’s side will run off to win the title.

But what do you think? Can Inter Milan win another consecutive Serie A title? Please share your thoughts by commenting below!

An extremely interesting few games were played out, and they show a few things about the team which might win the scudetto. Inter Milan, Roma, and AC Milan all played out their second match-day games, and while the nerazzurri won, the other two title contenders lost.

Inter Milan didn’t have too much difficulty against Udinese, they played at the San Siro, and they were in front by the seventh minute. It was Lucio who found the back of the net from a corner, the Brazilian controlled at the far post, then smashed the ball where Handanovic wasn’t. Udinese tried to make things interesting around the half hour mark with Floro Flores scoring a very nice header. But inevitably, Inter Milan found the winner thanks to Samuel Eto’o.

Rafa Benitez’s men earned a penalty, and the Camerun striker had his shot saved, but he followed up quickly to hide any possible humiliation of missing a penalty. From there, Inter dominated the rest of the match, only suffering with Udinese’s quick counter-attacks. In the final minutes Benitez decided to take off Milito, who was disappointing, and put on Muntari, shifting Eto’o to the center. This is where the forward thrived and hit the post in the dying minutes, almost making it 3-1 for Rafa Benitez, who will probably be glad with this victory.

AC Milan found things a little harder away at Cesena, but the nation was waiting to see Ibrahimovic play alongside Pato, Ronaldinho, and maybe Robinho. The Swede was given the start, while Robinho started from the bench. Milan began by playing great football, an attacking style which utilized Pato’s speed and dribbling ability. But the rossoneri weren’t able to conclude anything, and Cesena were beginning to gain confidence in front of their fans.

It was in the 31st minute that the shock goal arrived, a well worked play which set up Bogdani with a header was what made the Stadio Dino Manuzzi explode into joy. Then Massimiliano Allegri’s team was shell-shocked again right before the half, this time it was the lightning fast Giaccherini who with a long range finish punished Abbiatti’s bad goalkeeping. It was the perfect finish from a long run which the AC Milan defense couldn’t end, the ball pinged off the post and into the back of the net, sending all of the Cesena fans, staff, and players into dreamland.

The second half began and AC Milan were desperate for a goal. They fed long balls up to Ibrahimovic who couldn’t do much as he was surrounded by a swarm of white Cesena shirts. Allegri tried to go for the super-sub option by taking of Ronaldinho and putting on Robinho, but the new Brazilian found himself surrounded by his teammates which were slightly out of ideas and breath.

But the golden chance arrived for AC Milan, in the final minutes of the match, they were awarded a penalty. Ibrahimovic stepped up to take it, but he sent his curling effort onto the post, ruining the day for any anti-Inter fans. In the end, Allegri was forced to put on Inzaghi, and the 37 year-old turned out to be the best player for AC Milan. But the match ended 2-0 for Cesena, and after two games against Roma and AC Milan, the newly promoted side has been able to overachieve and grab four points. AC Milan on the other hand have slightly under-achieved with this loss, letting Inter slip just a little farther away.

Roma were truly humiliated, while AC Milan lost 2-0 and missed a penalty, Roma were defeated 5-1 away at Cagliari. And there will be plenty of joy for Inter fans since their ex-player Nicolas Burdisso, who decided to leave the nerazzurri for Roma this summer, gave Cagliari a penalty, and was sent off in the early stages of the match.

But lets take this match from the beginning: Cagliari went ahead in the 8th minute thanks to a stunning volley by Daniele Conti, a contender for goal of the season. Ten minutes later Roma equalized with De Rossi, and the comeback seemed imminent from Ranieri’s side. It was in the 22nd minute when Nicolas Burdisso charged with a two footed tackle in the penalty area into Conti’s legs, earning a direct red card, and giving Cagliari a penalty. Matri scored from the spot, putting his side in front as they now had to face ten-man Roma.

In the 38th minute, Acquafresca headed a looped ball from Biondini’s pinpoint cross over Julio Sergio to score the third goal for Cagliari, which would be followed by two others. Matri headed the fourth goal, and then Lazzari tapped in the fifth and final goal, giving Roma a humiliating 5-1 loss.

It’s really interesting to see how people have been doubting Inter Milan, and touting AC Milan and Roma for the title. Now we see that the nerazzurri truly have the consistency in their team, even when all players aren’t playing well. What are your thoughts on these three games? Are they just small blips for AC Milan and Roma? Share your thoughts by commenting below!

