NY Coed Soccer

Italian Round-Up (With Goals)

Sicilian soccer is enjoying a rare moment in the spotlight. For three decades, the island's teams have languished in the lower divisions, but now two are at the very top.

Palermo went clear into the lead of Serie A with a derby victory, 5-3, over Catania on Wednesday and goes into the fourth round of games Sunday with a maximum of nine points. Catania, which has also played impressively, will face second-place Messina in another all-Sicilian encounter Saturday. But it is Palermo's start to the season that has caught Italy's attention.

Five different players were on target against Catania, and Palermo has scored more goals (11) than any other side. Still, it also has the worst defensive record, conceding seven, a total matched only by Reggina.

"We are showing that we are a team that has plenty of sources for goals and that produces good football," the coach, Francesco Guidolin, said after the derby victory. "But we need to keep our concentration levels higher while keeping our prolific record in front of goal."

While Palermo enjoys its first spell alone at the top of the table, Inter Milan is hoping it can catch up quickly and prove why it was the preseason favorite.

Roberto Mancini's side made a stuttering start to the season, but on Wednesday it finally looked the part in an impressive 1-0 victory at Roma:  Crespo

Inter will be without Patrick Vieira for its home game Sunday against Chievo after the French midfielder was sent off in Rome.

Juventus's relegation to Serie B and the eight-point penalty against AC Milan in the match-fixing scandal led to Inter becoming the favorite. Milan has already wiped out its penalty, with three consecutive victories.

In other action last, Romanian striker Adrian Mutu scores the winner against his former club :  Fiorentina 1-0 Parma

Old Doubts Surface At Inter

Internazionale's 1-0 Champions' League defeat by Sporting Lisbon was only their third match of the season, but already the old doubts and demons are swirling around the side.

Earlier this week the Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho said the Italian champions' off-season transfer campaign had made them "the best squad in the world", and they fielded seven new signings against Sporting, including Patrick Vieira, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Hernan Crespo.

The result and performance, however, was depressingly familiar:  Inter Milan

Italian Round-Up

SERIE A: In Italy, Milan's coach, Carlo Ancelotti, praised his new signing Ricardo Oliveira after the Brazilian scored in the 2-1 win against Lazio yesterday. Filippo Inzaghi was also on target for the Rossoneri, who started the season on minus eight points because of the match-fixing scandal.

Internazionale beat Fiorentina 3-2 on Saturday after two rare goals from the defensive midfielder Esteban Cambiasso and Roma beat Livorno 2-0.

But the biggest news of the weekend was Juventus' appearance in Serie B at Rimini, following their demotion for match-fixing:  Juventus

Knives Out For Italy Manager

Following Italy's home draw with Lithuania and their convincing defeat at the hands of France, the Italian press has wasted no time in attacking new coach Roberto Donadoni, with one newspaper providing a guide on "How to reduce Lippi's masterwork to pieces in just three weeks":  Italy

Meanwhile, after a close season of upheavel, Serie A kicks-off this weekend with no one knowing what to expect :  Serie A

The Shaming Of A Nation

Within a week of Italy winning the World Cup, the clubs that had provided 13 players of the triumphant squad were punished in devastating fashion. One man used his influence through media, politics and football. This is how Luciano Moggi brought down one of Europe's greatest clubs - and shamed a nation:  Italy

Inter "Celebrate" Winning Title

Inter Milan kept celebrations of the club's 14th Italian league title low-key, after being given the 2006 scudetto stripped from Juventus for match-fixing. Inter actually came third in Serie A last season, behind Juventus and cross-town rivals AC Milan .

"It's a just reward for our honesty," said Inter coach Roberto Mancini:  Inter Celebrate

Meanwhile former European Footballer of the Year Pavel Nedved has pledged to end his career with fallen Italian giants Juventus.

Despite his illustrious past, the Czech international said he is happy to follow the club into Serie B, following its relegation for match-fixing.

"I have decided to end my career with Juventus," the 33-year-old said Thursday.

