My Serie A Top Four Predictions for the 2020-2021 Season

The 2020-2021 Serie A season will kick off at 12 PM ET this upcoming Saturday, where Fiorentina will face Torino. One race that will be very fun to watch this season should be the Serie A top-four race. For me, there’s a clear top 3 heading into this season. However, I believe that the fourth spot should be a fight to the finish. I don’t know about you, but I’m getting my popcorn ready! Here are my predictions for the top four places in Serie A this upcoming season!

4. Milan

Image Via: http://rossoneriblog.com

For Milan, it seems as though everything has fallen into place for them this offseason. Not only were they able to keep Stefano Pioli and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. They also signed probably the most in-demand player in Italy, currently, Sandro Tonali. Add to that the possibility of Bakayoko returning Milan and the summer couldn’t have gone more perfect for the Rossoneri. Considering the mix of old and young talent in their squad and also considering Milan have solidified their central midfield, I think they’ll finally qualify for the Champions League in 2021. It should be a tight race to the end. However, I see them claiming that fourth spot. Their only issue in my view is at right-back. But, I don’t think that weakness will be enough from them accomplishing a top-four finish.

3. Napoli

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On paper, Lazio, Inter, Juve and possibly Atalanta have better starting lineups than Napoli. However, under Gattuso, they’ve shown that how their squad is on paper doesn’t matter. In saying that, they made some crucial signings. Their biggest need for the last couple of seasons has been buying a Striker that’s more clinical. Well, they addressed that issue by signing both Andrea Petagna and Victor Osimhen. That attack will be dangerous for any opposing defence. They’ve also added depth in the Centreback department by signing Amir Rrahmani from Hellas Verona. In my view, they still lack a proper right-winger and a left-back. However, given they have Gattuso as their manager and they finished way below par last season. Expect them coming into this season wanting revenge. As a result, I believe they’re a lock for third this upcoming season.

2. Juventus

Image Via: http://news.cgtn.com

As a Juve fan myself, this prediction is very difficult to make, trust me. However, the fact that Pirlo was appointed as their manager and has no experience managing at this level influenced this prediction. Also, while there is still time left in the transfer window to address their weakness, particularly at right-back, as of now I think that’ll be their biggest Achilles’ heel. In saying that, bringing in Arthur, Kulusevski, and McKennie has resulted in them significantly upgrading their midfield, which is a big positive. Also, if Juve keeps Luca Pellegrini that’ll also be a positive and will lessen Alex Sandro’s load at left-back as well as giving him competition to ensure he consistently performs. Obviously, time will tell. But, as of now, Juve haven’t convinced me they’ll win the scudetto for the 10th time in a row this upcoming season.

1. Inter

Image Via: http://fourfourtwo.com

The Scudetto was already wrapped up for Juve last season with two matches to spare. However, Inter managed to only 1 point behind Juve. Fast-forward to currently and they’ve addressed pretty much all of their main issues in the Transfer Window, so far. At the left-wing back, they’ve signed formidable veteran, Alexsandar Kolarov. They’ve also signed top-class right-back Hakimi, which couldn’t be better for Inter. Also, consider that Nainggolan has come back from a loan at Cagliari and could very well feature in Inter’s plans for the upcoming season. It seems unlikely that’ll happen, but you never know. They’ve addressed their squad’s biggest needs so far and they possess a top-class manager in Antonio Conte who has a track record of success in Serie A and the EPL. His biggest flaw may be his stubbornness to make changes. But, now he has a squad that fits his style of play. Therefore, Inter should win the scudetto this upcoming season.

Honourable mentions should go to Lazio, Atalanta, and Roma, who I don’t think will finish in the for the top four. But, anything is possible and as I’ve reiterated throughout this article, there should be a tight race for that fourth spot.