Mention the 2009-2010 season to Juventus’ 170 million fans and they will shake their head in disgust.  Italy’s most successful and beloved soccer team was a shell of itself, missing out on a European tournament spot due to poor play and aging players.  It is not a coincidence that the Italian national team also failed to live up to expectations in the World Cup, as Juve players made up a large contingent of the team.  Overall, it was a season to forget in Stadio Olimpico and the club wasted no time in cleaning house, replacing individuals from the team president down.  The new Juventus still has many familiar names, but has strengthened its weaknesses to make a run at the top four.

Management: Jean-Claude Blanc, the brainchild behind the new Juventus stadium, was forced out in May 2010 and replaced with Andrea Agnelli, the fourth member of his family to run Juventus.  Similar to Blanc, he has a business background and is tasked with maintaining the profitability of the club.  No doubt part of his financial plan includes UEFA tournament money.

His first task upon being hired was to grab Luigi Del Neri from Sampdoria as a permanent replacement for Ciro Ferrara.  Del Neri guided Sampdoria to a top four finish and was in demand this offseason.  His 4-4-2 style will be a good fit for Juventus, and look for the team to focus a bit more on defense this season.  Del Neri could, however, actually play more of a 4-2-2-2 if he extends the wings and moves them forward in the attack.  Juventus in their matches this month have also played a 4-3-3 at times.  He’s seen success at Atalanta before guiding Sampdoria to the Champions League, and he was the best person available for the job.

The Transfer Market: Juventus was active in the transfer market, as to be expected, sending out older and more expensive players and bringing in both quality starters and key backups.  Maybe the biggest name to come to Juventus was Pepe, acquired on loan from Udinese with an option to buy.  Del Neri knows Pepe from his time in Palermo, and has added him as an attack option on the right side.  The club also beefed up its defense, which is discussed in depth below.

The continuing story of this offseason is the departures from the club, or a house cleaning if you prefer.  Italian national and rapidly aging defender Fabio Cannavaro has left for the UAE soccer league and a hefty contract.  Christian Poulsen was transferred to Liverpool for about €5.5 million to free up some salary and space after a disappointing stint with the club.  The biggest loss long-term, however, may be the loss of Sebastian Giovinco to Parma.  The young playmaker had been tabbed by fans as the next Juve star, but he grew tired of waiting to break into the starting XI.

Key Players: Starting in the back of the 4-4-2, vice-captain and all-world keeper Gigi Buffon begins the season on the injured list, leaving AC Milan acquisition Marco Storari as the starter.  Storari will never cause people to forget Buffon, but he is experienced and talented enough to hold down the position until Buffon is healthy.

Coming into the new season, Del Neri knew he needed to revamp the defense after Juventus allowed 55 goals last season.  He acquired rising star Leonardo Bonucci from Bari and Marco Motta from Roma to partner with stalwarts Giorgio Chiellini and Fabio Grosso, or if Grosso leaves during this transfer window, Paolo De Ceglie.  The two new additions will strengthen the backline and makes defense a team strength.  Look for Bonucci to become the next Fabio Grosso in his time at Juventus.

If Del Neri continues his traditional formation, the midfield will see two holding and two attacking wingers.  As mentioned, Pepe will man the right wing and replace Mauro Camoranesi, who regardless of his transfer status should be replaced by a younger player.  Claudio Marchisio, one of the players who actually looked good in last season’s debacle, could start on the other wing, with Mohammed Sissoko in the middle.  UPDATE – Juventus added another potential starter to the midfield with CSKA Moscow winger Milos Krasic.

Up front, Del Neri against Shamrock moved Pepe and attacking midfielder Davide Lanzafame (Parma) to the forward position with Amauri.  While this could be an attacking option, I can see a rotation (assuming a 4-4-2) of Amauri, Trezeguet, and Del Piero as a potent attack.

This is, of course, assuming Diego is sent to a Bundesliga club, where he has been rumored to be going (or not going).  If Diego stays, the forward position has the potential to be one of the deepest in Serie A.

Outlook: This preview could change if Juventus makes any more changes on the transfer market, which is possible.  But as their club stands, Juventus is definitely a favorite to finish in the top four.  Even without a healthy Buffon to begin the season, the defense is improved from last season and will be a strength.  The attack will be more “exciting” than last season with a good variety of scorers that Del Neri can turn to for goals.  Under new management and with Del Neri’s vision revitalizing the club, there is no reason this club will not move higher in the standings.  Whether they can challenge for a scudetto will depend on if they can improve on their record against the top clubs.

The most anticipated match-up of the weekend is the AS Roma-AC Milan contest to decide which club can challenge Inter for the top spot in Serie A.  While the loser still has an outside shot at the scudetto, an Inter victory over Genoa would make it a tough task.

