Juve-Napoli a new Italian Clasico

Dino Zoff claims Juventus vs Napoli is not decisive and is not more significant than a normal Scudetto match. If anything, for once, the legendary goalkeeper is downplaying something.

The fixture itself has always been a guarantee for goals and entertainment. For a while, it was also a guarantee of points too, for Juventus anyway. Of the last 10 fixtures in Serie A, the Bianconeri have won five, Napoli have claimed just the two with three draws shared between them.

But amidst all the attempts to undersell the fixture - Marcello Lippi also guilty of this - as just another match in the race towards the league title, stands a quote which has teed up the occasion perfectly.

“We’re mad enough to go to Turin and impose our game on them,” Maurizio Sarri said of his team’s fifth visit to the Juventus Stadium. It’s a telling quote, one which, for an outsider, generates suspense and hype. If anything, it also sums up Napoli’s currently predicament rather poetically.

As Italy’s economy slumped, excitement within Serie A seemed to follow that same downward spiral. No less did the Partenopei who, under Rafael Benitez in 2014 had finished in third only to drop another two places when the dust settled on the 2014-15 season.

The madness of Sarri’s methods, though, has all of a sudden generated hype, not just amongst the bourgeoisie of Naples, but amongst the furthest reaches of the globe. Spanish newspaper El Mundo Deportivo likened it to the great El Clasico, while New York City's Mayor, Bill de Blasio, was also seen tweeting about it while waving a Napoli scarf.

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Cameo King: Joe Allen adds another dimension to Liverpool’s midfield

The plane departing from the Merseyside has been docked at the Liverpool John Lennon Airport for several months now awaiting Joe Allen’s impending departure. But, at this rate, it certainly won’t be hitting the runway anyway time soon.

Just months ago, the ‘Welsh Xavi’ looked certain for the exit door at the Anfield Stadium. Indeed, even under Brendan Rodgers himself, prior to his sacking, Allen had struggled to get a look-in for the first team, missing the side’s first six matches before playing just five minutes in the Reds’ 3-2 win over Aston Villa. He then went on to have little impact in his 12-minute cameo in the Merseyside Derby the following weekend. The draw proved to be the manager’s last straw; Rodgers was gone, and his No.24 should’ve followed suit.

‘Allen targeted by Prem rivals’, wrote the Mirror in relation to a report that Stoke City, Southampton and Leicester City were all interested in the Wales international. ‘Joe Allen to go in January?’ read another.

Even Allen himself seemed to buy into the rumours, admitting that he was playing for his future, especially given that, with 18 months left on his contract, talks of a possible renewal had gone quiet.

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Serie A Matchday 23 Preview: Palermo vs Milan

Milan will be brimming with confidence when they take on Palermo on Wednesday after a convincing win in the Derby della Madonnina over the weekend.

Chasing a return to the Champions League following years in the abyss, Sinisa Mihajlovic’s men struggled for momentum early on in the season, at one stage placed as low as 19th after losing to Fiorentina, Inter and Napoli in the first few fixtures.

And their morale-boosting 3-0 win over bitter rivals Inter saw them move to just six points behind third-placed Fiorentina and head into their midweek encounter on the back of a four-match unbeaten streak.

In addition, the Rossoneri have lost just one of their previous nine Serie A fixtures, winning four and claiming another four draws in the process.

Furthermore, the San Siro outfit have won five of their last seven matches against Palermo in the top flight and have scored a total of eight goals in their last three visits to the Stadio Renzo Barbera.

Read the rest of my preview for Football Italia

Forget Diego Costa: Antoine Griezmann now has Atletico Madrid firing on all cylinders

The ball rolls towards the halfway line and Arda Turan picks it up on the right flank. He fends off Fabio Coentrao and drifts inside. Seeing space behind Real Madrid’s central defenders, the Turkey international tries an audacious chip but the rebound only goes as far as Koke, who is subsequently surrounded.

He wasn’t trapped for long; with Alvaro Arbeloa looking to close down all options, the young midfielder nudged a pass into the path of Diego Costa, who nonchalantly slipped behind the enemy’s defence and stormed towards goal, slotting a low shot with finesse past a helpless Diego Lopez. The composed finish itself was merely a sign of things to come.

