Inter Suffer At Home

Inter starts off the year with a surprise draw to Cagliari at the Stadio Meazza. Thanks to Zlatan Ibrahimovic Inter managed to scrape a point in a match where Cagliari were much closer to taking all three golden points. Inter owned Roberto Aquafresca scored to take the lead and also could have scored the goal to finish Inter off, but he somehow managed to miss it. And a common rule in football is that if you do not score the other team will, and that was the case. Still, I cannot be to harsh on the 21 year old for he has shown great improvement and played well against the club that made him. On the other hand, Inter’s overall performance should be of concern to interista’s, but to the rossoneri it is exactly what they want to see. Thanks to Cagliari the race for the scudetto should be wide open if only Juve and Milan can take advantage of it. Hopefully Milan will this Sunday against Roma. It won’t be easy but this is their chance to gain some ground. So let the downfall of the Inter Empire begin!

Knock Out!

The events in Turin where embarrassing but what was lived in the Bernabeu were absolutely appalling. From some time now it was quite obvious that Madrid were not playing at the expected level, but never would I have imagined that in the sacred grounds of the Santiago Bernabeu, Juventus would humiliate Madrid and worst of all, Madrid would put on such a shameful and pale performance. Juventus with class and hierarchy demonstrated Madrid’s true face as a team, ugly and dysfunctional. No one at the club is saved from the ridicule and everyone is fault. Madridista’s it is time to get concerned for our team has fallen and they have fallen hard.

I’m often asked why Madrisista’s are so critical of their team and I always respond because we expect the best out of them. We expect that the players live up to Madrid’s rich history and put Madrid’s name as high as possible. So when the team displays such a horrendous show in front of its devoted fans one cannot expect the Madridista’s to be enchanted with the club. The only positive that I can truly get out of this game is of having the pleasure to watch the eternal Del Piero. Madrid typically never give a standing ovation to anyone, but the Madridismo knows how to honor someone when they sincerely deserve it, and Del Piero is one of those special players. Once again Del Piero lives up to his legend , and will surely never forget his dazzling night in the Spanish capitol. So we have to put aside what club we belong to and any view we may have, and admit that ‘la Vecchia Signora’ sang and she sang beautifully.

Forty Seven Years of the Juventus Grip

A wounded Juve is always the worst Juve any team can ever face. Juve despite thier poor form managed to pull off a stunning victory against Madrid. Clearly Madrid were the favorites to snatch a victory but Turin always Turin seems to be damned place for the Merengues. Is it a mystic force that surronds the stadium? I dont know but what I am sure of is that this Juventus was different from the Juve of Seria A. Their attitude and their agressiveness made sure that Madrid never touched the ball in the first half. Lets be honest, Juve dragged Madrid all over Turin in a humiliating but yet very classy style, just like the Italians know best. Ranieri finally got the tactical scheme right and for that reason he can breathe for one more game. And well Del Piero he simply makes the clock go backwards and creates some of the most beautiful art with his feet and the ball. By looking at the way Juve played this match it makes me say ‘what crisis?’, this team was superb. This victory is the ray of light that they needed… they have one foot out of the crisis hole that they created. Let’s see if Juve can transfer this attitude to the Seria A and if they can, Seria A will become even more interesting.

*My original intention was to write about Madrid’s performance but it was all too shameful. By the time the team had a reaction it was way too late and the defensive wall that Juve had created was way to grand to climb over. If this is the way Madrid are going to continue to play, then there is no way the tenth cup is heading its way to Madrid.