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.

Read the rest of my piece on Football Italia

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.

Read the rest of my analysis for Squawka

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.

Read the rest of my piece on Squawka

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.

Read the rest of my piece on Football Espana

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.

Read the rest of my piece on Squawka

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

La Liga 2015-16 Season Preview: Sevilla

It all seemed like a well-directed film; no bloopers, no retakes as three, astonishingly, inch-perfect free-kicks left a 52,000-strong crowd in Georgia with their jaws dropped. Eventually, it all culminated in nine goals in an unforgettable 120 minutes of play as Barcelona narrowly edged out Sevilla 5-4 in the UEFA Super Cup.

If anything though, that very match exhibited all the qualities that we have come to associate with Unai Emery’s troops. Resilience, as well as possessing the ability to break down the best defences with breathtaking efficiency, has come to define what is now Andalucia's undisputed No 1 side.

Their previous season began with the sales of the likes of Alberto Moreno and, more significantly, Ivan Rakitic to Barcelona. However, the acquisitions of starlet Denis Suarez and the arrival of the relatively-untested Polish midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak helped ease the duo's departures.

It it all began with a bang as the Andalucians won seven of their opening nine matches to reach as high as second, before inconsistency throughout the season saw them challenge Valencia for a Champions League spot, a battle they eventually lost.

Nevertheless, back-to-back Europa League titles, the latest of which saw them edge out Dnipro 3-2 in the final marked their return to Europe’s elite club competition this season.

Read the rest of my preview for Football Espana

Serie A preview: Juventus the favourites again, but Milan and Roma could challenge this season

Italian football may not be what it was during its 90s pomp, with match-fixing scandals taking some of the gloss off and Serie A outfits often treated more like accessories than businesses by their owners.

However, with Juventus reaching last year's Champions League final and Thai businessman Bee Taechaubol’s injecting some cash at AC Milan, it feels like a new era is being ushered in.

No doubt the Old Lady have helped place Italy on Europe’s footballing map again. The Bianconeri, under the tutelage of Massimiliano Allegri, steamrolled their way to a fourth consecutive domestic title before claiming an unprecedented domestic double, narrowly edging out Lazio in the Coppa Italia. And while they failed to lift the Champions League crown against Barcelona in Berlin after wins over Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid, they certainly have done their bit in paving the way for another exciting season.

Read the rest of my season preview for Mirror Football

Shaqiri not in tune with Inter

In many ways, Roberto Mancini seemed to have lost touch. Upon his return to the Nerrazzuri in mid-November, the 50-year-old acted as if the post-Mourinho hardships had never happened. Inter, he claimed, were still a top European club and for that they could attract the continent’s best talent was taken as read.

Inter, after all, are one of the most iconic clubs in Europe with 18 Serie A titles, three Champions League crowns and a host of other domestic and intercontinental honours. However, recent struggles meant Mancio’s optimism seemed rather unrealistic - that is until Xherdan Shaqiri joined the club.

Not since Wesley Sneijder has a player mustered so much popularity within the club. So much so that supporters gathered in their thousands and made their way to the airport to greet the new signing. For a League, and club, that had lost its appeal to the wider public, Shaqiri’s agreement to join the club on a loan deal before signing on for another five years, was quite a coup.

The 23-year-old’s first few months were indeed promising. With legends such as Oliver Bierhoff claiming that he had everything to become a fan favourite, Shaqiri got off to a perfect start by scoring on his debut, combining with fellow new recruit Lukas Podolski to eliminate Sampdoria from the Coppa Italia.

By February, Inter’s faithful came flocking back to San Siro, as their attendances almost doubled, not to mention the fact that Shaqiri was, perhaps, the Nerrazzuri’s best player throughout the month as he contributed in every facet possible, in particular setting alight the Europa League. So much so, that club legend Javier Zanetti compared the Swiss to Sneijder for his ability to spark the team to life.

Read the rest of my piece on Football Italia

Top Five Inter Youngsters 2015-16

It’s fair to say that for the past few seasons, Inter have ultimately flattered to deceive. In fact, such were the lacklustre team performances last term that not only did the Nerazzurri get dumped out of the Coppa Italia in the quarter-finals, but they ultimately finished in eighth position in Serie A, and are set to miss out on European football this time around.

