Season’s have their turning points, and I have a feeling that today was a crucial one. We saw<a href="http://soccerwrapup.blogspot.com/2010/12/inter-milan-win-fifa-world-club-cup.html"> Inter Milan rise back to form with a 3-0 win over TP Mazembe in the FIFA World Club Cup final</a>, and we saw AC Milan fall to Roma at the San Siro, 1-0 for the giallorossi thanks to former AC Milan player, Marco Borriello. Today we also saw Cesena edge a 1-0 victory over Cagliari, and tomorrow we have some big games like Lazio – Udinese, Chievo – Juventus, and the Genoa derby between Sampdoria and Genoa. But here’s what happened today at the San Siro, where Borriello punished his former side in AC Milan’s and Roma’s last match of 2010.
AC Milan hosted Roma at the San Siro, and I thought that Milan would’ve played through a pretty simple win at home, but it was not to be. The match started well for Allegri’s side though, they were very dynamic, trying to get underneath Roma’s backline of defenders and create problems for Doni between the sticks. Roma on the other hand were slightly sluggish, especially with Adriano on the field. Although the Brazilian had some good touches, he was unable to do much due to his girth which was a little too much for him to carry around, instead Roma relied on the energetic Frenchman Jeremy Menez to create opportunities.
But the first half didn’t produce much action, Ibrahimovic seemed to have woken up on the wrong side of the bed, Robinho played Pippo Inzaghi-style and was constantly in an offside position, and Roma were too dependent on Menez. AC Milan were forced to make a substitution in the first half after Pirlo was clattered, and Allegri altered the shape of his formation by putting on Seedorf. With Pirlo in the midfield, Boateng could almost play as a “trequartista”, but with Seedorf on the field the Ghanaian had to be a little more conservative regarding his attacking runs. So the first half ended with some good chances for AC Milan, but little else to be noticed as the players prepared for the second half.
The second half was slightly different with both teams slowly getting out of their shells. Roma were trying too often to lump the ball up to Borriello, who was being silenced expertly by Bonera and Nesta, and AC Milan’s one-man team, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, was having an off day. The Swede got a fantastic chance in front of Doni who had scrambled early off his line, and while all of the San Siro and I thought that he was going to chip Doni for an easy goal, Ibrahimovic ended up toe-punting the ball into Doni’s hands. An opportunity which usually doesn’t go wasted by Ibrahimovic is what ultimately could’ve decided the match.
It was in the 69th minute that Roma struck. Another speedy run from Menez down the wing lead to a pass across the six-yard box, the Borriello missed the tap-in but scored anyways when Abate tried to punt the ball out of his box, but instead punted it into Borriello and into the back of the net. A strange goal to say the least, with little to no skill from Borriello, but he celebrated it like any other. His ridiculous hairstyle along with his goal celebration against his former side made him a permanent target for the whistles and boos of the 50,000 at the San Siro.
Things didn’t get much better for AC Milan, especially when Ibrahimovic was caught in an offside position, and instead of obeying the referees whistle, the Swede went on a kicked the ball into the back of the net. While he protested vehemently at referee Damato he got himself a yellow card, and added to last game’s yellow card he&nbsp;received it means that he won’t be playing next match against Cagliari the return day after the winter break. Roma held on well to the win, anxiously waiting for the final whistle. Once it went, the San Siro was filled with unhappy fans, and a group of ecstatic Roma players due to the win that they had just pulled off.
Is this a turning point in the season with AC Milan losing and Inter Milan regaining some form? Or is it Roma’s turn to push for the scudetto? Share your comments below!

