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00:00:01
A Dramatic Scudetto Showdown (Serie A Match Week #37 Review & Match Week #38 Preview)
34 Plays17 days ago
In this episode of Calcio Culture, the hosts discuss the thrilling events of Match Week 37 in Serie A, Bologna's historic Coppa Italia victory, the chaotic Scudetto race, and the implications heading into the final match week of the season. The hosts discuss the recent performances of AC Milan, AS Roma, Juventus, and Fiorentina as the Serie A season approaches its conclusion. They analyze Milan's struggles and potential changes, Roma's resurgence under Ranieri, Juventus' fight for Champions League qualification, and Fiorentina's push for European football. The conversation also touches on the relegation battle and the drama surrounding Serie B, highlighting financial irregularities and the implications for teams involved.
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Transcript
00:00:00
Speaker
Welcome, paisanos, to another episode of Calcio Culture. On today's episode, we will be talking about Coppa Italia Final, Match Week 37, pure chaos, with goals, red cards, and more dropped points.
00:00:14
Speaker
We had 29 goals scored, four first-place lead changes, with late PK drama, seven total red cards, two players, and five managers. Atalanta securing third place.
00:00:26
Speaker
Milan said no thank you to European Footy. Juve and Roma secure European ball with wins. Como finish in 10th. Cagliari secure safety.
00:00:36
Speaker
And then we have a preview of match week 38 and what is left to play for on the final match day. We have the Scudetto, the final Champions League spot, Europa League spot, Conference League, and then two relegation spots between Verona, Parma, Lecce, Empoli, and Venezia.
00:01:00
Speaker
Ciao, Ragazzi. We're back for another episode. You got Vos and Mats on the horn today. Logs, in typical fashion, is back at another hiatus. We had an insane match week 37. The scheduling, i was kind of out on at first, but all the matches happening at the same time ended up being some fantastic football.
00:01:16
Speaker
I tweeted about it. I said before the matches started, You better be watching Serie A if you don't already. And I was 100% right. It was absolute chaos. It was classic Serie A with so much drama. Red cards flying.
00:01:29
Speaker
Bunch of managers sent off. Set up a very interesting last match week. 38 though, Mops. Yeah, going to be crazy match week 38. Match week 37 was insane. I think you tweeted it out. If you're not watching, so or this is the reason why you should be watching Serie just because of the absolute chaos that happened in match week 37.
00:01:49
Speaker
I did kind of agree with you that all the 245 games or putting the slates at 245 was tough because you can't watch them all or and you can't concentrate on everything, but it worked out amazing. Like you were, we were watching, i was watching the Napoli game And when Inter had that PK, all the Napoli fans went berserk.
00:02:09
Speaker
And so it it was it worked out great. um Don't know why they're not doing it again, but we'll get into all of that this episode. i' Excited for you. This was a crazy, crazy match week. And I anticipate match week 38 being the same.
00:02:24
Speaker
um But before we kind of dive into it, want to give two two players shout outs. It is their birthday today. um The first one is the GOAT, the best player of all time in my eyes, Andrea Pirlo.
00:02:37
Speaker
Happy birthday. And he shares the birthday with an up-and-coming Italian defender who is a friend of the pod, Riccardo Calafiori. Turns 23 today, so happy birthday to both those paisanos Two Italian legends, one of them on the upswing, one of them nowhere to be found these days. I don't believe.
00:02:59
Speaker
Yeah. Uh, but Sam Doria could have, could have used them. Yeah, they could have. Clearly, we'll talk about that in a little bit. um But before we get into match week 37 and 38, we do need to talk about a a massive moment that happened midweek, right? it was It feels like this was like a month ago after this weekend.
00:03:15
Speaker
But the Copa Italia final was played in Rome, and Bologna ultimately won that game, hosting hoisting their first trophy in 51 years um on the back of a Daniel and Doigle.
00:03:26
Speaker
And for the most part, watching that game, I thought Bologna bossed it. I think the stats actually paint a better picture about Milan than what actually happened. um And this is just a very, I'm excited that this happened. I think everybody's very happy for Vincenzo Italiano because his whole thing has been not being able to win trophies.
00:03:44
Speaker
He got the finals of Fiorentina, couldn't get it done, was kind of stagnant with Fiorentina. A lot of the the narrative around this team this year, especially we've talked about, I think you've said a a lot, Matses.
00:03:55
Speaker
We've seen great football, but it's more or less the same thing we saw Jorantina. Like, he's going to finish in maybe a conference league spot. It's hard to say. We're going to see what happens at the weekend. But with this now, he finally has something to point to. Like, I got this one done. The the the product on the pitch looks phenomenal.
00:04:10
Speaker
And to actually get a trophy with that... says a lot. I don't think there was ever going to be a discussion around letting Italiano go at the end of the year, but this definitely, i think this amplifies his stock because everybody likes Italiano, knows what he's capable of, but it it's probably always been a question of what caliber manager is he actually, if he could never get Fiorentina past that hump.
00:04:32
Speaker
It seems like Bologna is going to get better next year, maybe push for a higher up European spot, get back in the Champions League maybe, but at the end of the day, massive trophy first major trophy in 51 years for bologna yeah and first trophy for italiana right got to three straight euro uh conference league finals lost them all so he finally got that monkey off his back and who knows maybe this is going to be the momentum he needs to string together some trophy winning seasons with this with this bologna squad uh but massive massive for their bologna's history being 51 years since they last won the copa
00:05:07
Speaker
um And their sporting director actually said in an interview before the game, which one would you prefer to win? Fourth Champions League spot, that fourth place spot or the Copa? And he said, Copa, I want my I want these fans to to lift a trophy. It's been so long.
00:05:22
Speaker
and um And and then they got it done. And so now Bologna is building something here. We said that the start of the season there. Yes, they kind of got picked apart, but we kind of we did see that they they kept some of their pillars around and they're building something. And now they have a trophy on their resume as well.
00:05:40
Speaker
um Once again, though. They're going to have to fend off some some people buying their their players again in the summer and then reload. But Bologna is officially taking this next step and becoming into the upper echelon of teams in this league.
00:05:56
Speaker
And I think it's going to be a force. It's not going to be an easy out when you play Bologna in the future. Definitely. i think the other thing that this Copa Italia win does do I think players are maybe more apt to staying at this point because if they finished if they finish this, no European ball, no trophies, it's very different from you're automatically qualified for Europa League now, so you don't necessarily need to be in that spot.
00:06:22
Speaker
All these players have a trophy. They play great together. So maybe there is a case now to keep Lukumi from leaving. to keep Daniel Ndoy from leaving, even Lewis Ferguson is linked elsewhere, there's so many players like this, that now maybe there is a case for them to stay. Possibly. That's not a bad shout. And what I will say is, obviously, last year, what Bologna did, nobody saw coming. Amazing they made the Champions League.
00:06:45
Speaker
my Maybe that came too quick, right? The Champions League is obviously a different beast in and of itself. We haven't had an Italian team win it since Inter, although Inter and Juventus have been in the Champions League final, the only teams to be in the Champions final over the last 20 years for a Serie A squad. So even Italy teams are somewhat struggling in that competition, but them in the Europa League,
00:07:10
Speaker
I don't see them. I see them being a one of or maybe not the favorite, but a top four, top five team in that competition. And it being very realistic for them to go win that trophy and hoist that at the end of the season in the Europa League um because of how good their players are and how good they play as a team.