The re-appointment of Roberto Mancini at the expense of Walter Mazzarri has, thus far. failed to show much promise with the tactician seemingly finding it tough to successfully integrate his players into his own philosophy.

There is good news amongst all this negativity, however: Inter’s youth structure continues to produce talented starlets capable of becoming world-class players, and with president Erick Thohir insisting that the squad for the new season will be limited to just 25 players, it seems now is the time for Mancio to rely on the younger generation as they attempt to re-build.

Here, I took a look at five promising Inter youngsters for Forza Italian Football

Perth Glory, Wellington, WS Wanderers all through to FFA Cup final 16

Last year's runners-up Perth Glory progressed into the round of 16 of the FFA Cup after a narrow 4-3 penalty shootout victory over the Newcastle Jets after the scores were locked at 2-2 after extra time on Tuesday evening.

The stakes were high heading into the match with both sides looking to rebuild following their respective controversies last season. The Glory were ousted from the A-League finals following their salary cap scandal while the the Jets have begun a new era under FFA control following their recent financial struggles.

It was the Novocastrians who got off to a better start with new recruit Labinot Haliti almost drawing first blood in the eighth minute when a marauding run eventually saw his shot across the face of the goal saved by former Wanderers teammate Jerrad Tyson.

The Jets built upon their early dominance when David Carney opened the scoring midway through the first half after pouncing on a defensive error from Antony Golec before blasting a powerful shot past a helpless Tyson.

Haliti continued to threaten as he stung the palms of Perth's custodian in the 33rd minute with a crisp strike before sending a volley into the back of the net from the far post only to be ruled offside.

A frenetic start to the second half saw the Glory immediately place their opponents on the back foot as Scott Miller's men struggled to retain possession.

Read the rest of my FFA Cup review at ESPN FC

Sydney FC and Adelaide United progress to the FFA Cup round of 16

Adelaide United proved to be a class above minnows Darwin Olympic as they opened their FFA Cup title defence with a comfortable 6-1 win at Darwin Football Stadium on Wednesday night.

The stakes were undoubtedly high coming into the fixture. Darwin's encounter marked a historic moment for football in the Northern Territory as Steve Lolais' side became the first Territory side to compete in the nation-wide competition.

Meanwhile, the match also marked Adelaide United's first fixture since Josep Gombau's shock departure a little less than two weeks ago, with former Barcelona midfielder Guillermo Amor subsequently taking over the reins of the club.

There was very little to separate both sides in the opening stages with some pulsating end-to-end play in the opening 10 minutes whereby neither team were able to gain foothold in the match.

All of Olympic's good work thus far in the match soon came undone in the 17th minute when Marcelo Carrusca made no mistake from the penalty spot after Billy Kathopoulis cynically brought down Osama Malik to give the Reds the lead.

Read the rest of my FFA Cup review at ESPN FC

Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City win, make last 16 in Australia's FFA Cup

A-League champions Melbourne Victory began their FFA Cup campaign in scintillating fashion as they ruthlessly progressed to the last 16, defeating Balmain Tigers FC 6-0 at Leichardt Oval on Tuesday evening.

Coming into the match, Tigers manager Tass Fiakos was hopeful that the New South Wales State League side could pull off an upset, claiming that they were "certainly not going to lie down."

Despite a lively start where they were able to shut down space in midfield in the opening 10 minutes, the Tigers were brought back down to earth when the Victory drew first blood in the 11th minute when Besart Berisha slotted into the bottom corner off a Jesse Makarounas assist.

Kevin Muscat's side doubled their lead minutes shy from half-time when a well worked move on the right flank saw a Jason Geria cross find attacker Connor Pain unmarked at the far post for a simple tap in.

The Victory began the second half from where they left off, applying pressure on Balmain's defence as they easily monopolised possession, and they netted their third in the 56th minute when Kosta Barbarouses slotted home from 15 yards out.

