Winners and Losers From the 2021-2022 Serie A Season

 

This past season, Serie A was a mixed bag. On one hand, the title race was the best it’s been in years. On the other hand, I would argue that the quality in Serie A was lower this year. It felt like none of the top teams were going to win the Scudetto. I’m kidding of course, but you know what I mean.

Here are my winners and losers from the 2021-2022 Serie A season.

 

WINNERS

Milan

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEE ❤️🖤#AlwaysWithYou #SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/vFPedapIsJ

— AC Milan (@acmilan) May 22, 2022

The Scudetto winners will always be a winner. So, this choice is pretty obvious. But, there are several reasons why they won the Serie A title.

One of the big reasons is definitely their Manager, Stefano Pioli. During the 2019-2020 season, he was appointed fairly early into the season. A lot of fans thought he would only be there until the end of the season, which turned out differently than any of us could’ve predicted.

Not only did he stay with them, but he also became one of the best managers in Serie A. Milan fans must be relieved that the upper management decided to keep him for the 2020-2021 season, despite being linked to the veteran manager and sporting director, Ralf Rangnick.

We should also talk about Milan’s squad. Not only do they have some of the best young talents in the league, but they also have top veteran leadership. Additionally, the likes of Sandro Tonali, Rafael Leao, Fikayo Tomori, Pierre Kalulu and Mike Maignan really surprised me this season. In general, the squad emerged at the right time. As a result, they are Italy’s current Serie A champion!

Fiorentina

In the 2021 offseason, Fiorentina originally hired Gattuso to be Fiorentina’s new manager. For some reason, that ended before a game was played. Soon after that, Fiorentina found its new manager. His name was Vincenzo Italiano, who had managed Spezia last season. Little did we know how good Fiorentina would actually perform under him, though.

It turns out he led them to a top 10 finish for the first time since 2017-2018. His combination of ruthless attacking tactics as well as his good squad management led them to be 7th. He didn’t win Serie A Manager of the Year, which I thought he should’ve.

Even if you’re a fan of another league other than Serie A, you should keep an eye out for Vincenzo Italiano. He could be coming to a league near you!

Hellas Verona

In the Summer of 2021, Hellas Verona lost its highly praised manager, Ivan Juric. They appointed Eusebio Di Francesco as his replacement. However, it quickly became a disaster and he got sacked. Then, they appointed former Udinese manager and Juventus assistant manager, Igor Tudor.

What a hire this was! From the first few games of Tudor being in charge, you could see the impact he was making. He did so well. He led them to a top 10 finish, which is incredible given where they were under Di Francesco.

Even members of the squad held their weight. Players such as Antonin Barak, Giovanni Simeone, and Davide Faraone were super important for this team down the stretch. If they want to keep being a top 10 team, they will have to fend off clubs’ interest in some of their talented players.

 

LOSERS

Juventus

When Allegri got hired for another stint with the bianconeri, I was very surprised. As a fan of the club, I didn’t know what to make of it. Yes, he did a lot for Juve in his previous time at the club. But, I wasn’t sure if his style would fit with the squad and if his tactics still work on a consistent basis in today’s game.

After 10 games, it became pretty obvious to me that his style of play doesn’t work anymore and from then on, I realized Juve would be lucky to win a trophy during the season. What I’ve come to realize is that players aren’t taught to defend most games for over 45 minutes anymore. So, that’s a big reason why Juve failed this season.

It wasn’t just Allegri’s tactics that led to Juve performing below expectations, though. It was also the fact that for some reason at the worse times of the season, Juventus’ squads have been injury-ridden. This has been happening for the last few seasons at least. Additionally, I want to point out that this also tends to be a problem for other Serie A teams who compete in multiple competitions, which is interesting as well.

Juve’s other big problems are their midfield and the whole left side of the field. In my view, Juve has improved their central midfield the past couple of seasons. However, they need better box-to-box midfielders, in my opinion.