The result, a 1-0 victory over their arch-rivals, was a key moment in an incredible 2013/14 title race, which was sparked into life by Atletico’s star striker of the time, Costa.

Only four months earlier did a rampaging Atletico Madrid secure the Copa Del Rey when Radamel Falcao and his hotheaded teammate emphatically combined at the Santiago Bernabeu to end a 14-year long hoodoo in El Derbi Madrileño.

The Colombian’s departure that summer certainly raised a few question marks over who would step up to fill the void, and yet it was Atletico’s prodigal son, Costa, who produced the goods, scoring 27 of the side’s 77 La Liga goals in just 35 appearances.

The season would end with the club’s fans partying like 1996, the last time they had claimed the league title. It had taken them 18 years, but that barely mattered.

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It’s almost rather unfortunate that this still needs reiteration, but it certainly does: Sergi Roberto is good at football. Really good.

So good, in fact, that Pep Guardiola once noted that Roberto was good enough to ‘play wherever he wants’. And it appears that either current Coach Luis Enrique took his predecessor’s words literally, or that Lucho sees similarities between the youngster’s style of play and his own.

It’s hard to think, though, that the natural midfielder was, at one stage, close to being lured away to a Stoke City side in search for creative players. Bojan Krkic, once labeled as La Masia’s most promising talent, had gone down that very path and there was little stopping Roberto from following suit.

But patience isn’t a virtue the 23-year-old lacks. The Tarragona native has been featuring in Barcelona’s pre-season tours since 2010, and yet his impressions have all been in vain. The man touted at the Catalans’ next big midfield star had faded and so a contract extension in 2014 came as a surprise.

Barcelona’s transfer ban and Enrique’s influence are possible explanations as the club wanted all bases covered. But with Xavi Hernandez departing during summer 2015, it seemed logical to give Roberto yet another chance. And with the window of opportunity open, the starlet left his mark in emphatic fashion.

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Aleix Vidal vs Dani Alves: Barcelona’s friendly rivalry at right-back

They say that opposites often attract. Perhaps that view holds true; well at least when it comes to Dani Alves and Aleix Vidal’s respective journeys to Barcelona.

Indeed, both at one stage played for Sevilla, they’re typically offensive wing-backs and they made their way to the Camp Nou in their prime.

Despite the similarities though, in many ways they’re complete opposites. One is a phenomenal talent who’s seamlessly adopted the Barcelona style of play, and has played a key role in their successes in recent years; the other is a former Barca academy player.

While one is often flamboyant both on and off the field, the other is content to knuckle down and work hard without much of a fuss.

But finally, what makes this comparison even more intriguing is the fact that both were once rivals, having faced off against each other for different La Liga sides on numerous occasions, and they’re set to restore their rivalry – albeit a more friendly one, one would hope – while donning the same shirt.

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La Liga 2015-16 Season Preview: Sporting Gijon

It’s a never-ending cycle. Three years of dwindling in the Segunda Division later and Sporting Gijon are back in La Liga, but it will take a super-human effort for the Asturian outfit to avoid relegation this time out.

Like last season, though, Coach Abelardo Fernandez will be relying on the flair of his youthful set-up to produce the goods. Indeed, Sporting entered 2014-15 without any new signings and were forced to rely on the young graduates from Mareo. Yet, against all the odds, the courageous attitude of the young side saw them secure promotion on the final matchday, when most believed they would only qualify through the playoffs.

Despite their lack of signings, however, Sporting find themselves in good stead for the new campaign. The likes of Jony and Carlos Castro matured significantly throughout 14-15, the former playing a key role for the side in midfield as he made 39 appearances and scored six goals in the process. The emergence of Miguel Angel Guerrero too is promising for the season ahead. The striker scored 10 goals in 34 appearances.

Key to Sporting's form has been the appointment of Abelardo, who is Rojiblanco through and through. Indeed, his ability to manage a team brimming with inexperience has been by far the greatest achievement in his short managerial career. And as the 45-year-old prepares to pit his wits against the best in the business this season, he will have to rely on the side’s defensive stability. The former Barcelona player established a backline which conceded just 27 goals last season, the fewest in La Segunda.

Read the rest of my preview for Football Espana