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A forum about football, for football fans
5 years ago, the Italian league was rocked by a scandal, the likes of which the footballing world had not seen before. A number of telephone interceptions showed a network between managers of several top-flight teams, and the referee organisations, with the teams effectively implicated of rigging games by selecting favourable referees.
Moggi, former Juventus manager given a lifetime ban following the scandal
The 2004-05 and the 2005-06 Seria A titles had both finished with Juventus 1st and AC Milan 2nd. Following investigation into the scandal, it was decided that Juventus would be relegated to Serie B, and that their two titles for 2004-05 and 2005-06 stripped from their record.
As such, no one was awarded the 2004-05 title- the only gap in records since World War II (when the Italian national team, world champions in 1938, retained the trophy for 12 years due to the Second World War stopping the tournament from taking place- one for the pub quizzes!)
In addition, the 2005-06 title was stripped from Juventus. As AC Milan, among others, were implicated in the scandal, and also deducted points and denied entry to the 2006-07 Champions League (at least, denied automatic entry), the title instead was awarded to the 3rd place team, Internazionale.
So, since 2006, Inter Milan have been accredited with the Serie A title for that season. But, recently, new evidence suggested that this too was the wrong decision. Inter have been under investigation since last year after lawyers suggested phonetaps implicated Inter in the affair also.
The club denied any wrongdoing, and despite a report by FIGC (the Italian football federation) prosecutors accusing Inter of fraud, the executive committee's majority vote, earlier today, that a revoking of the 2005-06 Scudetto was beyond its jurisdiction, has put the affair to bed, and it looks like Inter Milan will retain the title.
For now...!
AFC Fiorentina will be wearing all white on their travels in Italy's Serie A and Europe for the 2008-09 season. The new replica away kit is made from 100% polyester and is finished in white only unlike the 2007-08 away kit that made reference to the club's iconic purple colour.
The logos of kit manufacturer Lotto and the letters of kit sponsors Toyota are finished in red which contrasts quite well with the white of the shirt and shorts.
[Source: Fiorentina]
Italian Serie A side Fiorentina has unveiled a new home kit for the 2008-09 season of Italian and European football.
The Florence based club, known as "i Viola" (the purple ones), will look to build on the success of the 2007-08 season where they finished 4th in the Serie A thus securing a prized UEFA Champions League spot at the expense of AC Milan on the final day of the season.
The 2008-09 home kit features a lighter shade of purple than its predecessor, an 'off' yellow insert around the collar with "ACF Fiorentina" embroidered around the back of the neck and is manufactured by Lotto.
The purple shirt is paired with matching shorts and socks.
[Source: ACF Fiorentina]
Italian giants Internazionale will sport a new all-white away kit for the upcoming season of domestic and European football.
The ice white away kit features brown inserts on the edge of the sleeves, logos and 'INTER' on the back of the V-neck collar. Manufactured by sportswear giants Nike, the shirt is made from 100% polyester with Dri-FIT technology special features such as a raglan sleeve, mesh side panels, badge to left chest, swoosh to right chest and the sponsor's logo in the centre.
The shirt is matched with brown shorts and white socks.
[Source: Inter.it]
Serie A champions Internazionale aka Inter Milan has released a new home kit for the 2008-09 season of Italian football.
Finished in the traditional home colours of blue and black stripes, the Nike manufactured shirt is made from 100% polyester with Dri-FIT technology. The short sleeve match-day shirt features a raglan sleeve, V-neck neckline, mesh side panels, badge to left chest, swoosh to right chest and the sponsor's in the centre.
Could Internazionale be wearing this shirt to Euro glory under the helm of 'The Special One', Jose Mourinho in 2009?
[Source: Inter.it]
Juventus FC from Italy, known to fans as the Bianconeri, has unveiled a new gold away strip for the upcoming season of Italian football.
Manufactured by sportswear giants Nike using 100% polyester, the new gold shirt features white inserts in the V-neck collar, sleeves and hemline. Nike's Dri-FIT technology has been used to ensure maximum performance in all playing conditions. Just like the new home kit, two stars are embroidered above the club crest on the player's left chest.
Rounding off the new kit are black shorts and gold socks.
[Source: Juventus]
Italian giants Juventus will sport a new home kit for the 2008/09 season of Serie A and European (provided that qualify) football.
The new black and white kit with yellow inserts in the collar, sleeves and hemline is manufactured by sportswear giants Nike using 100% polyester and their acclaimed Dri-FIT technology to ensure maximum performance in all playing conditions.
This season's shirt features three black and two white stripes down the length of the body and two stars above the club crest on the player's left chest.
[Source: Juventus]
Seven-times European champions AC Milan will wear black for their third change of kit in the 2008/09 season of the Serie A and UEFA Cup.
Featuring the same design as the home and away kits, the third kit is finished entirely in black which contrasts well with the three red stripes running across the shoulder.
Made from 100% Climacool polyester by Adidas and featuring embroidered ACM and adidas logos, the shirt is anatomically cut to maximise performance.