Thanks for reading this article! Be sure to spread the word about my blog to people you know that are interested in calcio or want to learn more about it. If you’d like to follow me further, my Twitter handle is @calciofanblogs1, my Instagram account is @calciofanblogs, and my Facebook Page is Calcio Fan Blogs. Additionally, if you’d like to reach out to me, email me at calciofanblogs@gmail.com and/or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Four underrated clubs heading into the 2020-2021 Serie A season

Well, it’s that time again! The 2020-2021 Serie A season is almost upon us and as a result, I’ve decided to an article on the four most underrated clubs heading into it! Here’s last season’s article for reference. Anyways, iniziamo questo nuovo articolo (let’s start this new article)!

Fiorentina

In the summer of last season, Fiorentina began a new era under the ownership of Italian-American Billionaire, Rocco Commisso! When he took over as owner, it was obvious that he was going to pursue a long-term project to get Fiorentina back to where they should be. However, in one season Fiorentina drastically improved. They went from finishing 16th in the 2018-2019 season to 10th place in the 2019-2020 season. In one season, that’s already a drastic improvement! This season they’ll be a squad to watch out for. No opponent should ever be taken lightly. But, especially not la viola. If Fiorentina can keep Federico Chiesa for next season, it’ll be the cherry on top of a squad that already contains the likes of Castrovilli, recently signed, Giacomo Bonaventura, Vlahovic, Ribery, and Dragowski in net. Their attack and midfield certainly look as though it can cause problems for any opponent. I’d say their only flaws are defensively and the fact they don’t have a proven finisher. But, despite that, I believe if things fall into place for this squad their sealing is qualifying for the 2021-2022 Europa League.

Cagliari

Last season ended in disappointment for Cagliari, despite their unbelievable start to the season. However, fast forward to this upcoming season and they’ve hired Eusebio Di Francesco as their new manager. If you’ve been reading my previous articles, you know how much I admire Di Francesco as a manager. So, this is an obvious pick for me. They may lose Nandez and Nainggolan during the current transfer window. However, even if that happens they have a decent squad. Plus, Di Francesco’s system tends to emulate pressing the opposition’s backline like crazy when the ball is lost, which I believe this current Cagliari squad is suited for. This should be a match made in heaven, at least in my opinion. Like Fiorentina, this squad lacks a backline. This is an area that is really deficient for this squad. I’d also say their midfield is in a similar situation. But, considering Di Francesco is an attack-oriented manager and they don’t lack a lot in that area, they’ll rely heavily on it. Therefore, I believe this will work out. Not to mention in goal they have Cragno, who is such an underrated goalkeeper.

Sassuolo

During the 2019-2020 season, De Zerbi’s Sassuolo squad truly impressed many calcio fans, including myself. They played such exciting, attacking football and as a result, they challenged for a spot in this upcoming season’s Europa League. Unfortunately, they didn’t qualify. But, they definitely sent a message to the rest of the league by overachieving. I don’t see any reason why they can’t accomplish similar feats this upcoming season. Yes, it’s very possible they’ll sell Jeremie Boga and Locatelli within the next month. But, whether that happens or not this squad is definitely ready to emulate last season. At least, in my view. I’d say the majority of their squad goes under the radar and should get more recognition. The only flaw that they could have this season is at striker. Francesco Caputo has had two superb seasons in a row in Serie A with Empoli and the Neroverdi. However, considering his age and how he hasn’t done it enough at the top flight over the course of his career, he’s a wildcard. However, if he can keep banging in the goals, De Zerbi’s Sassuolo squad will be a force to reckoned with this upcoming season.

Bologna

Last season, Bologna went through a lot. Especially, Sinisa Mihajlovic who fought off Leukemia and recently, COVID-19. Despite that, they managed to finish 12th. Coming into this season, they have one distinct advantage over many other clubs and that is that so far, they haven’t had to sell any of their key players. I feel if Bologna can keep all their key players, this team can accomplish something big this season. This squad is odd just because on paper, you’d think that Bologna would be fighting relegation. However, Sinisa Mihajlovic has gotten the best out of this squad and has ingrained his warrior spirit within it. Everything would have to go right for Bologna to qualify for the Europa League. But, as we’ve seen, anything is possible. Whatever the outcome, it’ll be fun to watch them try and exceed expectations this upcoming season.