Read the rest of my FFA Cup review at ESPN FC

Palm Beach Sharks knock South Melbourne out of Australia's FFA Cup

Australia's FFA Cup round of 32 matches kicked off in style on Wednesday night with the Palm Beach Sharks overcoming former National Soccer League giants South Melbourne 8-7 in a penalty shootout after the scores finished 1-1 after 120 minutes.

The Sharks looked determined to repeat last season's heroics, but it was the Victorians who got off to the better start with a couple of set-piece chances going close early on.

Their efforts were duly rewarded just after the half-hour mark when Milos Lujic headed home from the back post off a cross from the left-flank.

South Melbourne's lead was short-lived, however, when Florian Matk coolly converted from the spot after SM custodian Nikola Roganovic cynically brought down Rees Duncan in the box.

Lacklustre efforts in front of goal in the second half and extra-time saw both sides fail to secure the knock-out blow within 120 minutes of play.

Read the rest of my FFA Cup review at ESPN FC

How Bartomeu beat Laporta to the Barcelona presidential hot-seat

When Joan Laporta came to power back in 2003, Barcelona was a club in turmoil. It had been four years since since the Blaugrana had won a major trophy and the Catalan club could barely cope with the immense dominance of rivals Real Madrid and Valencia.

Not now, though. Just six months ago, Barcelona were left reeling from a loss to David Moyes’ Real Sociedad  at the Anoeta. Luis Enrique’s tenure was hanging on by the skin of his teeth, and the board was forced to call early elections to dissolve the tension. Bartomeu, for all it was worth, was a dead man walking.

Remarkably, days out from the election, Bartomeu was considered the favourite for the presidential hot-seat at the expense of, as Agusti Benedito put it, his worst enemy. But it seemed the businessman with airport and seaport facilities to his name was always that one step ahead. At the end of the day, Laporta made a meal of his campaign, and if anything, he was his own worst enemy.

In early March, a poll from Catalan radio show El Club de la Mitjanit found that the former president had 51% percent of the votes, a sizeable majority over Bartomeu who had only garnered 27% of the votes from respondents, that is, before he even confirmed his intention to run as president.

But, in hindsight, his three-month campaign can be characterised by one which was severely disorganised and grossly improvised. For a man who, as a former politician arguably knew of the secrets to political success, his mistakes costed him oh so dearly.

Read the rest of my piece on World Soccer Talk

Paulinho – the sorry decline of the Brazilian ‘Lampard’

Two years ago, Paulinho was on top of the world. When Argentinean playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme called Paulinho a ‘phenomenon’ and likened the Brazilian as the ‘black’ version of Frank Lampard for their similar box-to-box style of play, the 26-year-old simply took on board the comparison with little fuss, pledging to such a comparison as fuel for greater things.

“This comparison is a responsibility that I will take, I will not run away from it. Lampard is a great player…I intend to follow in his footsteps as he is a very professional guy. I’ve always looked at what Lampard does and to me he is a huge phenomenon. The way he hits the ball, what positions he takes up, he really is incredible.”

But following two seasons in England’s top flight, Paulinho has completed an astonishing move to Guangzhou Evergrande – the cash rich reigning Chinese Super League champions who are chasing their fifth consecutive domestic title and a second Asian Champions League title for a second time in three years – for £10m.

Not only does he leave England with his previously glorified reputation in shatters, but also 169 goals short of Frank Lampard’s goal tally in the English Premier League and 93 assists behind the Chelsea legend.

His departure for an a eight figure sum, though, seems to have been met with such delight from Tottenham’s faithful so much so that Daniel Levy has, momentarily at least, regained the trust of the club’s supporters. While the transfer fee highlights Guangzhou’s financial might, and Luiz Felipe Scolari’s power in negotiations, a £7m loss from their initial purchase of £17m seems to be a big win for the club especially given that the player has largely been underwhelming at the White Heart Lane.

Read the rest of my article for EPL Index

Neymar’s suspension is a blessing in disguise for Brazil

It was approximately one year ago when Luiz Felipe Scolari’s managerial tenure as Brazil’s head coach looked in tatters. Some would argue that partially through no fault of his own, Scolari’s stint was left in a sorry state. Neymar’s campaign was over after having his back broken in the latter stages of their World Cup quarterfinal against Colombia courtesy of a cynical challenge. Such was the loss that the players all donned snap backs in support of their injured warrior, a move Dunga at the time was highly critical of. Forget about Neymar and get on with the job was the message.