"Soccer is always soccer for me, Serie A or B does not make any difference, if you face it with the right spirit."

Punishments Slashed But Appeals To Continue

The Italian clubs implicated in a match-fixing scandal have had their punishments slashed on appeal.

Lazio and Fiorentina have been reinstated to Serie A - but with points deductions increased from 12 to 19 for Fiorentina and seven to 11 for Lazio. Juventus' hopes of overturning demotion to Serie B were dashed, but instead of starting on minus 30 points, they have only had 17 points taken away.

AC Milan stay in Serie A, with their penalty cut from 15 points to eight. Milan have also been allowed to play in the Champions League qualifying rounds this season - having originally been barred from Europe.

But the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) sports court upheld the decision to strip Juventus of their last two Serie A titles. However the Turin giants have said they continue to appeal. The country's system of justice in sport offers one more level of appeal, before the Turin club can move their case to a civil court.

"We will exhaust the sporting justice procedure," club chief Giovanni Cobolli Gigli told Gazzetta dello Sport. "If we aren't satisfied at that stage then we will go to the regional court."

In 2003, three teams relegated from Serie B turned successfully to regional courts to regain their status in the second division.

This has the potential to rumble on...

Relegation Acceptable For Juventus

In an extraordinary development in the Italian match-fixing hearing in Rome, the lawyer acting for Juventus said yesterday the club would accept relegation to Serie B next season as punishment, while Milan and Lazio claimed to have no case to answer.

Cesare Zaccone, who is defending Juve, told the judge, Cesare Ruperto: "The acceptable sanction would be that which has been proposed for the other clubs facing the same charges: Serie B with penalty points." He was gently reprimanded by Ruperto: "Don't say 'acceptable' - it sounds like you're bargaining with me."

Zaccone's observation came in response to the draconian punishments requested on Tuesday by Stefano Palazzi, the prosecutor for the Italian Football Federation. Palazzi had called for Juventus to be relegated to the third or fourth division, Serie C1 or C2, with six points deducted, for Fiorentina and Lazio to be sent down to the second division, Serie B, with 15 points deducted, and for Milan to be relegated to the second division with three points deducted. Final verdicts are expected between 20 and 27 July.

Juve Team Manager Takes A Suspicious Fall

Juventus team manager and former defender Gianluca Pessotto has been seriously injured after falling from a building at the club's headquarters.

"Gianluca suffered multiple fractures, but his life is not in danger," said Juventus spokesman Marco Girotto. It is unclear where exactly the 35-year-old fell from - early reports suggested he had fallen out of a second-floor window, but now it seems he may have fallen from the roof of the building. Club officials said they were unable to give details and were looking into all possibilities.

According to police sources, Pessotto was found clutching a rosary, having fallen around 15 metres to the ground, although they insisted it was still unclear what had happened. Pessotto, who only retired at the end of last season after spending 11 seasons with Juventus, was taken to the Molinette hospital in Turin.

Italy captain and former Juve team-mate Fabio Cannavaro walked out of a national squad press conference this morning after hearing about the accident. "I'm shocked. 'Pessottino' is the nicest man on earth," said Cannavaro, while Marco Materazzi added: "He was here in Germany just the other day, what happened? He's a friend who must recover. We are all close to him."

After recently being assigned his new role after the club's entire board resigned in May, Pessotto had said: "It's an opportunity that allows me to start a new career and at the same time remain in contact with the team."

Juventus are currently facing charges relating to the massive match-fixing scandal rocking Italy. The scandal began last month with the publication of intecepted telephone conversations between former Juventus general manager Luciano Moggi and Italian Football Federation officials discussing refereeing appointments.

"They've Murdered My Soul!"

... so says Juventus general manager Luciano Moggi, the man at the center of the Italian soccer storm and the one who locked a referee and his linesmen in their dressing room after a Juve defeat. Matters are set to intensify in the next few days and weeks and will likely render this Italian league season irrelevent:  Moggi

Unfortunately scandal is not confined to Italy. The end to the Czech season has come tarnished with foul play :  Czech Mate