00:07:29
Speaker
Yeah, especially with now having Champions League experience. Granted, they they were bad in the Champions League this year. They weren't ready yet. They they weren't at their peak form. But now you have that experience of going playing against some of the best teams in the world, traveling outside of the country, that that sort of thing.
00:07:43
Speaker
And then when you take that into the Europa League, there's nothing wrong with winning the Europa League either. I think Europa League is a great tournament. Yeah, it's been poo-pooed a lot as kind of like a... Some people say, i mean, what would Logue say?
00:07:54
Speaker
Punt the Europa League if you're belonging next year, 100%. And that is not the case. i mean, we saw everybody go for it. Everybody's devastated and they get knocked out of it. it's it's an It's another trophy that you can win. And if you have an opportunity to go win it, you have to go for it.
00:08:08
Speaker
I also think this is going to play or a huge ah factor in in in their favor with having Italiano because obviously he didn't do good Champions League, but we know he knows how to manage multiple competitions, getting Fiorentina to multiple finals. And especially in European competitions, ah yes, it was a conference league, so it's a slight step up, but we know he can manage two competitions.
00:08:32
Speaker
um And i i very i I back them to have a to make a deep run in that tournament this coming year, which is which will be exciting to see. And the Europa League money is always important too, just for a little bit of boost.
00:08:44
Speaker
They definitely are going to need to build up the squad, but even now, they have a little bit more depth than I think people are realizing. I mean, Pobega is not a number one starter. He's great off the bench. DeLinga, he hasn't scored a lot, but when he's played instead of Castro, he offers a little bit more of link-up. He's starting to find his form as well. Yeah, he's deadly too and in a different sort of way. So when you have that kind of striker partnership, you can you can kind of keep them.
00:09:08
Speaker
The big thing is definitely going to be Endoy and Orselini. I don't know what's going happen. Look Umi as well. they need to keep one of the three of those guys i i would say if you're gonna raise money probably get rid of lucu me if you have to point somewhere i i think that's kind of replaceable he's just a really athletic defender more he does have mental lapses as well like he's been ah he's been poor in some games like he was the reason why milan scored like two of their goals in the match beforehand
00:09:41
Speaker
um So he has really high highs and really low lows. So you can definitely move on from it. I'd also just say last year, people or teams ah mostly in the Prem, but across all of Europe picked, picked apart their team.
00:09:54
Speaker
Right. And, and they reloaded, right. They got guys that when no one's ever heard of, and they're in the same spot that they were in last year. So I have full faith in the athletic or the um front office at Bologna.
00:10:08
Speaker
ah and Italiano to ah rebuild, reduce, rejuvenate the squad with with whoever ends up departing 100%. um hundred percent At this point, Spalletti has to take Orselini, right? Or at least give him a look at some point here.
00:10:22
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, Arcelini, he didn't do it in the Milan ah game. Once again, the game and the in the league when he scored. But he's been his classic selly over the last like two and a half, three months after he scores is he goes and knocks on the camera.
00:10:38
Speaker
like He's knocking on the door for Spaletti to take him to the national team. I don't see how you can't take him. like he's He's in better form than Chiesa right now because he's playing. he's probably He would probably start off the right.
00:10:51
Speaker
Who else would start? like He's better than Pauli Tano. we use Who starts? i mean yeah They might run a 3-5-2. Yeah, that's what it ultimately comes down to. Spaletti's doing all that funky stuff, and I guess that's going be a conversation when next call-ups.
00:11:05
Speaker
We'll see where that's at. But, I mean, this is the perfect way to end the year for Bologna at this point in Match Week 38. Whatever happens, it doesn't really matter. I mean, i don't I actually don't think the game matters at all, actually, because they they're not but fully out of Champions League.
00:11:21
Speaker
They're in Europa League. It's kind of a wash for them. So I would say successful season. Shout out to Italiano. you You can't really ask more of him than this. um And only sky's the limit now for Bologna going into next season.
00:11:34
Speaker
Agreed. Agreed. 100%. Happy for them to raise that trophy. Yeah, it was really it was ah amazing scenes on the pitch too after the game. So that was great. But we got to move on now. Match week 37.
00:11:46
Speaker
insanity. Chaos. The whole thing was insane. It was absolute chaos the the entire time. In every game, for all the spots. It was up and down, up and down table, absolute insanity. um We're going start with the Scudetto race, because I think that's obviously the most important thing right now.
00:12:03
Speaker
Napoli and Inter still in it. Like Mott said on a little preview before this, there were four first place league changes in this. And at one point, it looked like Inter were going to win.
00:12:16
Speaker
and then at another point, the intergame ended in a draw and then Napoli had a penalty in like the 96th minute that went to VAR. The penalty aspect of it was confirmed, but there is a alleged foul in buildup play from Gio Simeone, which ultimately canceled out the penalty.
00:12:35
Speaker
And that would have been a walk-off penalty to win the Scudetto, which would have been absolutely insane. insane But really quick on that. Was it a penalty for you? I guess we'll start with Napoli game because I think it's going to be a little quicker.
00:12:48
Speaker
Okay. I think that it was a penalty, but the there was a clear foul in the buildup. Napoli fouled them to get the ball back. So I understood why they called it no penalty, because the reason why they got in that spot was a foul.
00:13:04
Speaker
um So I agreed with the call. What about you? I thought it was a little bit of a tough foul to pull back the penalty. I guess with like the the stakes that were on the line,
00:13:16
Speaker
probably the safer thing to do if you're the ref like like that i mean that is a very difficult decision to go to the board and be like I'm probably deciding the Scudetto on this call the 97th minute of a game Yeah, I thought Simeone like really did like he clipped him on the ankle and he leaned into him and he definitely he definitely got him.
00:13:38
Speaker
um But I thought ah I mean, if if that wasn't the case, there's obviously a clear PK like he got fouled. David Nairz got murdered. Yeah, 100% murdered. um But I think that that was good refereeing. They went to.
00:13:52
Speaker
um VAR, it's just, it's a little frustrating for Napoli and Napoli fans because you, he didn't make the call right away and you played out the game.
00:14:04
Speaker
ah And then that's what happened at the end of the, like the the run of play. um So that's, that's frustrating. And that's kind of what we have with VAR now.
00:14:15
Speaker
But I do think in the end, the right call was made terms penalty. Yeah, with that. I would agree with that. And interesting about this game for me, I thought Napoli didn't play particularly well. I i think this was partially Conte being aware of the score of the Inter game in knowing that Cal Uri at home is a much more secure three points.
00:14:41
Speaker
And I don't think he really went for it. it When Inter were winning and then Lazio leveled it, it was kind of like he panicked on the bench. And they're like, okay, were they they were like scrambling at Luquois. That was right. like Not knowing whether to attack or defend kind of thing.
00:14:58
Speaker
Right when Inter leveled it, or Lazio, excuse me, leveled it on the penalty, that's when Conte got the red card, which I don't know what happened or why he overreacted like that, but he was trying to fight someone on the Parma sideline. He had to get...