Borriello Punishes AC Milan At The San Siro

Borriello Punishes AC Milan At The San Siro - World Soccer Talk

<div style="text-align: center"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/entertainment/swedish-player-ibrahimovic/image/9626746?term=ac+milan" target="_blank"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="http://view2.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9626746/swedish-player-ibrahimovic/swedish-player-ibrahimovic.jpg?size=500&amp;imageId=9626746" border="0" alt="Swedish soccer player Zlatan Ibrahimovic smiles during a presentation during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Lecce at the San Siro stadium in Milan August 29, 2010. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo (ITALY - Tags: SPORT SOCCER)" width="500" height="277"></figure></div></a></div>
In July, <a href="http://www.serieatalk.com/the-quiet-offseason-of-a-c-milan/2740" target="_blank">I wrote a post</a> for this site asking AC Milan fans for calm.&nbsp; The club had been quiet on the transfer market and Silvio Berlusconi had gone public in saying he intended to build his youth academy to help the team.&nbsp; I said at the time that if the club did not acquire any big names, they would be title contenders but would not be favorites.
Flash forward forty plus days.&nbsp; Ibrahimovic.&nbsp; Robinho.&nbsp; Boateng.&nbsp; The club worked the transfer market hard in the waning hours and secured some of the biggest names available on the market.&nbsp; They also grabbed Sokratis from Genoa, a smaller profile signing that helps their defense.&nbsp; In exchange, they dumped the aging Marco Borriello, overrated Huntelaar, and backup striker Dominic Adiyah.&nbsp; As the dust settles on the summer transfer dash and the ownership begins to show off the new <a href="http://www.goal.com/en/news/11/transfer-zone/2010/08/31/2097278/adriano-galliani-zlatan-ibrahimovic-and-robinho-are-gifts" target="_blank">presents to the fans</a>, the question is:
Is Milan now the favorite to win the Serie A title?
If Allegri decided to stick to a 4-3-3, here is the lineup the club could field in coming weeks:
Keeper: Amelia
Defenders: Antonini, Thiago Silva, Nesta, Bonera
Midfield: Seedorf, Pirlo, Ambrosini
Forwards: Ibrahimovic, Ronaldinho, Pato
Bench: Robinho, Boateng, Inzaghi, Antonini
The biggest impact the additions have on this club is to make the forward position younger and more deadly.&nbsp; Ibrahimovic has the ability to dominate on the offensive end and provides a consistent scoring threat this club lacked from the forward position last season.&nbsp; Ronaldinho, while at times dominant, came into camp out of shape and was disinterested at times last year.&nbsp; If he is physically unfit to play or the club needs a spark, a younger Robinho can sub in or start in his place.&nbsp; On the bench is the all-time leading scorer in European competition in Inzaghi.&nbsp; So your front line has youth, experience, height, quickness, and speed.
<a href="http://www.serieatalk.com/serie-a-preview-ac-milan-will-need-to-fight/3006" target="_blank">A concern expressed by Niccolo</a> in the preseason was Milan’s aging in the midfield.&nbsp; Kevin-Prince Boateng, who showed great potential in the World Cup (as well as a need for his game to mature), provides that young depth and long-term starter the club was seeking in the offseason.&nbsp; The unheralded signing of Sokratis also provides some talented depth for the backline, which at times struggled last year and had a penchant for allowing careless goals.&nbsp; If he’s healthy, American national Oguchi Onyewu also gives the club a talented defender off the bench.
Another aspect is the emergence of Alexandre Pato.&nbsp; Scoring twice on Sunday and looking very good in the preseason, this could be his breakout season and at age 20 a precursor to many successful seasons for AC Milan.&nbsp; The moves this summer allow him to mature within a system where he is not the biggest name or has all the offensive pressure on him.
On the other hand, the expensive acquisition of Robinho can arguably be throwing money at an underachiever.&nbsp; After excelling at a young age in Spain, the Brazilian clashed with management and the EPL culture in Manchester City, leading to his sale this transfer season.&nbsp; Management likely hopes pairing him with Ronaldinho will lead to a resurgence and comfort on and off the pitch.&nbsp; Also, the club’s defense is still solid but not spectacular and was a weakness last season, especially against Inter Milan.
So, does AC Milan now have the talent to be the favorites in Serie A?&nbsp; Going into the season Inter was the consensus favorites and the club has kept its key players, especially Maicon.&nbsp; I also give them the edge in managers with Bentiez’s experience.&nbsp; I still consider Inter Milan the favorites for Serie A but the gap has closed considerably and the Milan derbies this year will be epic.
Agree or disagree?&nbsp; Share your comments below or on Twitter <a href="http://www.twitter.com/roberthayjr" target="_blank">@roberthayjr</a>.