Fast forward 12 months and Dunga himself found himself in a similar career defining moment. Ironically, once again, it was Colombia who had ended Neymar’s participation in a major international sporting competition, this time through a four match suspension handed down for the 23-year-old’s antics.

Neymar, of course, had acted like a spoiled kid who was dissatisfied with everything that went against him. His frustration at being unable to break down Colombia’s stubborn defense clearly evident as he was lucky to escape a booking towards the end of the first half after protesting against the referee and subsequently punching the ball away. He would later try to headbutt an opponent and strike another with the ball, all of which culminated in a dramatic downfall. A monster had been unleashed, so they said.

Although Dunga faced criticism for his move in naming a still immature Neymar as captain of world soccer’s most successful side, Dunga largely dealt with the situation with class and didn’t allow such a controversial scenario to derail the Selečao’s attempt to reach the knockout stages. The fans too accepted Neymar’s suspension with grace.

Read more of this article at World Soccer Talk

Australia’s historic win against Brazil breeds confidence and self belief

The caption of a graphic that Nike Soccer uploaded onto their social media channels recently read: Strong Alone. Unstoppable together. If anything, Australia’s history-making quarter-finals berth into the Women’s World Cup was the manifestation of exactly that.

While the Matildas cannot exactly boast high-profile players the likes of five-time World Player of the Year Marta, United States’ own superstar Megan Rapinoe or France’s star-attacker Eugenie Le Sommers, the Aussie line-up isn’t quite bereft of talent.

Australia goalkeeper Lydia Williams has been assured in between the sticks ever since replacing Melissa Barbieri in the starting line-up; Laura Alleway has proven to be lethal in the air; while Lisa De Vanna has proven to be a nightmare for opposition defenses.

But the key to the Matildas’ stunning rise is not simply the result of strength in depth in a roster that boasts a hybrid of youthful flair and experienced exuberance, but rather the cohesiveness of a side brimming with confidence, all that under the tenure of a youthful, yet tactical adept and organized coach.

Pitted against the might of the United States, Sweden and Nigeria, a positive result in the Group of Death seemed unlikely. But instead of being caught up in the hype surrounding the difficult task of qualifying from their group against such strong nations, the Matildas, let their work on the pitch do the talking. And the Aussies have proven to be worthy opponents.

Read the rest of my article on World Soccer Talk

Barca make Berlin history

It was a match which perfectly summarised Barcelona’s treble-winning season, a match which, in itself, encapsulated not only the highest of highs, but also the lowest of lows. And in the end, as Gerard Pique so rightly pointed out, the addition of the European crown, the club’s fourth in the space of decade, to their La Liga and Copa del Rey titles, was perfection.

But it very nearly wasn’t.

Jittery as if they’d forgotten how to approach finals, upon kick-off, the Blaugrana were immediately placed on the back foot. Juventus’ proactive pressing saw Luis Enrique’s men cough up possession and concede a corner early on. And yet, true to form, Barcelona found their feet, and subsequently, the back of the net as an incisive through ball from Neymar carved up a depleted Juventus defence, before Andres Iniesta’s square ball to an unmarked Ivan Rakitic saw the Catalans draw first blood.

In many ways, the manner in which the Camp Nou outfit scored their first was apt. So much had been made of the fact that Enrique had started to change Barcelona’s tiki-taka approach. And yet, the way the Catalans carved up Juve’s usually-sturdy defence was exactly in that same vintage vein they had so often done. Their use of possession, quick transitions and intricate short passing led to a goal which involved all 10 of Barca’s outfield players.

While the scoreline at half-time failed to do Barca’s dominance justice, the fact remains that as the Blaugrana ambled towards the break, they continued to create openings, and had it not been for Gianluigi Buffon’s first-half heroics, for the Bianconeri, their dreams of a fairytale would’ve turned into a disastrous nightmare.

Read the rest of my piece on Football Espana