The part of the field that I think is the biggest concern for Juve is the left side. It’s great to see how well Cuadrado does by generating a lot of Juventus’ attacks on the right side. But, if Juve doesn’t address their left side it will be an issue that not even Chiesa or Cuadrado can compensate for.

I know it’s tough to find a top left-back nowadays. But, Juve will need to find one that is explosive and will generate attacking play on that side. Alex Sandro isn’t cutting it. Juve will also need a fast and fairly technical left-winger. If I were Juve, I’d look at trying to sign two out of the likes of Antony, Tagliafico, Julian Draxler or Raphael Guerreiro.

Genoa

As a general Serie A fan, it’s sad to say that the oldest club in Italy has been relegated for the first time in 15 years.

There are so many factors that have led to this, including lack of revenue. But, the one I want to talk about is their managerial situation.

In the past three seasons alone, Genoa has sacked managers eight different times. That’s absolutely insane! How are players supposed to be at their best when there is a lack of stability at Genoa? In that type of situation, it seems absolutely unfair to everybody. However, as a person who loves Serie A, I hope Genoa figures things out and comes back to Serie A stronger.

 

Final Thoughts

Like every Serie A season, there are always winners and losers. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Beyond all that though, this past season was super unpredictable and that made it fun to watch. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for next season!

 

 

 

Three Reasons Why Milan are Currently First in Serie A

 

Milan hasn’t lost a Serie A match since March 8th of this year and currently sit first in the league. There’s a good chance that they may not finish in first when it’s all said and done. However, here are three reasons why I think Milan currently sits in first in Serie A!

1. The Signing of Simon Kjaer

When Milan announced the signing of Simon Kjaer in January of 2020, I never thought that he would be a huge part of Milan being undefeated since March. He’s a very talented defender. However, I never thought he’d make that much of a difference for Milan. Simon Kjaer previously played in Serie A for Palermo, Roma and Atalanta and came to Milan in January on a loan. In July, Milan made the move permanent only paying €3.5 million. So far, that looks like a steal. He has not only brought great defending to the club which was lacking at Milan for years, but he’s also provided leadership that you can’t teach. His style of defending has also provided balance to this Milan squad. He’s not a centre-back that lines to possess the ball and join in moving the ball into the opponent’s attacking half too often. However, he has eliminated the burden of defending that has plagued Milan for several seasons and has played solid. Many would probably argue that so far this season, he’s been Milan’s best defender and I’d have to agree. If the rossoneri end up winning the scudetto, the rest of the squad should pay for one of his meals, as he deserves it.

2. The Signing of Zlatan Ibrahimovic

When it was announced in December of 2019 that Milan would be signing the Swedish legend once again, I instantly thought that this was going to be a great signing for the squad and so far I’ve been right. Other than Zlatan’s salary, Milan didn’t have to pay any transfer fee for the lion. To say he’s been a great signing is a high understatement. So far, he’s been a world-class signing and a big reason why Milan is currently first in the league. It’s common knowledge that despite his age, Zlatan Ibrahimovic can still score. However, similar to Kjaer he had brought leadership and a winning mentality back to the club. It’s must be tough when a lot of players on the squad are over 10 years younger than you are, as the average age of the squad is 25, which is the youngest in Serie A. He has taken the lead for this squad, which like I just pointed out us not easy and leads them to currently sitting in first in the league. Currently, he’s injured. However, I guarantee that while he’s watching matches and training sessions he’s providing much-needed leadership off the field. When he does step back onto the field, I’m sure Milan’s squad will welcome that.