[Source: AC Milan]
Italian giants AC Milan have unveiled a new away kit for the upcoming 2008-09 Serie A season.
At first glance, you will be forgiven for thinking not much has changed from the 2007-08 away kit but upon closer inspection, you will find the new kit has been updated with some key features that helps distinguish it from its predecessor.
First of all, the collar has been replaced with a round one and the three famous stripes of manufacturer Adidas no longer extends to the end of the sleeves. The shirt now also features what appears to be some kind of cross shaped pattern in a whiter shade of white on the body.
The inside of the collar features the year '1899' - the year in which the club was established.
[Source: AC Milan]
Italian giants AC Milan had a torrid season in 2007/08 by their high standards and have not qualified for the upcoming season's Champions League.
However, Serie A and UEFA Cup fans will witness the multiple European cup winners and their new star signing Ronaldinho wear a new home kit for the 2008/09 season. The new shirt features 5 red bands and 4 black ones in the front - wider compared to 2007/08 - and black sleeves with the 3 stripes of manufacturer Adidas finished in red.
On the back there is the writing ROSSONERI, in black, on a red background.
Ronaldinho has confirmed that he will be wearing the no.80 shirt - a reference to his birth year.
[Source: ACMilan]
It appears the transfer rumours surrounding Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho has finally come to a much anticipated conclusion with reports emerging the playmaker has agreed to join Italian giants AC Milan.
An official statement on the AC Milan website said, "AC Milan and Barcelona have reached an agreement in principle over the transfer of Ronaldinho" with the striker expected to put pen to paper sometime on Wednesday (GMT) provided he passes the mandatory medical tests.
The player will cost Milan €21 million and up to €25 million when performance-related bonuses are added and he will be tied down to a three-year contract.
The news of a transfer to Milan will come as no surprise and has all but ended any glimmer of hope English Premier League club Manchester City had of capturing the player deemed surplus to requirements by new Barcelona head coach Pep Guardiola.
Chelsea has also been linked with the player, especially now that Scolari - Ronaldinho's mentor/coach at the 2002 World Cup - had joined the cash rich club but unlike Manchester City, the London club never tabled a bid for the two-time world player of the year.
As for Manchester City, their ambition to sign a world-class player has to be applauded, but in all honesty, Ronaldinho had as much chance of joining them as he had of changing careers to play lawn bowls.
The world cup winning striker will join Milan after a disappointing season for the Italian giants which saw them finish 5th place in the Serie A and failed to qualify for the lucrative Champions League.
[Source: ACMilan]
It's officially official - ex-Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has been confirmed as the new boss of Serie A champions Internazionale.
The signing of the 'Special One' has been one of the worst kept secrets in football with the colourful Portugese continually linked to the post since departing Chelsea in September last year. After the Serie A champions finally parted company with Roberto Mancini last week, rumours that the Portuguese boss would be signed up by the club went into overdrive.
Mourinho has signed a three-year deal at the San Siro worth a reported £22.2million and will be charged with winning the Champions League for the Italian giants with the help of a backroom staff including Rui Farias, Silvino, Andrei Villas Boas and assistant coach Giuseppe Baresi, the former Director of the Youth Academy.
The ex-Chelsea boss is tipped to raid his former club for Michael Essien, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and Ricardo Carvalho plus Samuel Eto’o and Deco from Barcelona. With a rumoured £100m transfer kitty, it's possible that he could sign ALL those players.
“Il Speciale Uno” will be unveiled by the club at a special press conference today.
[Source: www.inter.it]
AC Milan has announced that their prized Brazilian playmaker Kaka has extended his current contract by a further two years until 2013.
The new contract will put to rest the constant rumours of a protracted move to Spanish giants Real Madrid for the reigning World and European Footballer of the Year. The 25 year-old playmaker is indispensible to both club and country and led the Italian giants to Champions League glory in 2007, scoring 10 goals in the process.
Milan vice president Adriano Galliani told the club's website: "Ricky (Kaka) has repeatedly said that he wants to become a symbol of this team.
"He is, he is the greatest player in the world, he has decided to tie himself definitively to the Rossoneri colours.
"This is the contract of his life. I hope to be able to do another contract in 2013, but this is proof that Kaka will keep delighting our fans for all of his career."
By the time the new contract expires in 2013, Kaka will be 30-31 years old thus ensuring the best years of his career will be spent in Milan.
[Source: AC Milan]
Ronaldo is stretchered off after his latest injury
AC Milan and Brazil striker Ronaldo's top-flight career could be over after suffering another serious setback in his injury-plagued career.
The 31 year-old former World Player of the Year had to be carried off on a stretcher after rupturing a tendon in his left knee in a match against Livorno in the Serie A. Ronaldo fell awkwardly while challenging for a ball in the air with Jose Vidigal just three minutes after replacing Alberto Gilardino in the second half.
Ronaldo: In happier times...
Livorno goalkeeper Marco Amelia, who was close by when Ronaldo fell to the ground, was reported saying he heard a 'horrible sound' before the Brazilian went down clutching his left knee in tears.