Is Milan Now the Favorite in Serie A?

Is Milan Now the Favorite in Serie A? - World Soccer Talk

Italy boss Cesare Prandelli announced his 23 man squad for the friendly against the Ivory Coast which will take place on Tuesday in England. Many of the names chosen by Marcello Lippi were dropped.
Prandelli made some expected changes following the World Cup disappointment with Fabio Quagliarella the only striker remaining from the team selected by Lippi for South Africa 2010. Prandelli selected five strikers who were not part of the disappointing experience in the World Cup: Mario Balotelli, Antonio Cassano, Marco Borriello, Amauri and Giuseppe Rossi.
Lippi was urged and asked on more than one occasion why he would not pick Balotelli and Cassano yet the veteran coach never budged from his decision to exclude the talented duo. Critics felt their omission from the Italian squad led to the disastrous campaign which yielded two draws, including an embarrassing one against New Zealand, and a defeat against Slovakia.
While he was expected to select both Balotelli and Cassano, the former Fiorentina tactician sprung two major surprises by picking striker Amauri who had a dismal season with Juventus and former teammate Cristian Molinaro who is not exactly popular in Turin. Molinaro plays as a left-back and the tifosi were glad to see him move to the Bundesliga to join VfB Stuttgart. While no one can doubt Molinaro’s work ethic and speed, his defensive abilities leave a lot to be desired and his crossing is mediocre at best. Molinaro’s comical defending almost became part of football folklore due to some mind-boggling mistakes and miscalculated moves such as using a back-heel to give away the ball on the flank and frequently being tricked by wingers and attackers on their way to assisting on a goal or scoring themselves.
Aside from the debatable choices of Amauri and Molinaro, the Italian coach seems to have named the best set of players available for selection. The Azzurri fans must be delighted to see the return of certain players such as Rossi and the selection of new faces such as full-back Marco Motta who played for Italy at all levels, including the U-21 side which he represented on 39 occasions. Motta has never played for the senior team despite being called up in 2009 but he was an unused substitute.
The main concern will probably be on the defensive end as Gianluigi Buffon will be out for a few more months after surgery and those named include Federico Marchetti, Salvatore Sirigu and Emiliano Viviano. Marchetti did not impress during the World Cup when he had to replace the injured Buffon while the latter two lack the necessary experience to become regular starters. It might be worth giving Sirigu the start against the Ivory Coast to see how he can handle the spotlight as Italy’s goalkeeper while the legendary Buffon remains sidelined.
The defenders chosen lack the experience associated with the legendary Azzurri back-lines&nbsp;of the 1990s and even the 2000s with Giorgio Chiellini the most experienced having played 32 times for the national team. In the absence of the recovering Buffon and the unfit Andrea Pirlo, Roma’s Daniele De Rossi will most likely captain the side having represented the Azzurri on 57 occasions.
Below is the full squad selected by Prandelli:
Goalkeepers: Federico Marchetti (Cagliari), Salvatore Sirigu (Palermo), Emiliano Viviano (Bologna)
Defenders: Cristian Molinaro (VfB Stuttgart), Marco Motta (Juventus), Luca Antonini (AC Milan), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Stefano Lucchini (Sampdoria), 
Davide Astori (Cagliari), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Mattia Cassani (Palermo)
Midfielders: Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Ricardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria), Simone Pepe (Juventus) 
Andrea Lazzari (Cagliari)
Forwards: Fabio Quagliarella (Napoli), Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal), Mario Balotelli (Inter Milan), Marco Borriello (AC Milan), Antonio Cassano (Sampdoria), Amauri (Juventus).
Feel free to comment below or contact me on Twitter @RamiSoufi for further discussions.
<a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/3583757/">Do you approve of Prandelli’s Squad?</a><a href="http://polldaddy.com/features-surveys/">survey software</a>

Azzurri: Cesare Prandelli Picks Antonio Cassano and Mario Balotelli

Azzurri: Cesare Prandelli Picks Antonio Cassano and Mario Balotelli - World Soccer Talk

