Tag Archives: Calcio

Orr’s Wide World of Calcio: Rounds 4-6

Massimo Cellino has your FIGC regulations right here.

It’s been a busy week for me personally and in Serie A, which after this weekend will have completed a full three rounds in just nine days.

So like my beloved Rossoneri it’s time for me to play catch-up.

There’s been a lot of hub-bub in Italy these past few days with the first manager sacking (right on schedule), reported conflicts between current employees and club legends, and an owner gone wild resulting in a match forfeited due to safety concerns.

I can’t prove this (and neither can Italian prosecutors) but I’m sure there were several bunga bunga parties as well.

Just another week in the world’s most entertaining (for so many reasons) league!

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Orr’s Wide World of Calcio: Round 3

Further proof that you should never, ever let Sepp Blatter touch you.

In the United States, being a whistleblower can get you 104 million dollars, even if you initially participated in the criminal activity you ultimately have a part in exposing.

In Italy, it can leave you without a job, ostracized from the sport you love and had the dignity and strength to protect.

You might remember the case of Simone Farina, a little known defender from Lega Pro outfit Gubbio, whose testimony came at a vital time in the breaking of the Calcioscommesse scandal still reverberating through Italian football.

Farina was rewarded with an Azzurri call up for a friendly match and praised across Italy for his actions. He was even declared a Football for Hope ambassador by FIFA at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in January.

But months later, his contract with Gubbio rescinded (supposedly amicably and by mutual agreement) a 30-year-old with years of experience near and in Serie B can’t even get a free transfer on minimum wage. Ridiculous, considering someone even wanted Michael Owen.

There was apparently talk of him getting a contract with Aston Villa, not to play, but to perform a role teaching young footballers about fair play. Understandably still wishing to play, Farina declined, but with the transfer window now closed in Italy this former “hero” is without a club.

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Orr’s Wide World of Calcio: Round 2

Come on dude! You’d fit right in in Italy!

It briefly looked like there would be one more “boob” for me to include in your weekly dose of Serie A but, in a move so typical of Italian football right now it appears that Fiorentina and Juventus wasted enough time battling each other to allow Dimitar Berbatov to likely sign for Fulham instead.

Just another example of Italian on Italian crime.

Now I am obviously biased, and Fulham did shock the Turin giants a few years back in the Europa League, but who in their right mind would choose Fulham over Juventus?

EPL mid-table over Serie A Champions?

Cold nights at stoke over Champions League football?

Fucking Fulham over one of the most decorated clubs in soccer history?

And what better place to launch your line of designer mittens than Italy? This guy really is a boob.

So Juve appear to have settled for Nicky “Pinkboots” Bendtner instead, while La Viola continue to scramble for a suitable partner for Stevan Jovetic (or someone to replace him when he inevitably leaves).

The transfer market closes in Italy today, so pay attention to the continued comings, goings, and chicanery that always accompanies the calciomercato and join me after the jump for your weekly Serie A tour.

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The state of Serie A and why I don’t care

False alarm. It was just Monopoly money.

A major international tournament approaches and in Italy, that means it’s scandal time.

Yes, it’s happened again.

In the recent days Italian police have made multiple arrests of professional footballers connected to the latest match-fixing scandal known as Calcio scommese or Scommessopoli.

Higher-profile players like Lazio Captain Stefano Mauri and Omar Milanetto formerly of Genoa were among the arrests, and many others have been implicated.

Domenico Criscito, currently at Zenit St. Petersburg but formerly a teammate of Milanetto, even lost his place in the Azzurri setup for Euro 2012 after being notified that he was under investigation.

Juve’s Bonucci has also been linked but not officially, and so he keeps his place.

Among additional targets of investigation is none other than Juventus manager Antonio Conte, whose time at Siena has come under serious scrutiny.

Another blight on Italian football and another opportunity for ridicule from Serie A’s detractors.

As the token Serie A fan in a few arenas, I’ve been asked a lot regarding how I feel about this. And mocked.

Mostly mocked.

I should probably be upset all this. But I’m really not, and I’ll tell you why…

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Orr’s Serie A Weekend Preview

I take comfort in the fact that they play for Italy.