00:15:15
Speaker
yeah to get like grabbed by Lukaku and like, like ushered off the field by like three people. was classic Kante just going berserk, but you got to keep your head. Now Kante's not in the last game. That's, that's big.
00:15:27
Speaker
Um, but obviously neither is Nzagi. We'll talk about that in a little bit, but, uh, This absolute chaos. I don't know where what happened in that moment because i just know that Lazio got that. They scored the PK. like the The commentator literally said Lazio just tied it up, and then they cut to Conte getting a red.
00:15:47
Speaker
So I have no idea what happened. But what I'd say is I said Parma was going be a tough game. um No, they they were very tough. They have won this game. They could have. But I don't think that... like you have to go for this game. Like Kante, I think he needed to send his guys out there more aggressively um because they had ah the the ball the whole game, but they didn't really have a ton of great chances.
00:16:11
Speaker
They had that zombo chance. They had some good ah free kicks. And I do think Parma's goalie played exceptionally well. he saved He saved a bunch of goals. um But you got to just kind of go grab the game and go grab the Scudetto here.
00:16:27
Speaker
um I don't think they did that. And to play off of what you think Inter's doing is not a good strategy at all because at the end of the game, they could, they almost did score in the 96 minute with the Cherby when Barella made that great turn.
00:16:40
Speaker
So then that just blows up in your face if you're playing for Inter's, what Inter's tied, so we're fine. um So that doesn't that didn't make sense to me. um And I would have liked to see these guys be much more aggressive.
00:16:52
Speaker
And I think that it was kind of very similar to the general game. They weren't aggressive enough. Yeah, sure. They scored two goals, but you've had you've had all you need to do is win. and You would have locked up the scat dough and not one person could go get that done.
00:17:07
Speaker
No, I agree. And on on the red card piece. When I was watching it, I thought that he was trying to communicate that we're like going to a back four or something like that. There was something trying to be communicated, and I think it wasn't getting across, and then he was freaking out and kind of didn't want play to restart until it had been sorted out.
00:17:27
Speaker
But he's just so explosive that he couldn't like reset. And it's it's a... Pivotal error. That is really bad that he got sent off. And you need your manager, or the guy that gets everybody motivated on the bench and like lucky for them. And Zagy ended up doing the same thing.
00:17:42
Speaker
um But that was really bad. The other piece of this that I did really that really stood out to me was and I think this kind of goes back to what we talk about, why this would be such a big achievement.
00:17:56
Speaker
When the Inter game was 2-2, and also when when Inter were winning two to one and they were kind of having to chase the game, Conte was going to his bench, but there's nobody to bring on. Once you bring on David Neres, there is actually no other firepower. like He took off Lukaku to put on Gio Simeone, which I don't understand at all. Even if Lukaku has zero energy, like you just need him out there to take up space and be a nuisance.
00:18:19
Speaker
But like the other guys he's bringing on are Philip Billing, Medzogian. Billing looked terrible. Yeah, Billing's not up to Billing had that one massive goal against Inter, but he's not like a goal-scoring threat or anything like that. There's just nowhere to go. It even goes back to the Fuller-Run-Shoo thing. Fuller-Run-Shoo would have been helpful to bring on. and The fact that they were able to do this. Granted, one game without one game a week, they are actually fucked.
00:18:41
Speaker
If they have to play all one game a week, they don't have a team. um Well, they'll get money from Victor Osseman. They'll be able to buy more players. And I thought Raspidori was back to his old ways in this one and not irrelevant. But again, Scott McTominay played phenomenal. Again, he just... I mean, he the Suzuki save on his free kick was ludicrous.
00:19:01
Speaker
And then the other thing is Alex Moret saved the game a couple times too. He did. That's also important to note that. Like, cannot overstate. Like, Parma very much could have won this game. Yeah. i mean, dude, the for for whatever reason, Napoli, like, Politano wasn't in... um At the end of the game, it was more so like Spinazzola a little bit, but I thought more Olivera.
00:19:24
Speaker
They both had cha ah multiple chances to cross the ball into the middle with Lukaku, Zambo and Scott McTominay in the box. And they just kept not crossing it in. They just wanted this recycled play, recycled play, recycled play.
00:19:37
Speaker
They never really got the ball in a dangerous area besides when Zombo went beast mode and flicked it over somebody and then hit the post and then Scott McTominay's free kick. Other than that, there wasn't like clear cut.
00:19:50
Speaker
Oh my goodness. Great chances for Napoli. And I think it was just because they weren't. They weren't kind of sending it like they weren't. They just weren't really trying to put the ball in a dangerous area, like you said, which to me makes no sense because you win this game, you win a league, you know, and like no matter what happens in the intergame.
00:20:07
Speaker
You win it, you win the league. I mean, do you think that was Conte, though? Because I do. i I think it was don't take risks, and part of that was don't cross the ball when two of our midfielders are in the box. like Not every time, obviously, but it just seemed to me like they were playing for don't lose this game. I mean, clearly, clearly because but if you just look at the stats, that's what it says. like They have 70% possession in a.38 XG.
00:20:33
Speaker
The second half, their XG is.06. So they're not trying to overplay their hand or overshow their hand at all. But you've got to go try to score. Yeah, I agree. um Want to move on to Inter?
00:20:49
Speaker
Yeah. Really really quick and part of I don't want to talk about them too much because I hope they don't get relegated. lot of great players on this team. They're very exciting. i like the way they play. I think Boney's going to leave. I think he should go to Napoli, actually, because he's he's been phenomenal. i think He's had some links to Inter.
00:21:05
Speaker
Yeah, i think he's linked to a lot of different teams. He's very good. um Same thing with Soam. There's a lot of good guys on this team. The Cats. Suzuki. Suzuki. it'll be interesting. If they go down, they're definitely getting picked apart.
00:21:16
Speaker
If they stay up, they're still getting picked them apart a little bit. But it'll be interesting. um Other game. little bit more entertaining. Two to two shootout in this one. Inter were up.
00:21:28
Speaker
they They scored in the 47th minute of the first half on a corner. Classic Inter getting a corner kick, scoring on the corner. A Cheruby netted that one. No, Bisek, Bisek, Bisek.
00:21:38
Speaker
Oh, Bisek, you're right, you're right. yeah um'm Still on Barcelona. um Then later on the game, 72nd minute, Pedro scores off of kind of like a couple deflected balls in the box, lands at his feet. He nets it.
00:21:54
Speaker
Then who else? Denzel Dumfries then scores. And then in the 90th minute, there's a penalty called. It went to VAR. It was definitely a penalty in my mind. It was a handball on Bissek. He clearly moved his elbow into that ball to stop it from getting by him.
00:22:09
Speaker
Yeah, Pedro steps up, nets this one, makes it 2-2 again. And then and I think the 93rd or 94th minute, interscore, but it's called back for offsides. So I think that was 95th 6th actually, but even before then,
00:22:27
Speaker
Arnautovic had a chance and he whiffed on the ball. He easily could should have and could have put that away. And then Inter would that the Scudetto would be in their hands rather than Napoli's hands.