<div style="text-align: center"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/entertainment/britain-london-emirates/image/9480094?term=AC+Milan" target="_blank"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="http://view4.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9480094/britain-london-emirates/britain-london-emirates.jpg?size=380&amp;imageId=9480094" border="0" alt="LONDON, August 2, 2010 AC Milan&apos;s goalkeeper Marco Amelia (L) grabs the shot by Jimmy Briand (R) of Lyon during the second day match between AC Milan and Lyon at the Emirates Cup soccer tournament at the Emirates Stadium, London, Britain, August 1, 2010. The match ended in 1-1 draw.. (Xinhua/Zeng Yi." width="380" height="284"></figure></div></a></div>
AC Milan fans saw the best and worst of their squad this weekend in London as the club competed in what has become a big-name tournament.&nbsp; The Emirates Cup is a two-day preseason event where host Arsenal and three clubs (many of&nbsp;whom are sponsored by Emirates Airlines) compete to win the Emirates trophy but more importantly have the chance to play their entire squads against good competition.
The 2010 edition was won by Arsenal with eight total points, while the Rossoneri finished last with four.&nbsp; Milan faced the hosts on Saturday and Ligue 1’s Lyon on Sunday, with Celtic as the fourth club.&nbsp; A win was worth three points and a tie worth one, with a point awarded for each goal scored.
The first match against Arsenal could have gone spectacularly wrong for Milan on Saturday.&nbsp; They fell behind early on a goal by new Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh in the 36th minute, and if it were not by some quality keeping by Christian Abbiati they could have been down by more.&nbsp; Arsenal dominated possession early in the second half as substitutes like Theo Wolcott constantly threatened in the Milan half.&nbsp; However, Arsenal lived up to their reputation and despite some nice passing, failed to score the decisive second goal.&nbsp; Alexandre Pato made them pay in the seventy-seventh minute.&nbsp; He headed in a free kick from Clarence Seedorf from just outside the box.
The second match saw new keeper Marco Amelia start in goal, as well as starters Clarence Seedorf and Marco Borriello.&nbsp; It was the latter who scored the first goal of the game in the fifty-fifth minute and it was the former who again set up the scoring chance with a nice pass through to Borriello.&nbsp; While both sides had excellent scoring chances and the Rossoneri played well overall, they still gave up the tying goal in the eightieth minute to deny themselves three points.
While the Emirates Cup is only two preseason matches, AC Milan fans could should feel confident about their club.&nbsp; Both keepers looked quality although it helped that some serious chances hit the crossbars.&nbsp; Clarence Seedorf played very well and looks to be ready for the next season.&nbsp; The new defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos also contributed in the Arsenal match and looks like a good signing so far.&nbsp; So although the club finished last in the standings, the experience looks to have allowed them to tune up effectively for the new season.