Congratulations to Juventus on their Serie A championship and (presumable) undefeated season!

A bitter pill to swallow for this Milan fan, but the Bianconeri were the most consistent team all year and in the end deserved victors.

All that’s left for Serie A this week is to figure out which club ultimately secures the third and final Champions League spot next year and which team will join already relegated Novara and Cesena in Serie B next season.

Only the games that actually matter, after the jump!

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Orr’s Serie A Weekend Preview

Derby day!

There are some real parallels between Serie A and the EPL heading into the final few matches of the season.

Both feature heavyweight rivals still duking it out for the title, which is likely to come down to the last day in both leagues.

Each has a few teams still clamoring for the last Champions League qualification spot, with 4 teams still having a realistic chance in Italy.

And both leagues still have yet to confirm the three sides who will drop out of the top flight. England’s relegation fight still looks a bit more heated, but don’t tell that to Lecce fans.

Yes, there’s still plenty of drama to be had on the Apennine Peninsula. More than enough to rival the birthplace of the game.

With just two weeks left to resolve it all, we are sure to be in for quite a round this weekend.

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Orr’s Serie A Weekend Preview

So full of hope.

Four rounds to go in Serie A, but we already have out first relegation victim.

Sorry Cesena fans (I know there must be some of you out there) but after two seasons in the top flight the Seahorses return to Serie B.

Who would have thought the attacking force of Adrian Mutu and Vincenzo Iaquinta couldn’t get it done? (Everyone)

Novara look set to be the next to join them, though Milan fans hope they can continue to show the heart they’ve displayed all season and knock off one more big opponent.

Juventus’ lead looks secure, 3 points clear with the head-to-head tiebreaker over Milan, but anyone who has followed this sport with any consistency knows that anything can happen.

This goes doubly for the race to third, with Lazio, Roma, Napoli, Udinese, and now in form Inter all still making a case.

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Orr’s Serie A Weekend Preview

Piermario Morosini (1986-2012)

The world of calcio does its best to move on from tragedy this weekend as normal play resumes after the death of Piermario Morosini.

I have not devoted more space on the site to this young footballer simply because I was just not that familiar with his life or career, and to google him and pretend to be would, in my mind, be dishonorable.

By all accounts Morosini was a fine man, brother, teammate, and player who had lived a tragically sad life that unfortunately ended in a similar, and very public way.

I don’t want to get preachy. We tend to keep religion and sport very separate in this country, but in Italy the two are heavily intertwined, with many heading straight from the church to the stadium on Sunday. These two types of cathedrals will be filled with prayers for Piermario this weekend, and hopefully he is at peace.

Such things may seem trivial for a while, but there is still the small matter of a scudetto up for grabs. This week’s fixtures are sure to have an enormous impact on who wears the badge next season.

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Orr’s Serie A Weekend Preview

GOOOOOOOOAAAL!!!!!

It’s super Saturday in Serie A!

Every Serie A club will be on display the day before easter with a whopping 8 games being played simultaneously (9:00 AM ET).

Fuel was added to the fire of the scudetto race last week after Milan were held by a spirited Catania side and Juve followed up by romping over a limp Napoli.

Now just two points back, and still unbeaten, the Bianconeri face a difficult task away to Palermo while Milan hope to bounce back from double disappointment by welcoming a weak Fiorentina side to the San Siro.

Udinese and Lazio were both felled last week as well, blowing 3rd through 5th spots wide open with Roma and potentially Inter back in the hunt.

Should be a fantastic day of calcio. Let’s get to the matches.

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Orr’s Serie A Weekend Preview

Just a handful more rounds until the waterworks start.

It’s round 30 in Serie A and there are several exciting races heating up.

While Milan and Juventus continue to duke it out for the Scudetto, 3 other continue to vie for the last Champions League spot and a few more lurkers might still be trying as hard as anyone really tries to get into the Europa League.

The bottom three is still in doubt as well and if you like watching the joy of a good relegation escape in England, you’ll love the the extreme-tebowing that goes on when an Italian minnow gains salvation.

Last week in Serie A was a bit low scoring, so let’s hope these key battle produce some more fireworks this time around.

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