European Football Forum

Subject: Re: Serie A - The 2007-08 season thread Mon May 12, 2008 12:38 am

Materazzi: I'm so sorry
Sunday 11 May, 2008

Massimo Materazzi admits he should have left the penalty to Julio Cruz, but was swayed by memories of last season’s Scudetto celebrations.

The defender insisted on taking the spot-kick in the 2-2 draw with Siena that was saved by Alex Manninger,

“Unfortunately it went badly,” said Matrix after the result sliced Inter’s lead to just one point from Roma.

Roberto Mancini confirmed Cruz was the designated spot-kick taker, but Materazzi took control, remembering he had bagged a brace against Siena to seal the title last year.

“I think last season the order of penalty-takers was the same, but at the time and today I felt like taking it. Unfortunately I made a mistake.

“Perhaps with hindsight I should have left it to Cruz. I apologised to him afterwards.”

Cruz was furious at the decision and had to be held back by teammates so that Materazzi could take the kick.

Not only was Mancini angry with him, but in the stands President Massimo Moratti was clearly caught on camera saying: ‘Materazzi lost us the game.’

“I heard about that, but in all honesty I think at that moment every single Inter fan hurled some kind of abuse at me,” said the Italian international.

“This is part of the sport and the sense of disappointment it can give you, so I can’t complain.”

The Scudetto celebrations have been in place for several weeks now, but it’ll all go down to the wire when Inter travel to Parma and Roma visit Catania.

“There is disappointment for a game we could have won, but we must look forward now and wait for next Sunday. It’ll be a Cup Final against Parma.”

lol!

Subject: Re: Serie A - The 2007-08 season thread Mon May 12, 2008 12:38 am

Cambiasso ankle setback
Sunday 11 May, 2008

Inter will be without midfield talisman Esteban Cambiasso for the rest of the season after he sustained an ankle injury.

The Argentine was carried off during today’s 2-2 draw with Siena and there were fears of a fractured ankle.

However, tests have now confirmed there is only a sprain, albeit with additional ligament damage to his right ankle.

This means Cambiasso is definitely out of next Sunday’s Scudetto decider with Parma at the Stadio Tardini.

He is also set to miss the Coppa Italia Final against Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on May 24.

Coach Roberto Mancini must already do without Olivier Dacourt, Walter Samuel, Ivan Cordoba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Luis Figo, Santiago Solari and Cristian Chivu.

Dejan Stankovic is also an injury doubt for the midfield, so Javier Zanetti is set to move into the centre.

Subject: Re: Serie A - The 2007-08 season thread Mon May 12, 2008 12:43 am

Subject: Re: Serie A - The 2007-08 season thread Mon May 12, 2008 1:08 am

Subject: Re: Serie A - The 2007-08 season thread Mon May 12, 2008 1:28 am

^ I'm not holding my breath to see what transfer dealings will be done this summer.
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Subject: Re: Serie A - The 2007-08 season thread Mon May 12, 2008 2:45 am

Subject: Re: Serie A - The 2007-08 season thread Mon May 12, 2008 3:58 am

Player Club Goals
Trezeguet Juventus 19 (1 pen)
Del Piero Juventus 19 (2)
Borriello Genoa 19 (5)
Di Natale Udinese 17 (2)
Mutu Fiorentina 17 (6)
Amauri Palermo 15 (2)
Kaka Milan 15 (6)
Ibrahimovic Inter 15 [8]
Pandev Lazio 14 (1)
Totti Roma 14 (3)
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“I did not think that after what had happened they would be competitive, with stubbornness, pride and results. Well done.” Massimo Morrati on Juventus

Subject: Re: Serie A - The 2007-08 season thread Mon May 12, 2008 4:27 am

Subject: Re: Serie A - The 2007-08 season thread Mon May 12, 2008 9:47 am

I think the main problem is Ancelotti not wanting (or he can't) to change a system that worked in the past but not anymore. We can't still play with 3 DM when our fullbacks aren't very good. He did change the system against Roma and we played good but lost (2 goals in 3 min) so he got scared and return to this formation. I hope he grows some balls and play a 2 striker formation next season.
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MAGICA STEAUA

Subject: Re: Serie A - The 2007-08 season thread Mon May 12, 2008 11:59 am

Siena was founded by Senius, son of Remus, who was in turn the brother of Romulus, after whom Rome was named. Statues and other artwork depicting a she-wolf suckling the young twins Romulus and Remus can be seen all over the city of Siena.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vkJ1vphGMU&eurl=http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=689214&page=2 lol!

GRAZIE SIENA! Whoop

This Thing Ain’t Over. One point, One game. It's all set up for one of Serie A's biggest finale's. It's all scripted for a giallorossi victory, good Vs Evil, all of Italy cheering on the boys from the capital. It's all scripted for the Roman gladiators to lift the scudetto. Former Roma player kharja scoring the equaliser for Siena, Inter's opponents next week being the team Roma won against the last time the Wolves won Italy's biggest trophy. And lastly, well it's Inter, the biggest chokers this side of Europe.

Regardless of the results next week. I am of the opinion that the winners will have deserved it. Forget about what has gone on this season, the team that does the business next weekend will have deserved to pick up the Scudetto. At the same time I'd be willing to give up my Kidney just to see the Giallorossi create one of the greatest days of my life.

FORZA GIALLOBLU!!! FORZA LA MAGICA!!!