Thanks for reading this article! Be sure to spread the word about my blog to people you know that are interested in calcio or want to learn more about it. If you’d like to follow me further, my Twitter handle is @calciofanblogs1, my Instagram account is @calciofanblogs, and my Facebook Page is Calcio Fan Blogs. Additionally, if you’d like to reach out to me, email me at calciofanblogs@gmail.com and/or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Determining Whether Inter’s 2019-2020 Season Has Been a Success

Inter’s 2019-2020 season has been a thrilling rollercoaster ride. They finished second in Serie A and will play in the Europa League Finals on Friday, August 21st at 3:00 PM EST. So, here’s my assessment of their season.

Assessing Inter’s Three Best Players This Season

I won’t name who I think has been Inter’s MVP just because they’ve had key players in almost every position that have helped them a ton.

In my view, one of Inter’s three best players this season has been none other than Stefan De Vrij. Of course, I could also give credit to Bastoni as he’s improved immensely this season and is proving he can be a force to be reckoned with in the future. However, De Vrij has been that defender. He’s been the defender that every club needs. His overall game is not only world-class, but he also provides the leadership at the back that not many clubs have. If Inter want to be Scudetto Champions long-term, they need to keep De Vrij at all costs.

The next of Inter’s players that I think have been among the best in the squad this is, of course, Romelu Lukaku. Coming into this season, they were doubters of how Lukaku would do in the Nerazzurri colours. Especially, after his stint at Manchester United. However, he’s proved his critics wrong with Inter. He found himself once again and with his brace against Shakhtar Donetsk, he doesn’t look he’ll stop in the Europa League Finals or in the future for Inter. What a purchase he’s turned out to be!

The last player I want to highlight has had a tough season with injuries. But, has been key with Inter in the midfield. Nicolò Barella has gone through a lot with injuries this season. However, there’s no denying how key he’s been for Inter’s midfield this season. Overall, he’s a great box-to-box midfield. He can retain possession so well in the midfield. While also being a huge threat on the counter-attack.

So, Has Inter’s Season Been Successful?

Just to recap, Inter finished second in Serie A, only losing the scudetto to Juve by one point. They also got eliminated in the Coppa Italia semifinals. But, they managed to qualify for the Europa League finals.

My verdict on this is definitely 100% yes. Listen, some fans may have expected Inter to win the Scudetto given thru significantly upgraded their squad and now have Antonio Conte on the touchline. However, just to put their Serie A season into perspective, this is their best finish in the table since the 2010-2011 season. Not only that, but you can also tell as a result of mainly Antonio Conte, they’re playing as a cohesive unit and look better than they have since 2010. At least, that’s my view of things. Also, the last time they qualified for a Finals of a European Competition before this year was 2010. That’s remarkable! If they address their wingback positions, which have already been partly fixed with the signing of Achraf Hakimi, they’ll be a force to be reckoned with domestically and in the Champions League.

If you’d like to talk to me about Calcio, be sure to email me at calciofanblogs@gmail.com as well as on Instagram @calciofanblogs, on Twitter @calciofanblogs1 and on my Facebook Page, Calcio Fan Blogs. Also, if you’d like to reach out to me on LinkedIn, my name is Joseph Porco.

Reasons Why James Pallotta Should Sell His Shares in Roma

First Reason: He’s Failed to Keep Key Players at the club

Of course, this isn’t fully his fault, as it’s the individual player’s decisions to leave as well. But, he could’ve done better. Maybe, he wanted to make capital gain money, which is selling players for than what the club bought them for, as well. But, it clearly hasn’t worked and the squad has suffered for it. I’m not saying he should’ve kept every key player for Roma over the last decade because that’s nearly impossible. However, he clearly hasn’t given big players enough incentive to stay with the giallorossi. If you look at the great players they’ve sold over the decade such as Manolas, Alisson, and Salah, it’s clear to see why they’ve declined in terms of results. Not finding a leader after Totti retired in 2017 and when De Rossi left Roma in 2019, probably also hasn’t helped. But, selling a bunch of key players is a big reason why he should sell his shares in the club.

