6 April 2008
PALERMO 3 (Amauri 11, Amauri 50, Cassani 89)
JUVENTUS 2 (Del Piero 52, Del Piero 71)
Amauri ran through a poor Juventus defence before curling the ball beyond Italy's #1 from the edge of the box to score a career high 12th goal of the season. Early in the second half he met Caserta's cross with a bullet header to score his 13th. Sissoko began the comeback with a surging run from midfield, he stung Jimmy's palms with a fierce drive and Del Piero skipped a couple of tackles before slamming home the rebound. Sissoko, who is proving to be one of the buys of the season, also played a part in Juve's equaliser. His cross drew a great save from Trezeguet and once again Del Piero was on hand to put away the rebound. Sissoko headed a free kick out to Cassani who was standing a good 30 yards from goal, he chested the ball down before ripping a left foot shot into the roof of the net. An extraordinary goal and it's very rare to see Buffon beaten from that distance.
This current squad haven't a prayer of making an impact in the Champions League and Juve will need some major rebuilding over the summer in every department. The defence is atrocious and while Del Piero maybe having a great season he's only playing a game every week, the strain of an extra game will be too much for him. Nedved isn't an issue anymore, he's too broken down even for MLS.
Attendance : 38,000
Assists : n/a, Caserta, n/a, n/a, n/a
ATALANTA 0
INTER 2 (Vieira 21, Balotelli 74)
Vieira gave Inter the lead from a corner. 17 year old 'Black Pato' Mario Balotelli ran onto a flick on from substitute Cruz, rounded Coppola and tapped into an empty net. Atalanta captain Doni talked himself into a dismissal. It doesn't matter, it's not as if they're going to qualify for the UEFA Cup.
Attendance : 22,000
Red Card : Doni 92 (Atalanta)
Assists : Balotelli (ck), Cruz
CATANIA 3 (Colucci 4 fk, Spinesi 16, Vargas 48)
NAPOLI 0
After a nine year coaching career which has seen him job from clubs America, Romania, Yugoslavia and Turkey Walter Zenga got his Serie A coaching career off to the perfect start. Colucci struck a low a free kick from the left touchline and the ball evaded everyone on it's way into the bottom corner. Edusei hit a crossfield pass out wide to Sardo, he took the ball on his chest, ran into the box and centred for Spinesi to tap in. Vargas shanked a volley from a corner but got a second chance on the rebound and this time his volley hit the back of the net.
Attendance : 17,000
Assists : Vargas (won fk), Sardo, Tedesco (ck)
FIORENTINA 2 (Pazzini 23, Mutu 92)
REGGINA 0
Pazzini scored his 9th goal of the season with a spectacular diving header. Mutu wrapped up an easy victory in stoppage time. Gobbi broke from midfield and passed out wide to Vieri, not sure what he was doing on the left flank, Vieri ran into the box and centred, Gobbi unselfishly back heeled to Mutu and he swept the ball first time past Campagnolo.
Remaining Fixtures : Inter (A), Palermo (H), Sampdoria (H), Cagliari (A), Parma (H), Torino (A)
Palermo are the only team Fiorentina face that have nothing to play for. Inter are of course going for the title, Samp are only four points off a Champions League place and the others are all involved in a relegation dogfight.
Attendance : 27,321
Assists : Pasqual, Gobbi
PARMA 2 (Budan 17, Paci 43)
LAZIO 2 (Pandev 35, Bianchi 38)
Budan made the most of a lucky deflection to run in and give Parma the lead. Pandev managed to wriggle free off two defenders in the box to smash Mutarelli's pass in off Bucci. Three minutes later Mutarelli intercepted another pass, the ball fell kindly to Bianchi who took one touch before cracking a right foot shot from the edge of the D into the top left corner. Paci brought a thoroughly entertaining first half to an end with a brilliant diving header.
Attendance : 14,059
Assists : n/a, Mutarelli, Mutarelli, Cigarini (fk)
SAMPDORIA 2 (Maggio 67, Bonazzoli 85)
LIVORNO 0
Two defenders tried to shepherd a ball out of play and Pieri ran between them to keep it live, fired a centre straight at Amelia, he parried and Maggio volleyed in the rebound. Serie A bad boy Antonio Cassano was back and pulled down a delightful lob before centring for Bonazzoli to score Samp's second and keep the heat on Milan and Fiorentina in their unlikely battle for a Champions League place.