3. Stefano Pioli

When Stefano Pioli was hired as Milan’s interim manager last season, it was clear he had a mountain of work to get done. However, slowly the squad starting playing to the tactics of his liking and now he’s turned them into a Scudetto challenger this season in what almost seems like he did overnight. That’s how fast time has flown by. Anyways, he’s made a huge impact with his tactics. A big reason for this in my view has been because he’s willing to play the members of his squad in their preferred positions, especially in the attack. Calhanoglu is now playing his preferred number 10 as a central attacking midfield role and has thrived. Countless other players have played their best under Padre Pioli. He’s also got the best out of the likes of Bennacer, Kessie and others in the midfield. There’s no doubt he’s made a huge difference in the attitude and tactics of the squad. Even if they don’t win the scudetto leading the club to qualify for the Champions League once again would be remarkable. Let’s see if he can continue to consistently get the best out of this squad for the rest of the season.

The Scudetto race is far from over. But, Milan has shown they have the potential to win the trophy for the first time since 2011.

You can reach out to me on Twitter  @calciofanblogs1, on Instagram @calciofanblogs, and my Facebook Page Calcio Fan Blogs. Additionally, if you’d like to reach out to me via email, my email address is calciofanblogs@gmail.com and/or connect with me on LinkedIn!

Previewing Napoli Vs.Milan

We will have to wait ten days to watch Napoli take on Milan due to the international break. However, this will be a top match early in the season, so I’m already thinking about it. Here’s my preview of both clubs heading into this thrilling match.

Napoli

I’ve reiterated this multiple times and I’ll say it again. Last season, was very disappointing for Napoli, as they finished 7th. So far this season, they’ve looked the opposite. I mean, Napoli signing Osimhen and Bakayoko might’ve helped. Also, keeping Koulibaly might’ve boosted their’s squad morale. Either way, they look like a Scudetto contender early on. They’ve lost two Serie A matches. One was against Sassuolo and the other was against Juve. However, that loss to Juve was due to a controversial decision where Napoli didn’t show up to the Allianz Stadium in Turin to face Juve. Despite that controversial decision and the loss against Sassuolo, Napoli should be a formidable opponent for Milan. Also, who knows? Maybe, they’ll produce a master-class and get the win. It wouldn’t be surprising, that’s for sure.

Milan

If you’re a Milan fan right now, I’m sure you’re pleasantly surprised at just how good the rossoneri have done early in the season. Currently, they sit two points clear atop the Serie A table. Everything has gone their way, so far. Ibrahimovic is the current top scorer in Serie A at 39 years old. Add to that, how well Theo Hernandez, Rafael Leao, Donnarumma and the rest of the squad have been playing and you’ve got yourself a possible fairytale. The match against Napoli on November 22nd will be a stern test for this squad. It could be a measuring stick to see where they’re at as a squad. This clash should be one for the ages and could be a scudetto decider for the end of the season. I can’t wait to watch it and I’m sure fellow calcio fans are excited in anticipation of this match as well.

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!

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

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

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.

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 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 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.

My Top Four Favourite Italian Defenders of All-Time

Over the years, there have been so many legendary Italian Defenders. Italy has probably produced the best defenders of all-time. However, that’s up for debate. Anyways, here are my top four favourite Italian Defenders of all-time!

 

4. Fabio Grosso 

Fabio Grosso is probably one of the most underrated defenders that I’ve seen. Not only was his positioning great when he defended, but also his offensive prowess. He was a fast defender who could fling nice crosses into the opponent’s box while tracking back effectively. I’d say that his style is similar to modern fullbacks such as Alphonso Davies, Achraf Hakimi, and even Raphael Varane to a certain extent. Although, Varane is a Center back, not a full-back. Also, another huge reason he’s one of my favourite Italian Defenders of all-time was his performance in the 2006 World Cup. In that tournament, he scored a crucial goal against Germany in the Semifinals. However, his most notable moment was when he scored the winning penalty against France that gave them the World Cup Trophy. To this day, that is still my favourite Italian Soccer moment!