00:22:41
Speaker
So he's got to be kicking himself there. The offsides, he was definitely offsides. 100 percent. The ball wasn't going in, so he did need to touch it or else. um ah the Lazio goalie would have gotten it for sure.
00:22:54
Speaker
um but obviously the frustrating for inter knowing that, uh, the ball went in, was, was a clear offsides. Yeah. The only thing I think that inter will be disappointed in the, they destroyed Lazio in this game.
00:23:06
Speaker
There is no reason that this game should have been dropped. Um, They were all over them. They had the ball. They were creating. I guess they didn't create a whole bunch of clear-cut opportunities, but it was still ball domination.
00:23:18
Speaker
They were just nothing Lazio all over the field. They probably didn't get enough crosses in. um And this is what Lazio have done this year. They've pulled out two draws at the San Siro.
00:23:30
Speaker
They played like shit and still got it done. This is what Pedro's been doing all year, just pulling points out of his ass for this team. He has been. And then Jan Sommer again came up big and stopped a one v one um earlier in the game against Isiksen where Lazio could have gone up, I believe, 1-0 at that time.
00:23:47
Speaker
um So I think Inter are going to be disappointed in not winning this game. They had a lot of chances and could have done it. And the other big thing we have to talk about in Zaghi losing his head and he gets sent off and Barone gets sent off too. And this, would again, it was just chaos.
00:24:01
Speaker
I didn't know. Everybody know. Was it what? Like, I think was something was said is what happened. Barone, like you're getting the PK. They're going to, vote he got the red card right before the ref was going to check the screen.
00:24:14
Speaker
Like you got what you asked for. They kind of similar situation to the Napoli. Uh, uh, part where um they' left they allowed play to continue. like They allowed play to continue about a minute or so until the ball went out and then the ref was like, alright, I'm going to go check.
00:24:29
Speaker
And Barone is still screaming at him to get a red card when he's doing what you want him to do. So I thought that was very bad on Baroni's part. um And then once once you saw the guy going VAR, I think everybody knew it was a penalty. And then I just assumed Inzaghi was getting it because he screams at all times.
00:24:51
Speaker
um But still not good for Inzaghi. So now both Napoli and Inter to win the Scudetto do not have their managers in on the sidelines in match week 38. And that's a big, big hole.
00:25:05
Speaker
It's a real, that's a really weird one to navigate. Like you, I don't know. Like yeah it that anything could happen in these games. Like there's so much at stake.
00:25:16
Speaker
Players could drop the ball. People could get hurt. And if you're not there, it's just another one of the things that's not a constant that you're changing for this game. Like it's another variable that comes into play that you don't need to do.
00:25:30
Speaker
Granted, they should probably win their next game. They both should, but you don't know now. Like you don't need to throw these random grenades into the mix.
00:25:41
Speaker
Listen, they should have won this game. Lazio didn't have um two of their best players. They were suspended because the Juventus game. And Inter rolled out all the dogs. The only player that was not that did not play and could not play that was out was Lattaro, obviously recovering from the hamstring injury.
00:25:57
Speaker
And for Tezi, if we want to count that. Yeah, but but he's he's coming off the bench. So you got you played your starting 11, and you had you had firepower coming off the bench with...
00:26:10
Speaker
ah Zalinski, Carlos Augusta. We know Arnautovic is a proven player in this league. So you played all the dogs and you still didn't get it done. And it just goes back to what we've said all year about Inter for whatever reason in this league, the mental lapses at the end of games, they don't have it in the Champions League for whatever reason. I don't understand it at all, but it happens in the league time and time again.
00:26:35
Speaker
and they at home winning this game two different times to to fumble it. you You are up, you are leading the league or you're winning the Scudetto right now to fumble it two different times, not good.
00:26:51
Speaker
And can kind of maybe goes back to your point on Inzaghi and how maybe you do move on from him or maybe there's there is a conversation to be had because it's time and time and time and time again where Inter have dropped points at the end or let a ah late goal in to allow them to drop points.
00:27:08
Speaker
And you just go back to what they've done well in the Champions League is just defend. Defend against the literal best teams in the world at offense. You're up two to one.
00:27:19
Speaker
There's 10 minutes left. Like, just defend well. You're up one, nothing. Do what you do best. Defend and hit them on the counterattack. They're playing like shit anyway. So just let them have the ball. if if If you're getting overrun, then get back on the ball and move forward. But, like, defend and counter. that's That's your bread and butter.
00:27:35
Speaker
And it's why I question Inzaghi, really. it's There's been so many games like this, like you're saying, that they they could have gotten it done. And it's just another one. Think about how different we're talking about Inter and Inzaghi if a couple of these games where they've allowed 80th-minute goals don't happen. They have the league locked up. They're in the Champions League final.
00:27:57
Speaker
they don't have They obviously aren't winning the treble, but they could win the league and the Champions League. Like now we're talking about, are they as good as the Inter from 2010 that won the, that we're able to win the treble, but so on. Like that's the conversation we're having, not this conversation about what is it with Inter and why can't they finish games in the league?
00:28:16
Speaker
But they do it so well in the Champions League. And it's clear, obviously, They value the Champions League more. Like, that's not a question about it. But how are you not seeing we are one step away from winning the league as well?
00:28:31
Speaker
Let's go get like, how how are you not seeing that and locking in? It really makes no sense. No, it doesn't. I mean, yeah, I mean, you don't even have to change the way you play. Really? You won the league counterattacking.
00:28:43
Speaker
Just do it. I think they won the league counterattacking as well. But what I think it is, is they're a little less good in possession. like ah Like last year in possession, they they could just pass it around you and you could not get it.
00:29:00
Speaker
This year, you they can't really do that for whatever reason. I don't know why. ah But they they don't have the ball as much as they did last year um and defend with with the ball.
00:29:11
Speaker
um So that could be a reason. I mean, do you think Lataro maybe makes a difference in this one? Because I do feel like part of their dominance was his one-touch finishing. And with him being in and out of the squad, it could contribute.
00:29:25
Speaker
I mean, it has to be. He's their best goal scorer. He's their leader. He's their captain. He's one of their best players. It definitely makes a difference, but you've got to be able to get this done without him. It's one game. You're at home. You know if you win this game, you could potentially jump Napoli. You should be just as motivated as Napoli.
00:29:40
Speaker
Yeah. And both of them didn't, I'd say Inter came out much more motivated because they, they I think they understood the assignment a little bit more than Napoli did. And Bessic just kind of made ah a reaction and um got screwed.
00:29:56
Speaker
But still, got to get it done. Got to score more goals. Got to create more chances. Honestly, I kind of like shut the game off because I was like, one, nothing. i shut it off and then Lazio scored and put it back on because it the whole thing felt like, okay, they finally got one.
00:30:11
Speaker
it's going to be floodgates. Like this point, the San Siro exploded when they scored and it was just like, okay, this is just going to be downhill. Latio's playing bad. Inter are just going to run this into the ground. Like this is it.
00:30:23
Speaker
This is kind of like Inter taking over the Scudetto race. And it still didn't happen. And I, there's not really an explanation for it. Um, But now it's going to come down to the last game. And Napoli are in the lead.
