Italy return to winning ways and ex-Gers' update.
Italy returned to winning ways with a 1-0 defeat of Portugal at the Marassi in Genoa.
It is true that gli azzurri usually beat the Portuguese but Wednesday night's victory has helped lift the cloud of depression that has hung over the National team since the World Cup. The only downside has been the continuing furore surrounding Roberto Baggio, the diminutive genius being quoted as saying he didn't even watch the match. To the positives,Camoranesi was brilliant, all he has to do now is learn the words to the national anthem. He's the latest in a long line of Argentinians to play for Italy, let's hope he can equal their success. The goalscorer Corradi also impressed, as did Serie A's player of the moment Miccoli. Both players took the chance offered by injuries to Del Piero, Vieri and Totti and look to have secured further opportunities under Trapattoni's guidance.
Italy played some great football and this should be a welcome boost ahead of the nextEuro 2004 qualifier, which is against Finland on the 29th on March.
Trapattoni may have at last found the formation and tactics which bring out the best in the talented players he has at his disposal.
One of the least noticed stories since Christmas is the slide of Francesco Guidolin's Bologna. Before the break, they were in sixth position, a mere two points behind Juventus and boasted the second best defence in the league, behind Milan. They are still a healthy eighth in the standings but the gap to second-placed Juve has widened to fourteen points. The previously resolute defence has conceded eleven goals in five games and last weekend's
3-2 home defeat to Atalanta perhaps highlighted their problems. The defence, without Vanoli and Zanchi is porous, additionally Cruz can't score any more and their prospects don't look too good. This weekend they travel to Piacenza, hardly a team in form either, and must look to halt their worrying slide.
As promised last week, another quick update on ex-Gers in Italy. Starting from the bottom and working up we have Sergio Porrini. The full-back has left Alessandria in C2 and is now playing with Padova in C1. Now thirty-five, Sergio must have been delighted to get this opportunity to step up a league. Marco Negri is continuing his fine form with Livorno. He scored last week in a 1-1 draw as Donadoni's team continued their fine season. They currently lie sixth in Serie B and a swansong in A is a distinct possibility for Marco. Luigi Riccio and Gennaro Gattuso continue to ply their trade in A with Piacenza and Milan respectively. Things are slightly more worrying for Rino though as Milan's form has dipped and he will have to fight with Camoranesi for a place on the right-side of Italy's midfield as his chances of playing in the centre seem to have diminished. More in a few weeks.
Claudio Gentile, a World Cup winner with the great Italian team of 1982, is now coach of gli azzurrini, the Italian U21's. On Tuesday night they faced David Platt's England and beat them 1-0, thanks to a goal by Marco Borriello after seventy-four minutes. I remember being impressed by Borriello when he scored at Ibrox in our 2-2 pre-season draw with Milan. Since then he has been loaned out to Serie A surprise team Empoli. Refreshingly, young Marco welcomed this move to boost his experience. I'm sure we'll hear a lot about
this striker in the years to come. The win was achieved without Antonio Cassano, Roma's volatile superstar, but another youngster also impressed.
Matteo Brighi is a defensive midfielder who is on loan to Parma from
Juventus. He was one of the best players on the park and looks to have a bright future.
Continuing the World Cup winner's theme, the great Beppe Bergomi was linked with the Cosenza job after the dismissal of Emiliano Mondonico. Apparently they couldn't arrange terms though and Nedo Sonnetti is the new coach of the Southerners. Cosenza's next game is at home to resurgent Napoli.
Final word this week on Roberto Baggio. Trap has accused Baggio of allowing others to talk for him but Roberto is maintaining a dignified silence and after being excluded from Trapattoni's Italian squad, it looks likely that the FIGC will arrange a benefit match for Il Divino Codino and Paolo Maldini. They certainly deserve it and both are playing as well as ever. In fact, Maldini was asked to return to the international team but declined, preferring to concentrate on
Milan's assualt on three trophies. As for Roberto, he may end his career with Florentia Viola. Plans are afoot for him to return to Florence and once again grace the Artemio Franchi. The Florentines look set for promotion to Serie C1, with Baggio in the side another promotion to B would be attainable.
Last weekend's results:
Udinese 2 Piacenza 1
Juventus 1 Empoli 0
Brescia 0 Chievo 0
Como 2 Parma 2
Inter 3 Reggina 0
Lazio 1 Torino 1
Modena 1 Roma 1
Perugia 1 Milan 0
Bologna 2 Atalanta 3
Standings after 20 games:
Inter 45
Milan 42
Juventus 42
Lazio 38
Chievo 34
Udinese 32
This weekend's fixtures:
Atalanta Udinese
Chievo Inter
Empoli Perugia
Milan Lazio
Parma Juventus
Piacenza Bologna
Reggina Como
Roma Brescia
Torino Modena
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