AC Milan Finishes Last in Emirates Cup

AC Milan Finishes Last in Emirates Cup - World Soccer Talk

<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/entertainment/fifa-world-cup-2010-soccer/image/9098392?term=Clint+Dempsey" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="http://view1.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9098392/fifa-world-cup-2010-soccer/fifa-world-cup-2010-soccer.jpg?size=500&amp;imageId=9098392" alt="Steven Gerrard of England tackles Clint Dempsey of USA..FIFA World Cup 2010 Group C..England v USA..12th June, 2010." width="500" height="380" border="0"></figure></div></a></div>
As always, it pays to take all off-season transfer rumors with a grain of salt.&nbsp; But one rumor within the realm of possibility suggest a move of pure genius by the Rossoneri.
Yahoo Sports is reporting that Fulham star and American national team member Clint Dempsey has been targeted by AC Milan for a potential transfer bid.&nbsp; The club reportedly has been impressed with Dempsey’s play in England and South Africa, enough so to pay roughly $12 million to add him to their roster.&nbsp; His match-winning goal in Fulham’s defeat of Juventus in the Europa League also proved to Milan scouts that he could play against Serie A’s best.
Dempsey has been successful in his three year stint with Fulham.&nbsp; Last season he scored seven goals in 29 Premier League matches, and his Juventus goal has been referred to as the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/mar/19/fulham-juventus-europa-league" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most famous goal</a> in Fulham history.&nbsp; Internationally, Dempsey’s profile has never been higher, scoring the “<a href="http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport/article/6880/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hand of Clod</a>” goal against England and drawing the match-tying penalty kick in the U.S.’s loss to Ghana in this year’s World Cup.&nbsp; With Roy Hodgson leaving Fulham for Liverpool, now is a good time for him to leave.
But within the context of AC Milan’s actions the past two years does it become clear how genius a signing of Clint Dempsey would be.&nbsp; From a tactical perspective, Dempsey’s move to AC Milan would simply add him to a list of high-profile strikers the club already possesses.&nbsp; He would battle up-front for playing time with Ronaldinho, Borriello, Pato, and maybe Huntelaar.&nbsp; The midfield is equally crowded, but for a team that underachieved last year Dempsey could compete for time.
But the significance is that Dempsey is not just another striker, he is an American soccer star. &nbsp;Remember that AC Milan last year signed Oguchi Onyewu, the injured American defender who is playing “for free” this year because of his injury.&nbsp; A healthy “Gooch” is a valuable addition to the defensively challenged AC Milan, but more importantly he is also very popular among US soccer fans. &nbsp;A Dempsey signing would mean two American stars on the pitch for AC Milan, increasing the clubs already high visibility among American fans.
American soccer fans, especially those converted by the last two World Cups, are looking for international squads to pull for and follow when the World Cup ends.&nbsp; I suspect many will gravitate to teams with American stars – <a href="http://epltalk.com/how-an-epl-club-can-conquer-america-in-7-easy-steps/16929" target="_blank" rel="noopener">witness American fans of Everton</a>.&nbsp; Maybe this is not AC Milan’s primary reason for signing two Americans (they are very talented after all) but the ability to market two of the country’s most popular players could lead to tapping a new market.&nbsp; Imagine the potential sales of Dempsey AC Milan jerseys.
Also factor in AC Milan’s travel schedule.&nbsp; This year the club played a friendly in a near-sold out RFK Stadium against a dreadful DC United team, as well a May 30 friendly in Chicago.&nbsp; Last season the club teamed up with Chelsea, Inter Milan, and Club America to play in the World Football Challenge, which allowed the Rossoneri to play in Atlanta, Baltimore, and Foxborough.&nbsp; While it may be coincidence, the US friendlies combined with the signing of two American stars shows a strategy of tapping into a rich American soccer market.&nbsp; And the strategy is a good one that could make one of the <a href="http://www.forbes.com/lists/2010/34/soccer-10_AC-Milan_340003.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world’s richest soccer clubs</a> even richer.

AC Milan = American Club Milan?