00:30:35
Speaker
um It's not in Inter's hands, which it could have been. It could have been in in their hands. ah But to flip it to Lazio, what I'll say about them, I know I'd probably leave the charge about never giving them any flowers.
00:30:47
Speaker
Over the last two games, they need to win or draw. they can't They're in a tight race with Roma and Yube for this fourth spot, which I didn't think they'd be anywhere near. So credit to them for for having a chance to be in the Champions League spot.
00:31:02
Speaker
But... when they need to go get a goal, they are all, all the guys forward and they all understand the assignment and they go get the goal that they need somehow, some way.
00:31:12
Speaker
And I think that goes to Barone, even though he was off the pitch or not really off the pitch when it happened, but he's, he's, he he does a good job of relaying the message and they all understand it. And they, they get on the front foot when they need a goal, which it's, it's good to see.
00:31:26
Speaker
Yeah, you don't see a lot of teams that kind of understand that. Like, once you're losing, it's... Juventus doesn't understand that. Yeah, Juventus is actually a very good example. They they don't pour numbers. They're too scared to concede another goal, basically. And Lazio do not care.
00:31:40
Speaker
They just didn't go for it. It's credit. don't care like they Not even that they they don't care. they ah They understand the moment, right? And they're not afraid of the moment. They have some young players on this team. Like, this is Rubella's really first full season on it on a squad, on a team that ah can can can compete for a Champions League. And he is... he Every moment is is not too big for him, right?
00:32:03
Speaker
yeah they're They're defenders as well. ah Mario Gila, he's... in every game. He's making large stops in every game. Like he's not afraid of the moment. um So it's it's great job by Barone. Great job by these this these players because that once you put them in a high pressure situation, they're not folding.
00:32:22
Speaker
They're rising and they are scoring goals, creating. they're They're still in the race because of that. And they were dead. Both games absolutely dead and they came back and got what they needed to get done to allow them.
00:32:33
Speaker
It's still an uphill climb for them because they're there they only tied the last two games and Roma and Juve did win, but they are still right there because of that. Yeah, so we' where things stand for Lazio heading into last matchday, they're in sixth place. They're three points clear, seventh place.
00:32:48
Speaker
So they're kind of, they're pretty firmly in that conference league spot. If they, the all they need to draw, a draw gets you there. um A win might get you in a Champions League spot, depending on what happens, probably unlikely.
00:33:00
Speaker
But i think I think everything you just said is spot on Mats. And on Barone, it seems like that's a culture, right, that he's building there that we don't give up and we go for it.
00:33:11
Speaker
And that is that is really good because I think this project is probably ahead of schedule. And if they keep the players, they have a solid core. I think Rivella has become one of the best midfielders in the league.
00:33:22
Speaker
Tati Castellanos has stepped up big time. um And Isiksen has stepped up big time. Even Dia, like we're talking about this play. Mauro Gila has been a massive revelation for this team and and their defense was poor.
00:33:33
Speaker
So it's still going to be still going to be interesting. And they're they're poised to get into European ball next season, which I don't think any of us had anticipated happening. Yeah, I i agree 100% with you in terms of this is these guys are way ahead of schedule. I thought they were going to be in 10th.
00:33:47
Speaker
They're steps away from the Champions League. They're going to probably spend some money. i don't know how much because Letito is poor, but... they didn't spend any last summer in, um, if they just add a few pieces here and there, there'll be much better. They are exercising the Nuno Tavares, um, obligation or option to buy on that loan. I know that, but a couple other players, maybe another nine in case Tati goes down or somebody else to turn to, cause Dia play, he likes to play more in that 10 spot or off the left or off the right.
00:34:20
Speaker
he is a goal scoring threat, but we we see we saw that he can't be a nine game in and game out. So that's probably where they need to focus the summer. But a couple a couple other guys, they're going to be well in the Champions League race again next year for sure. And props to Barone. He's he's done a ah fantastic job with Lazio.
00:34:40
Speaker
hundred percent 100% agree. But moving it on to a team that's probably underperforming. Expectations behind schedule. um The game that happened in Rome, Claudio Ranieri's send-off at the Stadio Olimpico, Roma's last home game.
00:34:54
Speaker
Milan took a little took a little visit south. Didn't go great for them. ah Third minute, Mancini scores the bane of Logan's existence there. Bullies.
00:35:05
Speaker
Bullies, Tamori. Just straight up bullied him. Tamori didn't even try to go for that ball. And then from bad to worse, Santi Jimenez sent off in the 21st minute. Not needed. I said it. He's a he's a liability out there.
00:35:20
Speaker
He's one that gets into this. I was just going to say he kind of lost his spot in in this lineup, right? we They brought him in 30 million in December.
00:35:30
Speaker
Didn't really perform. ah Is a hothead. Almost got a red card another game. Wasn't scoring. Didn't do much. Lost his spot. They were playing um Luka Jovic and Tammy over him. They were giving him time every now and then.
00:35:43
Speaker
He started to score on his on his few minutes that he was getting. so Cone say Sal rewarded him and what happens? It bite him in the ass because that's what you get when you play. Sure, he could score goals, but he is just like you said, a hothead who can do this at any point in time. It was not needed at all, at all to do that.
00:36:01
Speaker
What are you thinking? You're losing your head. Yeah, a massive game. Like Milan were still in the the European race up until this point. And this game solidified that. Well, we'll we'll finish up here. Joe Felix then scored in the 39th minute.
00:36:13
Speaker
um First goal in the league for him, actually, which is kind of crazy. That's a dry loan. He is not coming back. But then in classic Milan fashion, they end up fucking the game up. Paredes scores on a free kick. I don't know what Mike Mignon was doing. it was a great It was a great free kick from Paredes. I'm not going to take anything away from him.
00:36:32
Speaker
But you cannot get beat there at the near post from that far out if you're Mike Mignon. What are you doing? It was a one-man wall, I think. I think two men. It's just unacceptable.
00:36:42
Speaker
If you look at it, though, he's there. he's His hand is just not in the right spot. It's a terrible, terrible goalkeeping error. But you great shot from Paredes. Good power, good accuracy. um You still got to cover that if you're Mignon.
00:36:55
Speaker
Especially you being down 10 men, there's no room for error. And that was a pretty big error. Yeah, and then eight in the 87th minute, Brian Crestante cleans it up. He's had a great couple of weeks. I think this is his second goal in three games or something like that.
00:37:11
Speaker
he scored in the Atlanta game and the Atalanta game. Yeah, so get good for him to kind of get going. He's actually maybe solidified a spot in the team. Not not starting spot, but a place in the team.
00:37:21
Speaker
Versus Pellegrini, who has basically just been useless even when he's had his opportunities. So it is good to see that one happening. um And there's this is a dichotomy, this game, because we have Roma on one hand, who is now one point off of a Champions League spot, which was unheard of six months ago, and AC Milan, who spent a war chest in the summer and then basically restarted the whole thing again in January with all this money.
00:37:50
Speaker
but I want to talk about Milan for just a quick second because I think we've kind of beaten this horse dead. And maybe it's a bigger conversation when the season ends because this is it. Their season's over. There's nothing left to accomplish. Players are going to be leaving.