Remaining Fixtures : Reggina (A), Udinese (H), Fiorentina (A), Roma (H), Palermo (A), Juventus (H)
Samp's Champions League hopes will rest on their matches with Fiorentina and Roma. It's a longshot but with Cassano back anything is possible.
Attendance : 21,000
Assists : n/a, Cassano
SIENA 1 (Kharja 69)
UDINESE 1 (Floro Flores 77)
Kharja gave Siena a short lived lead with a 25 yard drive which flew in off a post. Floro Flores scored on the rebound after Di Natale's shot was charged down by a defender. Forestieri (18 in real life) is in my 2016 Football Manager team, he's excellent.
Remaining Fixtures : Roma (H), Sampdoria (A), Catania (H), Empoli (A), Cagliari (A), Milan (A)
Udinese need to do something they haven't all season in order to make up ground on Fiorentina - put a run together. I don't see it happening.
Attendance : 9,000
Assists : Forestieri, n/a
TORINO 0
EMPOLI 1 (Vannucchi 88)
Attendance : 15,000
Assist : Giovinco
5 April 2008
ROMA 3 (Taddei 14, Vucinic 17, De Rossi 80 Pen)
GENOA 2 (Rossi 58, Leon 59)
A three minute salvo gave Roma what should have been an unassailable lead. Taddei scored at the second attempt from a Tonetto cross. Vucinic, standing on the edge of the box, initially miss-controlled De Rossi's driven pass, chased down the ball as it spun away then hammered a left foot volley on the turn from an improbable angle into the left corner of the net. The bloody rubbish Doni fumbled Boriello's shot and Rossi tapped in the rebound. A minute later Leon played a one two with Borriello on the edge of the box before hammering into the bottom corner. Borriello made the proverbial forwards tackle on Taddei in the box and inevitably the ref pointed to the spot. De Rossi struck the ball with extreme prejudice.
De Rossi got his 13th yellow card in this match which under Serie A rules means every time he gets a yellow card he'll automatically be suspended for the following match. Normally a suspension follows two yellow cards. In England it follows FIVE.
Attendance : 36,366
Assists : n/a, De Rossi, n/a, Borriello, Taddei (won pen)
MILAN 3 (Kaka' 8, Inzaghi 31, Inzaghi 69)
CAGLIARI 1 (Conti 49 fk)
Kaka' picked up a loose ball on the half way line and ran through the Cagliari defence before slamming a shot inside the right post. Inzaghi also scored on his return from injury, heading in a Pirlo corner. A Kalac blunder gave Cagliari hope. He got two hands on a Conti free kick then dropped the ball into his net. Inzaghi looked odds on to score certain to score after Brocchi put him in on goal but Storari got a hand to the ball and Pippo lost his balance and fell however he quickly got to his feet, pushed the ball past Storari and fired into an empty net.
Before the match the Milan Ultra group Old Clan handed out leaflets criticising the club's transfer policy :
"The President is absent and no longer has the motivation or the desire to invest that he did before. The only smart signing of the past three years has been Alexandre Pato. Enough of players on the downward slope of their careers and continual fitness problems. Ariedo Braida spent two weeks in South America scouting for talent and returned with the disappointing Leandro Grimi. The many season ticket holders have been taken for a ride by broken promises, a squad that is not up to the standard of Milan with great stars who instead joined the opposition. We absolutely rule out Shevchenko, who is 32 and would fill the only non-EU slot, preventing Milan from signing a younger and better player."
Liar and club vice president Adriano Galliani responded with :
"We have been struggling for the past two years and so must change our priorities and look to do very well in Serie A. If we do get into the Champions League, which we will do everything to achieve, or another Cup, then that is a different matter. Milan will construct a side to win the Scudetto. From next year we are changing our objectives."
We'll see what happens next season. If Berlusconi is no longer willing to invest, and he's not short on cash, then he should sell up. He won't have problems finding a buyer.
Remaining Fixtures : Juventus (A), Reggina (H), Livorno (A), Inter (H), Napoli (A), Udinese (H)
Milan couldn't have dreamed of a tougher run-in and like Udinese have shown no consistency all season.
Attendance : 57,000
Assists : n/a, Pirlo (ck), Matri (won fk), n/a