Just a small town girl
Living in a lonely world
She took the midnight train going anywhere
Just a city boy
Born and raised in South Detroit
He took the midnight train going anywhere
A singer in a smoky room
A smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on and on and on
{Refrain}
Strangers, waiting, up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Streetlight people, living just to find emotion
Hiding somewhere in the night
Working hard to get my fill
Everybody wants a thrill
Paying anything to roll the dice
Just one more time
Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on
Don’t stop believing
Hold on to that feeling
Streetlight people

Dimmi cos’e, che ci fa sentire amici anche se non ci conosciamo!

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Subject: Re: Serie A - The 2007-08 season thread Mon May 12, 2008 12:02 pm

Subject: Re: Serie A - The 2007-08 season thread Mon May 12, 2008 12:27 pm

Subject: Re: Serie A - The 2007-08 season thread Mon May 12, 2008 12:40 pm

Subject: Re: Serie A - The 2007-08 season thread Mon May 12, 2008 12:43 pm

Classy Inter fans :

Beretta fears Inter reprisal
Monday 12 May, 2008

Mario Beretta is under police protection and his family evacuated their Milan home after his Siena side ruined Inter’s Scudetto party yesterday.

Milan-born tactician Beretta had promised that his Robur side would stop Inter, but even he surely couldn’t have imagined they would deliver a 2-2 draw in front of a sell-out crowd awaiting glory.

As he left San Siro yesterday the 48-year-old tactician, who is known to be a Milan fan, was surrounded by angry Inter supporters, who yelled threats at him while he was escorted away from the ground by police.

During a succession of anti-Milan chants, one angry onlooker shouted, “We know where you live and we’re coming to get you.”

Beretta’s wife and two children were with the worried Coach and it is believed that the family didn’t return to their house on the outskirts of Milan due to fears for their safety.

Having delivered survival to Siena, Beretta is expected to have contract talks at the Stadio Artemio Franchi within the next few weeks.

Subject: Re: Serie A - The 2007-08 season thread Mon May 12, 2008 12:55 pm

Subject: Re: Serie A - The 2007-08 season thread Mon May 12, 2008 8:06 pm

Inter fan destroys TV set as Materazzi misses spot kick

Milan - An Inter Milan fan in Pisa threw a television set out of his third-floor window after a squandered spot kick during a weekend game denied his side the Serie A title, Italian media reported Monday. The man reportedly lost his composure when he watched Inter defender Marco Materazzi having his penalty saved by Siena goalkeeper Alex Manninger, to leave the score at 2-2.

The result allowed second-place Roma to move within one point of Inter with one game left. Had Inter won the game, they would have secured a third straight title.

The television exploded as it hit the ground in the yard of the apartment block. Police have charged the man with hurling dangerous objects.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/204819,inter-fan-destroys-tv-set-as-materazzi-misses-spot-kick.html
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lol!

Subject: Re: Serie A - The 2007-08 season thread Mon May 12, 2008 9:13 pm

Parma have sacked Cuper! What's happened to this guy, can't last even half a season at his clubs any more...any updates from regular Serie A watchers on this - was it expected, or a shock?

Subject: Re: Serie A - The 2007-08 season thread Mon May 12, 2008 9:17 pm

Nervous Inter threaten to repeat collapse

MILAN, May 12 (Reuters) - Inter Milan's title jitters are giving their fans painful flashbacks of the 2002 season when they managed to surrender the scudetto on the final day.

A repeat next weekend would be even more shocking and signal one of the biggest collapses in modern soccer.

Roberto Mancini's side were 11 points clear in mid-February, but with one round of games left they lead AS Roma by just one.

The 2-1 defeat by AC Milan two weekends ago knocked their confidence slightly, but they always knew a home game with Siena on Sunday offered the perfect chance to retain their crown.

Instead, Inter drew 2-2 after losing the lead twice and Marco Materazzi had infuriated his team mates, fans and coach. The centre back decided he would take the 78th minute penalty which would have handed the scudetto to Inter, given that he netted the spotkick against Siena which clinched the championship the previous season.

However, Argentina striker Julio Cruz was the nominated taker. The pair argued and Cruz had to be pulled away.

Materazzi's effort was saved and the defender, in the Siena box during an attack, also managed to get in the way of a goalbound shot from Cruz to compound his misery.

After helping Italy win the World Cup in Germany two years ago and then leading Inter's 2007 title charge, Materazzi had become an idol, but not anymore.

'The Hero of Berlin returns to earth and loses his people,' said a headline in Gazzetta dello Sport, which also labelled the team 'PsychoInter'.

Inter finished third in 2006 but were awarded the title in a courtroom following Italy's match-fixing scandal. Last season, with Juventus in Serie B and AC Milan having points docked, Inter romped to the championship without much competition. This time, the pressure is on and parallels with 2002 are being drawn.

Inter had not won a scudetto since 1989 when they led Serie A heading into the final day that year. They contrived to lose 4-2 at Lazio and Juventus took the title.

Inter's coach back then was Hector Cuper. Next Sunday Inter will be without injured talisman Esteban Cambiasso when they travel to relegation-threatened Parma, now managed by Cuper.

Roma, who meet Inter in the Italian Cup final on May 24, have a tricky trip too, however.

Luciano Spalletti's team visit a Catania side still in the relegation mix and coached by former Inter goalkeeping great Walter Zenga.

Rarely can two final-day matches have meant so much at both ends of the table.

Subject: Re: Serie A - The 2007-08 season thread Mon May 12, 2008 9:18 pm