00:38:03
Speaker
Loans are going to be ending. No Champions League football, no European football at all. um And we didn't even talk about how they really lost to Coppa Italia. And that could have been a season-saving win. ah seasonav gwynen but overall final thoughts on Milan. don't think we should spend more time on it.
00:38:21
Speaker
Yeah. Just poor, poor season overall. Um, The Coppa Italia game, they didn't even, they had no real chance in that game as well. We we barely talked about them because there was nothing to speak about.
00:38:33
Speaker
And then, you so yeah you you lost your trophy, right? the The second trophy you could have won to potentially kind of salvage this season, right? But then all of a sudden, you're kind of in this European race as well. You stumbled in the European race. too You win against Roma and hey, maybe you can get a Europa. Maybe you get conference ah on on the bad season that you've had.
00:38:55
Speaker
And you come out, Conceiรงรฃo comes out with this insane lineup with a bunch of changes. Loftus Cheeks barely played. ah ah not Alex Jimenez is playing on the left rather than the right.
00:39:09
Speaker
Jao Felix, who's been out of the squad, is now starting. No Liao. It's like, what is going on? No Liao makes zero sense. Yeah, it was like, what what is happening, especially when you have this momentum with what you found in the last six games, seven games, you have zero losses besides the Copa and one, two, three, four, five wins.
00:39:34
Speaker
Like what? I don't I don't understand. Oh, wait no, I'm looking at Roma. That's on me. um No, we yeah no, we talked about this. they' played They've been playing great. Yeah, so I don't understand. Not great, not great.
00:39:45
Speaker
They've been getting results. They've been getting results. They've kind of figured it out, and then he was just like, oh, I'm going to outsmart everybody and change up this lineup. So just blew up in their face. This is this exact thing that's happened to them all year, so kind of makes sense that happened to them again in this big game.
00:40:03
Speaker
And where they go from here is going to be ah a very uphill battle because now it's about can they keep Pulisic? Can they keep Reinders? Can they keep Liao? Can they keep Tio? Do they want to keep these guys? Can they keep Mignon?
00:40:15
Speaker
Who's going to stay? Who's going to go? Who's even good enough at this point to play for Milan when you look at the team? It's it's a disaster. Reinders, Pulisic. Yeah, but they're going to leave. They're too good to play. Yeah. Yeah.
00:40:26
Speaker
um I agree. And on top of the cherry on top, Contra Sal also got sent off. So he's done for his Serie A career is over because he's not going to get. Yeah, he's not coming back. um So that's it. um But on Roma, nothing really new, right?
00:40:41
Speaker
It's great game. This is what they've been doing. Fantastic game. all i ah With the caveat that they had, they were up a man since the 25th minute. So obviously they were going to dominate, but nothing new is right. Like they had their, their midfield just dominated.
00:41:00
Speaker
Paredes, Kone and Cristante, Angelino, Sule looked great. um so Your boy Salamakras looked great. They, not one player looked bad. It was a great game all around.
00:41:11
Speaker
Those amazing scenes at the end, ah sending off Ranieri, he walked around the stadium, Roma fans just singing and praising his name. Absolute turnaround of the season, took him from like 14th place to now fifth with a realistic chance of a Champions League.
00:41:28
Speaker
We've been saying it all year long or since Ranieri's been there, how good he's done. if If the season starts in December, they wouldn't won the league. um So absolute masterclass again from Roma and Ranieri.
00:41:42
Speaker
Yeah, and they have a real chance now at Champions League ball. they have They're playing a lame duck team in Torino, and Juventus have a very difficult game, I would say. um And Roma presumably are going to win, so the pressure is going to be on Juve to get something done.
00:41:57
Speaker
But even on Roma, i I don't really much to say. I'm i'm happy that Sule got another assist. I think i can't i can't say it enough. Sule at the beginning of the season versus now, completely different player.
00:42:09
Speaker
And when you go through the team, it's like almost at every level we're seeing that. Even Smurdov is being very effective in what he's doing. Like he's not the best player. That's kind of his ceiling. But even he's been like, there's there's improvement everywhere.
00:42:23
Speaker
And it's just a question of what they're going to do in the summer to keep this going. ah But not not much more on Roman here. I but i expected this result. Lowe throws me a jersey because we bet on this result. um It's not surprising.
00:42:35
Speaker
To anybody yeah watching the league, this should not be a surprise. here's here's Here's a question for you. So I think that we started off, we all had Roma in the Champions League spot this year um because of the off-season additions. We know how whatever how much of a rocky start it was.
00:42:51
Speaker
Can we classify this as a successful season for Roma if they finish fifth? I think you have to because you have to make the adjustment because it was it wasn't one season.
00:43:05
Speaker
It was two different seasons. It was pre-Ronieri, which was De Rossi, and then I'm forgetting his name, Yerich. And then it was the Ronieri season. And you can't even compare.
00:43:18
Speaker
And there had to be an adjustment as to what our expectations were. And it's hard to say they're not even meeting. Like if this if they had finished the season in fifth place at the start under De Rossi,
00:43:29
Speaker
people probably would have been okay with it. Like, it wouldn't have been mind-boggling to say that if De Rossi made a ah Europa League run, got knocked out, and then finished back in fifth place again.
00:43:43
Speaker
He wouldn't get fired for that. I think everybody would say kind of expected, but not bad, not great. And under Ranieri now, we have to look at this as... I don't know how you did this because it was so bad.
00:43:56
Speaker
So I would say successful season just because of what did occur. And I don't think finishing in fifth place is bad, really. And finishing, even and if they finish in sixth, I think they're a little bit behind schedule. But if they do finish in sixth, they're going to win the Conference League next year.
00:44:10
Speaker
They are going to be the best team in the Conference League by so much if that's what they're doing. um I hope that doesn't happen because I would like them to be in the Europa League got the Champions League. um But yeah, that's my take on it. What about you?
00:44:23
Speaker
I'm pretty similar. I think the only difference is if it wasn't Rocky and they stuck with De Rossi the entire way, I think you don't look at this as successful because they were they they added the players. They were just off the Europa League final last year.
00:44:40
Speaker
um so I think Roma fans with De Rossi, if they didn't fire him from the start, would have been not the happiest with the season but because the season was what it was and it was so messy and rocky to start the season you can look at it as a success because of how great the turnaround was and the the win streak was or the unbeaten streak was with an under ranieri you can look at this and say we now have ah core and pillars to build off of and we just need to make the right
00:45:13
Speaker
higher in the right uh pass the baton to the right person to build on this and then next year it's champions league or bust and it's going far in whatever your european tournament we're in easier said than done bringing on the right man well let's keep it a moving uh the last team that's kind of in the europe you're currently in a european spot fourth place juventus it's
00:45:46
Speaker
Moving on to the last team that is in a European spot still, Juventus in fourth place. I did not watch this game at the weekend, but they went to they were at home against Udinese, and it seemed like the first time they had a complete game the entire season, just an utter domination from what it looks like on the stats.
00:46:05
Speaker
Nico Gonzalez did score again. He's kind of running a little hot. So maybe he does stay Mots and they're even out on him. And then I would say the most notable piece of this is most likely do some Vlahovic's last appearance at the Allianz and last goal at the Allianz as ah as of a uba member.