Second Reason: Roma Has Recorded Record Losses

According to Football Italia, for the first nine months of the season, Roma has recorded approximately € 126.4 million in losses. Now, I’m sure a bunch of clubs have lost just as much money this season, as a result of the pandemic. But, according to Football Italia, Roma have net debts of €278.5 million. That’s crazy! They’ll need another owner to reduce their debt and that’d also help them earn more revenue. These losses are despite selling so many great players. Selling key players would help financially. However, if you can’t keep your operating costs low enough and can’t make even revenue via other ways, then, that strategy won’t pay off. It’s clear he needs to sell the team so selling players and making capital gains from their sell, isn’t such a huge priority.

Third Reason: Their Results Have Been Disappointing Over The Last Couple Of Seasons

For many seasons in the early 2000s, Roma was competing for Serie A league titles. Even up to 2017, Roma was a title challenger. However, since 2017 they’ve gone from a club competing for the scudetto to competing for a Champions League spot. You could blame Roma for selling core players and it’s a fair point. But, the reality is Roma haven’t found adequate replacements for those players. It’s not fully Pallotta’s fault. But, he decides the budget that’ll be given to sign players in each transfer window. This is a big reason why Pallotta should sell his shares in the club. Roma needs an owner that’ll be willing to give the budget needed to adequately replace players. Also, an owner that’ll give players reasons to stay at the club would definitely help the club. That’s easier said than done. But, if he sells the club it may help Roma get the results they want once again.

The Most Impressive Serie A Clubs Since the Current Season Resumed

Several months ago, everything was up in the air and I didn’t know whether the current Serie A season would resume. However, flash-forward to now and there are matches scheduled for the majority of each week over close to the next two months. It’s also still early in the resumption of the season, but there have been a few clubs that have stood out. Here are the most impressive Serie A clubs since the current season resumed.

MILAN

Ever since Pioli got hired, it’s been obvious that Milan has played significantly better. I think that’s pretty obvious. Clearly, they’ve continued their good form since the resumption of the season. Their first match back was against Lecce. In that match, they were up 1-0 at the half and it seemed as though things we’re going downhill, as Lecce equalized just after half. After that, I’m not sure what happened, but Milan exploded and scored three goals to secure a 4-1 victory. Yes, Lecce isn’t a great team. But, the win was impressive, nonetheless. Then, last Sunday they faced Roma. It was a tight game throughout. However, Milan continued got the job done late in the second half with two goals. This club continues to impress and it’s possible that the Rossoneri can make up for their bad start to the current season. With the form they’re in, it’s definitely possible.

ATALANTA

Atalanta has impressed me so much over these last couple of seasons. Even once the season resumed, it’s like Atalanta never stopped playing. A lot of fans may complain that their club’s players are suffering from rust from not playing for so long. However, if you look at the way Atalanta has been playing since the restart of the season, those excuses look less valid. Not only did they beat Sassuolo by a good margin, but they also beat Lazio and even got a victory Udinese on the weekend. It doesn’t even seem real that they can come back after that long and score goals for fun. It’s amazing, to say the least! Obviously, defensively they’re a bit vulnerable. However, they’ve scored 80 goals in 28 matches this season so far, so I don’t think they’re afraid of sacrificing defensively to score. It’s amazing to still watch their highly-energetic attack. What’s even more impressive is it feels as though they can outscore almost any other club in Serie A.

NAPOLI

For the first few matches under Gattuso, Napoli seemed to continue to struggle. However, since then they’ve played on a completely different level. If moving back to the top 6 wasn’t enough for some, winning the Coppa Italia might’ve been. A lot of squads would’ve lost focus for the rest of the season after winning a trophy like the Coppa Italia. However, not Napoli under Gattuso. Since they’ve resumed their season, they’ve beaten both Hellas Verona and SPAL. Now, the match against Hellas Verona seemed to be tough for them throughout. But, they defended well and were able to contain the beast that Hellas Verona has been this season. Then, they were able to capitalize on the Counter Attack. In both matches, the players stayed focused and calm and as a result, they’ve impressed. If they keep playing like this, who knows who they can surpass in the Serie A table.