Ronaldo suffered the same injury in his right knee in November 1999 and it took him a total of 25 months out of the world game which means if the current injury took the same amount of time to fully heal, he would be 33 years old by the time he makes a return.
A concerned Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said: "I don't want to say it's the end of his career because only time can decide - all we can do is stand by him".
The striker, who has already hardly featured this season because of a series of niggling injuries is also out of contract with AC Milan at the end of the season and it remains uncertain whether he will be offered a new contract in light of this new injury.
Whether or not a player like Ronaldo, who has won every prestigious trophy and honour in the game, still has the motivation to make a comeback from another serious injury in the twilight of his career remains to be seen.
As we approach the half-way mark (or past it as in the case of the EPL) of the domestic European leagues, here is a list of how your favourite clubs are doing at the moment.
Premier League Table - 2007/08
1 Arsenal (50)
2 Man Utd (48)
3 Chelsea (44)
4 Man City (39)
5 Liverpool (38)
6 Everton (36)
7 Aston Villa (36)
8 Portsmouth (34)
9 Blackburn (33)
10 West Ham (29)
11 Newcastle (26)
12 Tottenham (24)
13 Reading (22)
14 Bolton (20)
15 Middlesbrough (20)
16 Birmingham (19)
17 Wigan (17)
18 Sunderland (17)
19 Fulham (15)
20 Derby (7)
The EPL is the most closely contested league out of itself, La Liga and Serie with just six points separating the Top 3.
Spanish Primera División Table - 2007/08
1 Real Madrid (44)
2 Barcelona (37)
3 Espanyol (36)
4 Atlético Madrid (34)
5 Villarreal (32)
6 Racing Santander (29)
7 Valencia (27)
8 FC Sevilla (26)
9 Murcia (22)
10 Real Zaragoza (21)
11 Mallorca (21)
12 Valladolid (21)
13 Getafe (21)
14 Recreativo Huelva (21)
15 Osasuna (20)
16 Almeria (20)
17 Athletic Bilbao (19)
18 Real Betis (18)
19 Deportivo La Coruña (17)
20 Levante (8)
Real Madrid has opened up a sizable lead in the title race on 44 points with Barcelona 7 points adrift in second place.
Italian Serie A Table - 2007/08
1 Inter Milan (43)
2 Roma (36)
3 Juventus (35)
4 Udinese (29)
5 Fiorentina (28)
6 Palermo (25)
7 Napoli (23)
8 Atalanta (22)
9 Catania Calcio (21)
10 Sampdoria (19)
11 Genoa (19)
12 AC Milan (18)
13 Parma (18)
14 Lazio (18)
15 Torino (17)
16 Siena (15)
17 Livorno (15)
18 Empoli (15)
19 Reggina (13)
20 Cagliari (10)
Internazionale - on 43 points - has a 7 point cushion over their nearest rivals Roma. Meanwhile, city rivals AC Milan are languishing in 12th spot with just 18 points and it is certain that they will have to win this season's Champions League if they want to take part in Europe's premier club competition next season.
League positions and points correct as at 09/01/08.
Sampdoria's third kit for season 2007-08 is an all-black affair while retaining the same basic design and cut of the home and away kits.
The third kid is made by sportswear apparel brand Kappa using 95% Poliammide and 5% Tactel, and features a patch team logo and club sponsors ERG across the chest.
Currently sitting in 8th place on the Serie A leader with 17 points from 12 games is Sampdoria.
The team's new away kit for season 2007-08 has helped the team win twice on their travels so far and with a little luck, the Blucerchiati may have a fighting chance of securing a UEFA cup spot for next season.
The away kit shares the same design as the home kit with white as the primary colour matched with blue pants.
[Source: sampdoria.it]
Italian Serie A side Sampdoria was formed in 1946 and is based in the city of Genoa, Italy. Nicknamed Blucerchiati, the club won the Scudetto in 1991 wearing the club's traditional colours of blue with white, red and black stripes.
The home kit for season 2007-08 carries on this theme with a kit manufactured by sportswear brand Kappa. Made from 95% Poliammide and 5% Tactel, the shirt also features a patch team logo and club sponsors ERG across the chest.
[Source: sampdoria.it]
Unione Sportiva Città di Palermo is an Italian football club from Palermo, Sicily which currently plays in Serie A.
Currently sitting in 7th place with 18 points - 3 ahead of European champions AC Milan - the club's traditional home colours are pink and black, as reflected in their kit for Serie A season 07-08. The kit is manufactured by Lotto and is made from 100% polyester with stretch technology.
[Source: ilpalermocalcio.it]
Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio (B.C.) is an Italian football club based in Bergamo, Lombardy. Founded in 1907, the Serie A side finished the 2006-07 season in a respectable 8th position and they look to go one better in 07-08 and things are looking pretty in 6th place, two above AC Milan.
Atalanta's home and away kits for season 2007-08 retains the club's traditional colours of blue and black stripes (home) and white (away). The kits are made from 100% polyester by Italian sports apparel manufacturer, Errea.
[Source: Atalanta.it]
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