00:46:23
Speaker
Yeah, that's what it is trending or looking like in terms of Doosan. But in terms of these, this Juventus performance, got the job done, got what was needed to get done, done, but was not pretty at all.
00:46:40
Speaker
um In the first half. We were dominating the ball. we we did create some chances, but there wasn't anything. There wasn't substance to it.
00:46:52
Speaker
ah There was only one real chance that Cola Moani had. on one with the keeper didn't put it away. um Other than that, there wasn't any real or scary threatening chances.
00:47:03
Speaker
um It was kind of looking like something that I said Lazio do very well and Juventus do very bad, not understanding the moment and not understanding what needs to get done or shrinking in the moment when when the pressure's on because...
00:47:18
Speaker
It was like the players didn't realize Roma's playing at the same time and hey, they're winning. And if we don't win and we drop any points, we're now out of the Champions League spot.
00:47:29
Speaker
Um, but then the second half happened and we started turning things around and there was one player who said i know what this moment is i'm not going to shrink in this moment i'm going to rise up and take this game over 19 year old kid kenny yodiz took over this game two assists um first one to nico gonzalez uh had three guys on him in the box was able to pick his head up find nico nico slotted it away
00:48:00
Speaker
Second goal in the 88th minute. He just ate up 40, 50 yards. No look pass to Doosan who slotted it away. was good finish by Doosan. However, it took him 15 years to kick the ball. I thought for sure was going to get blocked because he didn't want to ah kick it. But in the end, it went in.
00:48:17
Speaker
And we did get the job done. There's a lot to need to be cleaned up here. But Yildiz was able to take over. We missed him the last two games. I think if we have Yildiz for Bologna and Lazio, we come out winning one of those two games, probably the Lazio game.
00:48:35
Speaker
And we already have Champions League secured. So we definitely missed him um those two games. Glad that he's back. And you see you see what this kid is about when when he's...
00:48:47
Speaker
when he when the moments are the biggest he he tends to shine so love to see that um from him he absolutely dominated so that was great to see but other than that I think the other two players that stood out was Locatelli I thought he had a great game just in terms of controlling the game and pacing it and then I said it once I said it last week I'm gonna say it again this week maybe Junetoli did something right in the winter Mercado for the first time ever Alberto Costa.
00:49:14
Speaker
that this He is a very solid player. He is aggressive defensively. He is composed on the ball. He makes right decisions. He looks to attack. He makes great runs.
00:49:27
Speaker
And he's a good defender. um He hasn't had to do too much defending in these last couple of games. But when he's been called upon, he has been able to put out the fire. So I really, really like what I'm seeing from him. His stock is rising high ah quickly.
00:49:41
Speaker
in this team, which is great. um And so those three players to me were the the standout players. Question for you on Yieldies, because i think we've seen some good things from Yieldies, some bad things from Yieldies all season. He's been quiet. He's been great.
00:49:58
Speaker
What do you think needs to happen for him to become Juve's best player and what they want him to be? I think he just needs his next step. he If you go back and look at all the games he's performed on, it's the Udinese. It's against Monza, although he got a red card. It's against Lecce. He is...
00:50:15
Speaker
he is It needs to happen against like like he when he scored two goals against Inter, it needs to happen against the big, big clubs um consistently. If he makes that next step, he's going to be UBA's best player and he's going to be one of the best players in Europe once he can make that step. And I think it's coming because he's done it. He has done it against the big clubs. It's just not that consistently.
00:50:39
Speaker
um But he's he's a 19 year old kid, right? So it's not, it's, there's going to be growing pains. There's going to be times when he makes some errors and learn, learn from those mistakes. And that was this season. This was his first season as a full-time starter on the club. And I think he rose to the occasion ah this year with, I think he has five or six goals and five or six assists. I don't know the exact stats.
00:51:03
Speaker
um But for we got we got to remember this kid is 19 years old. um Obviously, we have somebody in Barcelona who's yeah even younger doing even even better things, but not everybody's limini mall, right? So um we just need to give him more time. But you can see, I mean, compared to Conceiรงรฃo, Conceiรงรฃo,
00:51:23
Speaker
plays with his head down, doesn't look up, doesn't pass, wants to do the same thing every time. Yildiz is totally different than that. He's creative, head up, change, can go left, can go right, can do it all.
00:51:35
Speaker
um So we just need to continue feeding him, continue getting him or playing him, letting him grow, make mistakes, um and he'll take that next step. Good.
00:51:47
Speaker
Happy with Juve right now? How do you feel going into this game? I'm a little bit worried just because I don't have a lot of confidence in them to go and win a game. i in It's always just feel like it's thrown together, like what we're trying to do in every game. Yeah, they don't have a style of play. they don't know They don't know what they're trying to do. They don't know how they're trying to do it.
00:52:06
Speaker
Yes, you do. Love it. um But yeah, they don't know what they're trying to do. They don't know how they're trying to do it. They don't know what's going to happen. And when shit hits the fan and they let a goal up there, they don't, they can't rise to the moment. They shrink to the moment. They, they they don't have an experienced guy that can, that can kind of lead them and, and, and tell them, Hey, keep your heads.
00:52:26
Speaker
We are Juventus. They don't have that. So if anything goes wrong in this Venezia game, It'll be tough. I do like what everyone, all the players have said. This is a final against Venezia. We have a final.
00:52:38
Speaker
This was a final against Udinese. We have two finals. So I like what's coming out of the locker room, what they're saying to reporters, but we'll see what happens once we actually hit the pitch because Venezia are going to be Absolutely. Balls to the wall, dying on the pitch. And yes, Venezia did lose this past week, but before that they've had ah seven win seven in the last nine games, Venezia has either drew or won seven of those games. So they are very tough to beat or win against.
00:53:10
Speaker
ah in the in the last coming games. And when you play relegation, we know how a desperate team can get. and they're to have the home crowd. It's going to be tough. But listen, this is Venezia that we're talking about. That's fighting relegation.
00:53:23
Speaker
And this is Juventus. It shouldn't be that scary of a match. That's a good point. But it is. yeah But it is. It is. um i got nothing to say in udonese they're gonna finish kind of where they are i don't think that's bad they started really well um and i i don't think they've been overly exciting all year i think they've been kind of a bad watch um here I want to say one more thing here.
00:53:46
Speaker
I mean, what this was a perfect game to play Douglas Luiz. Why are we not even giving him a chance? we we play We sub him in in the 80th minute in every game.
00:53:57
Speaker
He is a good player. It's hard for somebody to come in ah to play 9, 7, 10 minutes a game every game and be informed. Like, i really I really wanted to see him play this game.
00:54:09
Speaker
We played him in the 81st minute and that was it. He actually created the breakup that started the Yildas and Doosan's second goal. um I would love to see him more. He's probably going to be gone next year, unfortunately. That's just a player that didn't work out. For whatever reason, Brazilians and Juventus don't get along that well. The only one that's like ever been very successful is...