 

3. Fabio Cannavaro

At number three comes Fabio Cannavaro! Aside from him being a crucial part of Italy winning the 2006 World Cup, I admire his style of play. He was fairly short for a centre-back, as he’s 5’9″. Despite that, I admired his aggressiveness. If you were an attacker, it was very difficult to avoid getting tackled hard by Fabio Cannavaro. A big part of that was that he could read plays like the back of his hand and anticipate what would happen faster than the majority of defenders. I wouldn’t say he was spectacular going forward. But, what makes him one of my favourite Italian Soccer defenders was his fierceness. When he made his many tackles, opposing players could feel them. That’s one of the big reasons why even before the match, opposing attacking players were scared of facing Fabio Cannavaro. In my view, Giorgio Chiellini is the modern player that most resembles him, style-wise. However, Chiellini is significantly taller.

 

2. Alessandro Nesta

Similar to Fabio Cannavaro, I admired Alessandro Nesta because of his aggressiveness. However, unlike Fabio Cannavaro he’s 6’2″. If you were an attacker in the box against Nesta, chances are you wouldn’t get many good chances. That was evident when Alessandro Nesta gave a hard tackle on Lionel Messi in the box. Messi thought he was going to score, but then Nesta made a good tackle to prevent that from happening! Not many players could beat Nesta in the box. His tackles were fierce, he was very strong and his aerial ability was next to none. At AC Milan, he was joined by the likes of Maldini, Zambrotta, Cafu and other legendary defenders. So, you could imagine how many opponents didn’t want to face the Rossoneri at that time! It’s tough to compare his style to any modern footballer. I guess Chiellini most replicates his style. Maybe, even Koulibaly as well.

 

1. Paolo Maldini

There’s no question that Paolo Maldini is arguably the best defender of all-time. He’s also my favourite Italian Defender of all-time. I also wrote about him being one of my favourite Serie A players of all-time. I admired him for several reasons but above all, his leadership ability. He was AC Milan and Italy’s captain for several years. He was a born leader! Of course, his ability to defend was above basically any other in the history of soccer. But, his leadership ability was just as great, in my view. He’s also one of the most decorated Italian Players ever. Not only did he win seven scudetti, but he also led AC Milan to five Champions League trophies. It’s very tough to pinpoint a player who has won that. Not even Cristiano Ronaldo or Messi have won that many domestic titles and Champions League yet. Paolo Maldini was on a different level from every defender on the pitch. Hopefully, he leads AC Milan back to the glory days as the technical director.

There you have it, this is my article on my top four favourite Italian Defenders of all-time. Like always, thank you for reading this article! I really do appreciate it.

 

AC Milan’s Needs in the Summer Transfer Window

 

Coming into the season, AC Milan had high hopes. However, it hasn’t turned out well for them, so far. This summer may revive the hopes of the club and fans. So, here is an article on AC Milan’s needs in the Summer Transfer Window.

 

A Leader On The Field

When Zlatan Ibrahimovic came back to Milan in January, I pointed out in this article, that one of the reasons he’d help AC Milan is his leadership qualities. Obviously, he’s brought a ton of leadership to the squad so far this season. However, there’s a good chance he won’t re-sign with the Rossoneri in the summer. Therefore, I think that AC Milan will need to look elsewhere to find a proven leader on the field, considering how young a lot of their players are. It’s tough to say who AC Milan should go for in the summer.  This would be difficult, but I would suggest that AC Milan should go for Thiago Silva in the Summer. His contract expires on June 30th. Also, he has proven to be a leader on PSG and the Brazilian National squad.  Hence, why he was named PSG’s captain some seasons ago.

 

A Right-Back

AC Milan definitely needs to address their backline in the summer. I’m sure a lot of fans would agree with that assessment. One position that I think needs to be addressed is at right-back. It’s no secret that Andrea Conti is injury-prone and unfortunately, that doesn’t make him a reliable right-back. Also, I personally believe that Davide Calabria is a good backup right-back. However, I don’t think he’s good enough to be playing the minutes he has. The question is, who can AC Milan sign to address this need. It’s tough to say because it’s very difficult to find a top right-back and at a cheap price. Also, consider some clubs have the better financial muscle and they need a right-back as well.