JUVENTUS

After Juve’s Coppa Italia performances, it would’ve been easy to write them and Maurizio Sarri off. However, so far Sarri has adjusted things and that has really helped. As a result of Alex Sandro’s injury in the Coppa Italia, he’s had to adjust. In the first match, he deployed De Sciglio as the left-back. Then, in the second match, he deployed Matuidi at left-back, which was odd because he typically plays as a central midfielder. But, they had no other choice and it seemed to work. The biggest difference in my view, though, was the attack. At right-wing, instead of starting Douglas Costa as Sarri did in their Coppa Italia matches, he opted to start Bernardeschi. That definitely paid off. Of course, Douglas Costa is a better player than Bernardeschi. But, the reason their attack has looked better in the last couple of games is one simple reason. Bernardeschi was willing to switch his position in order to allow more freedom for CR7 and Dybala. Costa, however, wasn’t as willing to switch play. As a result, Bernardeschi has surprisingly been better as a starter than Costa, since the season resumed. Time will tell if the front three of CR7, Dybala, and Berna will be truly effective. However, for now, it definitely is.

Thank you for reading this article! If you’re passionate about Serie A and want to constantly teach/learn about the league, you can reach out to me via Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Additionally, you can also send me a message to my email address, which is calciofanblogs@gmail.com

Here’s Dybala’s impressive goal against Lecce on the weekend. Enjoy!

Video Via: Youtube- Netizen Indonesia Channel

Previewing Serie A Clubs for the Rest of the Season (Part Four)

The anticipation in my head is building like crazy, as tomorrow the Serie A season will resume! Here’s my article previewing Serie A clubs for the rest of the season (part four). Be sure to enjoy it!

Roma

I’m not really sure what to make of this season for Roma. I predicted them to finish in the top four at the beginning of the season. But, results-wise, I don’t think they’ve disappointed that much being in fifth. At the beginning of the season, they were a bit inconsistent. As the season has gone on, they’ve definitely improved. Dzeko has been decent upfront. At the back, the likes of Smalling and Mancini have also formed a decent partnership. Even Veretout and Diawara have done their jobs in the midfield. What may help this squad be in the Champions League next season is the fact that Zaniolo will be back. We’ll see if he can help elevate them to that next level for the remainder of the season.

Atalanta

Like I’ve mentioned many times, Atalanta has been performing above expectations by far this season. They qualified for the Champions League for the first time, as a result of finishing third last season. Once again, they’re holding on to a Champions League spot for next season. The fact that they could perform at this high of a level in the league and qualify to the quarterfinals of the Champions League is amazing, to say the least! Considering, the revenue the club earns. Roma is only 3 points away from them for that final Champions League spot. Don’t ever doubt this squad, though. We’ll see if Gasperini can lead Atalanta to the Champions League once again!

Inter

This season has been an interesting one for the nerazzuri. During the first half of the season, it seemed like they could go toe to toe with Juve for the scudetto. However, in the second half of the season, their form dipped significantly. They definitely possess the players to be scudetto contenders. However, it seemed as though their opponents began to figure out their tactics more and how to limit them. In Inter’s match last Saturday against Napoli, Antonio Conte changed his formation from a 3-5-2 to 3-4-1-2 and Christian Eriksen started. He definitely showed how good Inter can be when he starts. We’ll see if Conte keeps using the 3-4-1-2 for the rest of the season.

Lazio

I don’t think that Lazio or even calcio fans, in general, could’ve expected Lazio to perform this well. Kudos to them! Everything has seemed to click for this squad. As a result, they’re neck and neck with Juve for the scudetto. Before this all happened, they went on a massive unbeaten run in the league. This whole situation may effect that momentum. However, one thing is certain. That thing is that if they keep the momentum up from before, surely, they’ll win the scudetto. That’d be something remarkable if it happened! I’m sure Napoli fans wouldn’t be impressed, as they’ve been Juve’s main contender for the scudetto over the last several seasons and they haven’t been able to pull it off.