AC Milan = American Club Milan? - World Soccer Talk

It’s been a perculiar, unpredictable season for Milan as the side have endured great levels of torment from humiliating defeats to the likes of Inter and Manchester United, and they have found themselves looking desperately blunt on other occasions, often with dramatic late goals saving them from further embarrassment. Huntelaar’s late double act at Catania and Seedorf’s injury time winner recently against Chievo Verona are just two games that spring to mind.
Despite this, they now find themselves just a single point behind their now-stuttering Milanese neighbours. Leonardo is keen to bring an attacking, expansive style of football to Milan, and who can blame him with the likes of Ronaldinho, Pato and Borriello as well as cultured, if aging midfielders such as Pirlo, Seedorf and up until now, Beckham. Despite that recent humbling 7-2 aggregate defeat to United, Milan aren’t necessarily too far off being able to compete with Europe’s top sides once again. Winning this season’s Serie A would clearly be a tremendous boost for morale and momentum, and it’d make it an awful lot easier to attract more big names to the club, but it shouldn’t be seen as the be-all or end-all.
It’s vital at this stage that Berlusconi gives Leonardo time to learn the errors of his ways and continue to develop the AC project, but it’s also equally important for him to resist the seemingly regular temptations to poke his nose into the tactical developments. Whilst it’s been a Milan tradition to play skillfull, attacking football since the days of Giuseppe Viani in the late 50s, Leonardo needs to be afforded the freedom to find the right level of balance freely and organically.
However, despite any pressure coming from above, Leo really does need to learn the errors of his ways, and fast. Whilst they could actually have found themselves two or three goals up early on against Manchester United, it’s naive to think that you can approach these sorts of games with three forwards who have absolutely no defensive responsibilities, and an aging, more than slightly immobile midfield. A change in formation coupled with perhaps three or four signings next season will see Milan well on their way to achieving the titles they so desperately crave.
Barcelona and Manchester United have shown for the last two or three years that you can still be defensively solid whilst still playing attacking football, whilst Real Madrid and Arsenal look to be following a similar trend this season. The key to all of these sides is a decent sense of balance throughout the respective teams, and also a large degree of discipline despite the often-free flowing playing systems. Firstly, this straight-edged 4-3-3 formation at Milan has to abanonded, in favour of a more modern, multi-dimensional system. What they should be looking to mirror is the increasingly popular fluid 4-2-3-1 system that can just as easily transform into a 4-5-1, 4-4-1-1 or a 4-2-2-2. With some added personnel, it’d be a mouth-watering prospect to see the Rossoneri line up in similar fashion to this next season:
Sirigu 
Gallas Nesta Silva Srna 
Ambrosini Pirlo 
Pato Ronaldinho Vargas 
Borriello
Salvatore Sirigu has been hugely impressive in goal for Palermo since displacing Rubinho, and despite recently signing a new contract, would most likely cost under 10 million Euros. He is likely to become Italy’s number one when Buffon eventually hangs up his gloves, and he has the potential to be a permanent fixture for Milan for the next decade, and possibly beyond.
The signings of Gallas and Srna would transform the defence completely. Srna would admittedly be pricey with Shakthar in such a healthy financial position, possibly in the region of 15 million Euros, but William Gallas’ contract with Arsenal expires in the summer, and the opportunity would be there for Milan to pick up a tremendous bargain if they declare their interest now. Obviously his preferred position is centre back, but he offers versatility and experience, and he could be the longer term replacement for Nesta centrally whilst filling in at right back next season to add some much needed solidity to that flank with Pato playing ahead of him.
Juan Manuel Vargas could add an incredible level of energy to the left flank, and could potentially be highly destructive in combination with the forward-thinking Dario Srna. Vargas offers goals, regular assists and also the added bonus of a high work rate – something Ronaldinho certainly does not offer in a fairly similar position right now.
In the bigger games, Leo could consider dropping either Pato or Borriello and playing Mancini on the right, should Milan decide to sign him permanently. Another option if Milan want to add depth on the wings is to approach the highly rated Milos Krasic of CSKA, who is also available on a free transfer at the end of the Russian season. Seedorf still has the ability to operate in this sort of position in small doses, and there’s also always the chance that Beckham could once again return for a third loan spell next season.
Finally, I would be looking to replace Pirlo within the next year or two. Whilst I’ve long been an admirer,&nbsp; it’s now getting to the point where he’s slowly becoming too much of a luxury player, and almost acting as a burden if they do want to play a more fast-paced, free-flowing game. Marcelo Lippi has it right in the national team by playing him as more of an advanced trequartista, but unfortunately for Pirlo, Milan already have Ronaldinho who can operate in this role far more effectively. If you look at the deep-lying playmakers at the other top clubs using similar systems to the one I propose, such as Michael Carrick and Xabi Alonso, you’ll notice that they actually offer a high level of defensive cover, which Pirlo has never really been able to offer to quite the same extent, and certainly won’t be able to as he drifts into the dreaded thirties. This is obviously a highly specialised position, so the top players will come at a premium price, so it may be wise for Milan to look for a younger, less polished player who can be developed to play in this role for years to come. Stefan Defour, just 21 years old, at Standard Liege is an ideal candidate for this role.
The total price of these players would admittedly be rather significant, but unfortunately it’s a price Berlusconi will have to pay if Milan are to continue playing exciting, attacking football and bring success in doing so. What he has to decide now is if he’s content to continue playing second fiddle to Europe’s other giants, or if he’s genuinely ready to make a financial sacrifice (money which should by all logic be available following the sale of Kaka anyway) in order to help Milan climb from their knees and put on the show we’d all love to see at the Giuseppe Meazza.