Rather than a traditional post rehashing strengths and weaknesses, here are the quick seven keys to the match:

1. Who will step up for Pato: The loss of the young Brazilian is huge for this match.  Not only was he leading the club in goals, but he has been a key to the resurgence of Ronaldinho.  Milan has Borriello, Huntelaar, and other big names, but when that go-ahead goal is needed will they be able to be the unstoppable threat Milan may need?
2. The Milan Brazilians: Ronaldinho has been dominating the pitch as of late; even in the loss to Manchester United it could be argued that he was the best player on the pitch that day (although Wayne Rooney might argue against that).  Thiago Silva needs to have a good match to prevent scoring chances for Roma.  A major weakness this year has been the inconsistent play of Milan’s defenders.
3. Roma’s Injury Situation: Luca Toni will make his anticipated return for this match.  David Pizarro is available to play.  However, Francesco Totti will not be available.  Can Vucinic provide the scoring threat that Roma may need if Toni is still rusty?
4. Roma’s sudden defensive slip: In the Europa League last Thursday Roma gave up three goals in six minutes to Panathinaikos, leading to their elimination from the competition.  Last weekend they gave up a two goal lead and had to settle for a draw against Napoli.  Were these consecutive defensive mishaps anomalies or the sign of a bigger problem?
5. Leonardo’s game plan: He’s 0-2 versus Inter Milan.  He’s a rookie manager that has come under criticism from management.  The easiest way to ease criticism is to figure out a way to gain three critical points.  Failure to do so will only ratchet up that criticism.
6. The crowd: Stadio Olimpico is already sold out in anticipation of this match.  Roma has not lost a Serie A match at home this season and is 11-0-2 overall.  AC Milan’s away record in Serie A is an impressive 7-4-2, and how they handle the partisan crowd could carry-over to their mid-week match at Manchester United.
7. Milan facing double elimination:  One advantage for Roma is with their Europa League elimination, this match is for their season.  No points means no chance at a title.  The equation is different for Milan, however.  Will they be looking ahead to their match mid-week against Manchester United?  A loss in this match and the Champions League means no titles for this high-profile club.  Which title means more?  Will Milan be going all out, or could they want to save a bit for their United match?

For those who spent Saturday and Sunday away from the television and internet, or were too busy watching the Manchester Derby, here are some lessons we have learned (or in some cases relearned) from this past weekend’s Serie A action:

Gianluigi Buffon is the key for a Juve scudetto: Although he has some mileage between his numerous Serie A and international matches, and the Juventus attack is quite good, the 2-0 Juventus win over Livorno shows that Buffon still dominates matches for his team.  Nice goals by Iaquinta and Marchisio were overshadowed by some great saves by Buffon, stoning Lucarelli and Tavano on his way to 8 saves and a clean sheet.  No one ever doubts his ability, and no one should doubt that Buffon can singlehandedly carry his team atop the standings if plays like he did against Livorno.

Roma will be near the top of the standings in the near future: I thought Fioretina was a possible dark horse contender for the scudetto, and they still are, but I was impressed by a reinvigorated Roma side in this match.  I knew a team with Totti and de Rossi were not in danger of relegation, but their early results were less than…. inspiring.  With their next three matches against Palermo, Catania, and Napoli, Roma could be looking to pass Milan when they face each other 18 October.

Bari will be a factor in the race for the scudetto: Honestly, Atalanta has a very good chance of being relegated, and a 4-1 win by Bari should not be too surprising.  But the Gilletti began the season with a draw at Inter, have six points on the season, and currently sit in 8^th in the standings.  It is crazy to expect recently promoted Bari to compete for a title, but acquisitions such as Donati (among others), new ownership and a good keeper in Gillet will allow Bari to pick up three points against a top flight contender at least once  at some point this season.

Sampdoria can still beat teams it should: Listen Sampdoria fans – this win over Sienna does not prove that you are a top-flight club.  Your next three matches (at Fiorentina, v. Inter and v. Parma) will do that.  But it is the sign of a quality club that you can beat teams you should beat, and Sampdoria has done just that.

Francesco Guidolin had the best weekend of any manager: Guidolin’s current side (Parma) handed his former side (Palermo) a 1-0 defeat on Sunday in a closely fought contest.  Guidolin was previously the manager of Palermo three times, including during the infamous Sicilian derby riot of February 2007.

Diego is good, Cagliari is not:

Telegraph UK – With only days to go until a nail-biting end to this year’s Serie A, Inter Milan found itself caught up in a Mafia scandal.

read more on this breaking story here – Telegraph sports