Juventus

It’s clear that this season Juve hasn’t had the same fear factor in Serie A as previous ones. Sarri shares a little bit of blame for that. But, it’s mostly because of Juve’s upper-management. In the summer, they didn’t address Juve’s right-back and central midfield issues. As a result, their flaws have been very explicit. Sarri has also had a tough time this season, so far. Yes, they’re in first but he’s had trouble implementing his style of play with their current squad. A big part of that is because the midfield doesn’t fit his style of play. He could implement Sarriball with this squad. But, the issue would be is they’d get exposed badly at the back. We’ll see if Maurizio Sarri can lead Juve to a Scudetto, in his debut season with the club.

Thank you for reading all four articles previewing Serie A clubs for the rest of the season! I don’t about you, but I’m so excited to finally be able to watch Serie A once again! We’ll see how the rest of the season plays out.

Previewing Serie A Clubs for the Rest of the Season (Part Three)

Just in case you didn’t know, the Serie A season is only two days from resuming once again! It’s going down to the wire! So, here’s my article previewing Serie A clubs for the rest of the season (part three).

Bologna

Not too long ago, I said that Bologna is one of my top four underrated clubs for the rest of the season. One thing that is persistent among clubs around midtable is their inconsistency in terms of results and that’s no different than Bologna this season. Of course, they’ve done decently given the squad at their disposal. Their attack has become one of the most deadly in the league with Palacio and Orsolini headlining it. Of course, on their day, backlines dislike facing them. However, defensively they need to improve if they want to move up in the table. Sinisa Mihajlovic has done a great job managing them this season, though.

Parma

My admiration for Parma and their manager, Roberto D’aversa is clear. However, they’ve backed that up with results this season. As I’ve mentioned, their counterattack is one of the deadliest in the league. They also defend well. Unfortunately, their brightest player this season, Dejan Kulusevski, probably won’t play for them next season, as Juve signed him in January and loaned back to Parma for the rest of this season. However, Parma should definitely take advantage of the time he still has with the club. Beware of them!

Hellas Verona

I never expected Hellas Verona to be this good at the beginning of the season. I thought that for sure they’d be relegated at the end of this season. However, they’ve impressed so many calcio fans. Veloso and Amrabat have been rocks in the middle of the park, Kumbulla and Faraoni have been solid at the back as well. Even upfront, they’ve played well. The majority of the credit has to go to Ivan Juric. He’s done a stellar job with the squad so far and I can’t wait to watch them for the rest of the season!

AC Milan

At the start of this season, things seemed like they were going up for Milan. They hired Giampaolo, who seemed like a great coach for the rossoneri. However, at the beginning of the season, they got off to a horrendous start and Giampaolo got sacked. Stefano Piolo got hired for the job and so far, he’s done a good job with them. I’m sure the squad and fans aren’t satisfied with their current place in the table, which is 9th. However, if they keep improving for the rest of the season, anything can happen. They may even qualify for the Europa League next season, who knows?

Napoli

To say this has been a disappointing season for Napoli is completely right! They went from competing for the scudetto in previous seasons to competing for a spot in European competition this season. Although, ever since Gattuso took the reins of the squad, they’ve improved immensely. They even re-signed Dries Mertens, which may give the whole club a boost for the rest of the season. If they keep playing this way under Gattuso, they could possibly end up in the Champions League next season. They’re 9 points away from catching Atalanta for the final Champions League spot. But, anything can happen.

Previewing Serie A Clubs for the Rest of the Season (Part Two)

The resumption of the current Serie A season is getting closer and closer and I can’t be more excited! There won’t be fans present in the stadiums. But, that won’t deter me from watching the matches on tv, that’s for sure! Here’s my article previewing Serie A clubs for the rest of the season (part two).