How Milan Can Become Great Again

How Milan Can Become Great Again - World Soccer Talk

<div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-1965 alignright" src="/files/2010/01/david-beckham_1249635c-300x187.jpg" alt="AC Milan welcomes back David Beckham" width="300" height="187"></figure></div>
Like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day, Italian soccer has returned to our airwaves, and this week’s matches saw the return of David Beckham, the goal of the year, and some good calcio as well.&nbsp; As reports roll in of players leaving Italy in transfers, the question is what moves will the contenders make in the next few weeks to boost their run at the scudetto or a European competition.
Marco Borriello Scored the Goal of the Season
Please debate in the comments section below, but you cannot argue that the Italian national’s goal was not a thing of beauty.&nbsp; Luca Antonini’s pass across the goal to an open Borriello who bicycle kicks it into the net was fabulous.&nbsp; Even more fabulous for Milan fans was the 5-2 thrashing given to Genoa and the successful return of David Beckham.
Napoli is the New Surprise Team in the Fourth Slot
A 2-0 win over a pathetic Atalanta squad moved Napoli into sole possession of fourth in the standings, and extended their unbeaten streak to 11 matches.&nbsp; Their next three matches are against top 10 clubs, however, and they will be a good test of if they are legit.&nbsp; The loss sent Atalanta manager Antonio Conte into retirement again and the only drama related to their season right now is if they will finish last, or in the 19th spot.
Cassano Now the Key to Sampdoria Success
Sampdoria’s slide from top of the table to out of a European spot was aided Wednesday with a 1-1 draw at Palermo.&nbsp; With the news that Marius Stankevicius is being <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=721673&amp;sec=transfers&amp;cc=5901&amp;cc=5901" target="_blank">loaned</a> to Seville, it is up to super-scorer Antonio Cassano to help right the club and spark them to victory.&nbsp; Four of their next five matches are against bottom half clubs, so a good time to rally their season would be the next few weeks.
Bari Faces Critical Ten Days
In the interest of full disclosure, I am a Bari supporter.&nbsp; However, everyone should be impressed with their recent form.&nbsp; After ending the 2009 calendar year with a 3-1 victory over Juventus and not playing for almost a month (their final game of the year was “snowed out”) the club quickly took care of a slumping Udinese squad that was missing its leading scorer.&nbsp; From Serie B last year to 3 points off a Champions League spot this year, the Galletti are flying high.&nbsp; But the next two weeks should be telling – they play at Fiorentina and host Inter, plus could lose Leonardo Bonucci and/or Andrea Ranocchia to transfer.
Racism Stories Continue to Haunt Serie A 

Super Mario Balotelli is immensely talented and a benefit to any club.&nbsp; Normally, Inter would be crazy to loan or sell him elsewhere.&nbsp; But controversy continues to follow the young man; this week after the Chievo victory he was <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=722126&amp;sec=europe&amp;cc=5901&amp;cc=5901" target="_blank">fined</a> for provoking the opposition fans because of what he perceived to be racial insults.&nbsp; The same day Inter was fined for the racial taunts of its own fans.&nbsp; I suspect this will not be the last time we hear of fines for racism, but this soccer fan is sick of continually reading about it.

Lessons Learned from Giornata 18

Lessons Learned from Giornata 18 - World Soccer Talk

<h4>Match Day headlines</h4>
Buffon Out Manninger In 
Totti Injury Recovery On-going 
Borriello To The Rescue
<h4></h4>
<h4></h4>
<h4></h4>
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Serie A Match Day Four &#8211; Halftime Scores

Serie A Match Day Four - Halftime Scores - World Soccer Talk

Serie A Match Day Four – Halftime Scores

The 2008-2009 season starts end of&nbsp;month but several&nbsp;big names will be missing come opening day.&nbsp; AC Milan especially are showing their weakened status with several poor performances in pre-season, including a 0 – 5 loss to London’s Chelsea last week in Russia.
Who do you think will be the most obvious missing link come match day 1, August 31 ?
references:
Football Italia – <a href="http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/aug3h.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chelsea Crush Mutant Milan</a> 
Goal.com – Ancelotti Hopes To Avoid New Humiliation

Most Expensive Injuries In Serie A

Most Expensive Injuries In Serie A - World Soccer Talk

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