A Centre-Back

When AC Milan bought Mateo Musacchio in 2017, there were many reasons to be excited. Indeed, he was a standout player for Villareal and they thought that maybe Romagnoli would finally get the help he deserved. However, signing him has been a disaster, to say the least.  Romagnoli has had to carry even more of the weight of the backline on his shoulders. Leo Duarte has been a decent partner for Romagnoli. However, I don’t believe he’s been good enough to not sign another centre-back in the summer. However, if AC Milan is somehow able to sign Thiago Silva in the summer, I believe he’ll address two of these issues. I’ll repeat it again, just in case AC Milan’s Upper-Management hasn’t seen it before. Please, try your best to sign Thiago Silva in the summer!

 

An Attacking-Oriented Central Midfielder

I definitely consider signing an attacking-oriented central midfielder a need for AC Milan. However, I think that other needs should be addressed first before this one. Notably, their backline. However, this is still a need, nonetheless.  It seems as though they are fine at the defensive midfield position, as they have Franck Kessie and Bennacer. Both have shown that they’re capable of being starters in that position for AC Milan, at least in my view. However, they lack central midfielders that can orchestrate attacking plays. Bonaventura is awesome, however, he tends to get injuries. I have nothing against his play on the field. But, I think that AC Milan should consider signing a more reliable midfielder with a similar playing style as him.

Indeed, it’s apparent from this article that AC Milan has a bunch of needs heading into the Summer Transfer Window. However, it may not be easy to address all these issues so fast. Thanks for reading this article on AC Milan’s needs in The Summer Transfer Window. If, you want to have your say, vote in the poll below!

 

Clubs That Should Sign Moise Kean in the Summer

It obviously didn’t work out for Moise Kean at Everton this season. It was definitely frustrating for him. He probably didn’t get the playing time that he wanted in England. So, here’s an article about clubs that should look to sign Moise Kean in the Summer. 

 

    ROMA

Roma may not desperately need another striker. However, they should definitely look into it. As much as Dzeko is their main no. 9, it definitely wouldn’t hurt for them to buy a cheap player off the bench such as Moise Kean. Firstly, it would take the pressure off of Dzeko to have to constantly score. Also, with someone such as Moise Kean on the bench, Dzeko may become less fatigued as the season goes on. Additionally, as a fan of the Italian National Team, it’d be great to see two top prospects in Italy in Zaniolo and Kean playing alongside each other. It’d be a treat to watch. 

 

JUVENTUS

During the 2018-2019 season, things were looking great for Moise Kean. He was getting a good amount of playing time for Juventus and was performing well. Here’s the article I wrote on why I thought that selling Moise Kean was a mistake for Juve. In 13 Serie A appearances, he scored 6 goals. For a player that young in a top league, that’s very impressive! However, to the surprise of many fans, last summer Juve decided to sell Moise Kean to Everton. I think that Juve should try to use that buyback option to bring him back to Turin. If he was able to perform well for Juve before, what would stop him now? Like Allegri, I believe that Sarri could get Moise Kean to perform like he did previously at Juve. It’s definitely worth it for Juve, in my opinion.                      

                               

       INTER MILAN             

Inter fans may be surprised by this. But, I genuinely believe that Inter is one of the clubs that should sign Moise Kean in the Summer. Of course, he wouldn’t be a starter considering they’ll keep Lukaku and possibly still Lautaro Martinez for next season. However, since Conte likes to play two strikers in the starting 11, Moise Kean and Sebastiano Esposito would be great backups. Also, with the number of competitions, Inter is expected to participate in the next season, they may welcome more depth. The only issue would be that if Conte doesn’t like Moise Kean, he wouldn’t get adequate enough playing time. But, other than that, I believe it’d work. 

Thanks for reading this article! I’d love to hear which club you think should sign Moise Kean in the Summer.