Torino

Last season, Torino conceded the least amount of goals in the whole of Serie A. This season has been almost a completely different case. Their backline isn’t as solid this season. It also doesn’t help that their top striker, Andrea Belotti has been inconsistent. They only sit 2 points above the relegation zone. However, if their backline finds their form from last season, they could turn their definitely season around. Also, Andrea Belotti needs to produce more consistently in order for Torino to get back on track.

Udinese

Udinese is definitely a club that’s a shadow of itself. Especially, over the last few seasons. However, they do have a decent core of players. Including the likes of Seko Fofana, Rodrigo De Paul and Juan Musso. They have also shown that they can get good results against stronger opponents, as well. It’ll be tough, as they’re not a team that scores a bunch of goals on a consistent basis. However, if they can find consistency, it may work out for them for the rest of the season.

Fiorentina

Last season was disappointing for Fiorentina. Based on the squad they had, they should’ve achieved better results. Then, in the summer, New York Cosmos’ owner Rocco Commisso bought the club. That signalled a rebuild for the club. So far, they’ve improved from last season, slightly. I’d say their flaws are at the back, as they don’t lack attacking prowess, whatsoever. Even their midfield led by young phenom, Gaetano Castrovilli, looked good. It’ll be interesting to see whether they can maintain consistent enough results to finish in a mid-table spot.

Cagliari

In the early stages of this season, Cagliari was flying high and looked to challenge for a European Competition spot for next season. However, their form dipped. Although, with the likes of Joao Pedro, Giovanni Simeone, and Nainggolan, this squad is very underrated, despite their current place in the table. In this article, I said Cagliari was one of my four top underrated clubs for the rest of the season. They’ll definitely be a club to keep an eye on throughout the rest of the season. You should never underrate a club with that type of talent.

Sassuolo

Sassuolo is one of those clubs that are neither underrated nor overrated, at least for me. They definitely possess talent in the likes of Francesco Caputo and Jeremie Boga. As for Domenico Berardi, I definitely believe he possesses the talent to be one of, if not the best wingers in Serie A. But, like many players he lacks the consistency to be at that top level. As for Sassuolo in general, they can be a tough club to beat. Let’s see if they continue that come this Saturday.

Thank you once again for reading this article! If you’d like to read the first of these four articles that I’ll be publishing, here’s the link!

Previewing Serie A Clubs for the Rest of the Season (Part One)

It’s official! Serie A will be back on June 20th and I can’t be more excited! It’s definitely exciting to write about the current season, once again! So, here’s my article previewing Serie A clubs for the rest of the season (Part One).

 

Brescia

Despite having arguably the brightest prospect in Serie A, Brescia’s season has been disappointing. Now, I did predict they’d be relegated at the beginning of the season. However, to see last season’s leading Serie B goalscorer, Antonio Donnarumma, and Mario Balotelli underperform has been sad to see. As a result, there’s a good chance they’ll get relegated. Let’s see if they can recover and avoid relegation for next season. Of course, if relegation ends up happening.

Spal

For the previous couple of seasons, Spal has been able to narrowly avoid relegation to Serie B. However, so far this season they haven’t performed with that same fighting spirit that kept them up. As a result, they currently sit in 19th in the standings. Their main striker, Andrea Petagna has been superb with 11 goals in the current campaign. He’s even caught the eye of Napoli. As a result, he’ll join Napoli in the summer. If SPAL wants to stay up, they’ll definitely need to improve their performance

Lecce

Coming into this season, I expected Lecce to be relegated. They are performing like expected. However, they’ve had some massive results this season. Currently, they sit in 18th, tied in points with Genoa. They could very well avoid descending to Serie B. If they continue to shock some other clubs within the league, you never know. Also, their squad has one of the most underrated players in Serie A in Marco Mancosu. He could definitely lead them to staying up in Serie A. Of course, only time will tell.

Genoa

It’s sad to see such a historically great club in Serie A fall this far. Even, last season they avoided relegation by such a slim margin. I’m not sure exactly what they have to do in order to change their results week-in and week-out, but something has to change. It doesn’t help that they loaned out two bright young players in Christian Kouamé and Kevin Agudelo to Fiorentina in January. They definitely need to improve immensely if they don’t want to have to fight to stay up for the rest of the season.

Sampdoria

Coming into this season, I thought that Sampdoria were going to be one of the more underrated clubs. However, I was completely wrong! Instead, they’re fighting to stay in Serie A next season. They only sit 1 point above the relegation zone. What I thought was going to be a great season for Sampdoria under Eusebio Di Francesco, was a disaster. They’ve definitely been very underwhelming. It didn’t help that at the beginning of the season, they lost 6 of their first seven matches. Although, under Claudio Ranieri they’ve improved slightly. I’ll be sure to keep an eye on the blucerchiati as the season progresses.

There you have it! This is my article previewing Serie A clubs for the rest of the season (part one). If you haven’t already, be sure to follow me on Twitter @calciofanblogs1, on Instagram @calciofanblogs. Be sure to follow and like my Facebook Page, which is Calcio Fan Blogs. Additionally, if you would like to reach out to me via email, write to josephporco6@gmail.com or calciofanblogs@gmail.com.

Previewing the Second Legs of the Coppa Italia Semifinal Ties

I’m so excited because the Italian Soccer we’ve all been craving for months will return this Friday and Saturday! The Coppa Italia will return with the second leg of both the Coppa Italia semifinal matches. The first semifinal second leg will take place on Friday between Juve and AC Milan. The other semifinal second leg will take place on Saturday between Napoli and Inter. Here is my article, previewing the second legs of the Coppa Italia Semifinal Ties!

Juventus Vs. AC Milan

In the first leg, Milan definitely outplayed Juve. However, due to Juve scoring a penalty in stoppage time of the second half, they’re at a bit of a disadvantage going into the second leg in Turin. Before this whole situation, AC Milan was beginning to find themselves once again and we’re challenging for a Europa League spot for next season. Indeed, it seemed that Zlatan Ibrahimovic had brought much-needed leadership to the squad. However, he’ll be out of this match with a calf injury. So, it’ll be tough to get a result. Also, going to the Allianz Stadium is already tough to play in, nevermind getting a result. So, it’ll be very difficult to get a favourable result. But, anything is possible.

This season has been shaky so far this season for Juve. Sarri has had trouble implementing his preferred style of play because of Juve’s lack of creative midfielders. Even, in the first leg, Juve didn’t look at their best, whatsoever. They got outplayed for basically the whole match. As a Juve fan, it was definitely frustrating to watch. Despite that, they were able to get the job done and secure the advantage heading into the second leg. Having an advantage will definitely help to go into the second leg at home. However, with no crowd, the home advantage may not apply for Juve in this match.

Napoli Vs. Inter

At the beginning of the current season, Inter were flying high and seemed like the Serie A contender many thought they should be before it started. However, as the season progressed, their performances began to decline. Even, in the first leg of this semifinal match against Napoli, they looked shaky. Although, they may have felt that they should’ve got a result. The match was also at the Stadio San Siro, so that was a big blow to them. Hopefully, Conte changes the squad’s formation going into the second leg, as they’ll play away at the Stadio San Paolo.

Napoli was flying high before. Gattuso was rapidly improving the squad and leading them to better results after performing below expectations for the first half of the season. Signing Lobotka in the winter definitely helped them as well. They even have a lead over Inter going into the second leg of their Coppa Italia tie. They’ll also be playing at home which may tremendously help them. The only issue will be the same as every other club in Serie A, which is they’ll be playing behind closed doors. We’ll see if they can replicate their usual form at home with no fans to cheer them on.

Thank you for reading this article! Let me know your predictions for these matches in the comments. If you haven’t already, be sure to follow me on Twitter @calciofanblogs1, on Instagram @calciofanblogs. Be sure to follow and like my Facebook Page, which is Calcio Fan Blogs. Additionally, if you would like to reach out to me via email, write to josephporco6@gmail.com or calciofanblogs@gmail.com.