00:54:32
Speaker
Danilo long-term and then Danny Alves had like one incredible year that brought to the Champions final as a left back made no sense um but other than that Juventus and Brazilian players kind of um don't get along but I would like to see him more this season and maybe he'll I doubt he'll play the next next game but I would like to see him yeah I mean he's not gonna play next game why would you play him like if he's either gonna leave or he hasn't played all year so it's like a wash let's deal with the next year kind of thing Yeah.
00:55:05
Speaker
We'll see the Juventus. This is ah obviously a massive, massive game. If Juventus don't make Champions League football, ah not as big of a departure or ah kind of crisis as Milan is in right now.
00:55:20
Speaker
But don't make, don't get it twisted. Don't make a mistake. If they don't make Champions League football, failure for juventus a lot of players are going to be sold yield this might be sacrificed cambia so uh so on and so forth so this is a massive massive game for juventus and if they don't get it done they are this is a it will be a massive step back in terms of this juventus project yeah and they have secured european ball it's just a question of which spot they end up in and they need the champions league correct um Yeah, good on Juve, good on Udinesse.
00:55:53
Speaker
Keep it rolling. All right, another great game we had. This one was an absolute shootout. Vincenzo Italiano Derby Bologna at Fiorentina. Uh, Fiorna Tina notably had a lot of absences in this one. Gudmundson was on the bench, but did not play. So presumably he was hurt.
00:56:08
Speaker
So in Yolo suspended, Beltran suspended full of run shoes, suspended. um Pablo Mari also did not play in this one. If I'm remembering correctly, I'm wrong. He actually did end playing in this one.
00:56:20
Speaker
um But this was a great game. It a 3-2 finish. We saw a bunch of lead changes, goal scorers in this one, and Fiorentina had to roll out a very weird lineup. They essentially paid three conventional wingbacks, outside backs, and Gozins, Dodo, and Parisi. They were kind of forced into that move. um But Parisi scored, opened it up in the 13th minute. Then DeLinga brought one back for Bologna.
00:56:40
Speaker
Amir Richardson then took the lead again to make it two to one or Salini scored in the 79th minute to level it. And then Moise Keane back on the goal sheet, 84th minute to win it. Big, big result for Fiorentina to stay in the hunt here and for Bologna to kind of be a couple steps back when they were very much in it.
00:56:59
Speaker
Yeah, so obviously um all the games at 245, tough to watch them all. I'll be honest, did not watch this game ah fully, only watched the highlights of it. um Moisey Keen's goal.
00:57:13
Speaker
Three players touched that ball. It went to De Gea, to somebody to Keane. It was crazy. ah So kind of need to be better there on on by Bologna in terms of defending because just based off the stats and the highlights that I watched, Bologna dominated this game.
00:57:28
Speaker
They had the ball the whole game. They created the most chances. um For whatever reason, it was tied 2-2 at the end. um I think they deserve to get a point out of this. ah and Fiorentina were able to steal the game at the end because of an insane counterattack that Bologna weren't locked in for for the full 90 minutes.
00:57:46
Speaker
But at the same time, Bologna did rotate the squad heavily to start, ah and then they did win the Copa game, so hard to stay motivated once.
00:57:58
Speaker
No matter what happens, you're in the Europa League spot, and they were always basically out of the Champions League spot after they lost to Milan in the league. Um, so at the end, they could have finished higher on the table, but it's not that big of a deal that Bologna stumbled here because they already have that Europa League locked up.
00:58:19
Speaker
Uh, so it doesn't really matter if they finish in sixth or seventh. The only positive, if they finish in fifth was that we could have another team finish in that Europa spot. But between Juventus and Roma, I think that's the clear four five.
00:58:31
Speaker
Um, so kind of okay for Bologna here. Great result for Fiorentina though. Great result because now they are fully in a the conference league competition here and they can so maybe sneak by Lazio if they get a little bit of luck.
00:58:47
Speaker
um So very, very good result by Fiorentina. And this is kind of what we said Palladino and Fiorentina squad has been missing all year. the not being able to sneak out a win or playing worse than the other team and getting all three points they were able to do that so hopefully they can use that build upon it on next season uh and and string together ugly wins like they did in this game Yeah, and i think to your point, they kind of ran into Bologna at the right time.
00:59:13
Speaker
I think a Bologna team that didn't play that midweek game, so much emotion in that one, maybe has a killer instinct to go and win this, but they were on such a high. They've already done what they need to do. They're in the Europa League.
00:59:26
Speaker
I think it's probably hard to motivate to go and grab the game, and they still almost did. So it's hard to read into this one. Yeah, I can't overstate. ah Great game for Fiorentina. Massive result. um just overall a great season for Palatino. No matter what happens here, I think everybody will be happy with him.
00:59:43
Speaker
um But it's going to be an interesting battle for that Conference League spot because the whole Bologna and the Europa League really throws a wrench into things. And if Lazio get their business done, it's all obsolete anyway. um But a couple other games happened here, going run through really quickly.
00:59:57
Speaker
ah We had Empoli go to Monza. Monza already relegated Empoli very much in the relegation battle. They won that one three to one Venezia played Pagliari in Sardinia, Cagliari at home.
01:00:09
Speaker
Cagliari won this one played one of the best goals of the season in terms of a team goal when Pagoli finished off a great move in that one. but a crushing result for Venezia, really. This one brought Cagliari fully out of the relegation battle, so they're 100% safe.
01:00:24
Speaker
Venezia finished, finished go or going to match week 38 in 19th place, um two points back from Empoli. Then we had Torino go to Lecce. Lecce snuck that one out, 1-0, which is huge for the relegation battle. They are tied with Empoli, tied 17th and 18th.
01:00:41
Speaker
We had Como go to Verona, 1-1 draw there. Como ah solidifying 10th place. Massive achievement, I think, for Seth Fabregas and his whole team. I think the sky's the limit for them. and Really exciting project.
01:00:54
Speaker
Hopefully everybody stays, but ah for Verona... big point honestly because they're there are three points out of relegation right now but they've they're going to finish the season with Empoli and then the last game that happened it was actually the first game of the weekend was Atalanta at Genoa they won that one three to two notably Rettegi netted another goal and Pinamonte with the brace who we kind of tweeted about we think he's been a good one all year but that wraps up an insane match week 37 ton of goals ton of drama it's been crazy Yeah, also on the Atalanta game, ah Danny Maldini, nice goal as well. And then
01:01:28
Speaker
ah
01:01:32
Speaker
Sulemana, two goals, two very, very good goals in two games in row. Yeah, good point. for Yeah. Also, Atalanta did offer Gasparini a contract till 2027.
01:01:44
Speaker
So we'll see if they do extend him. We obviously... Everything's been trending he's going to leave, but as we spoke about a couple weeks ago, where are the suitors for him? There's not much out, so ah will be interesting to see. But bringing it back to the relegation battle, a lot of teams in that battle got points today that is going to play a factor in the last match week to potentially help them stay up.
01:02:07
Speaker
The only team that really kind of fumbled the bag here was Venezia, being that they started the match week out of relegation and now they're back in it. need, need, need a win against Juventus to even have a chance of staying in. And then they need help from other people as well.
01:02:24
Speaker
Yeah. I want to get into match week 38 then. I want to quickly preview it. Kind of give you an idea what's going on. Yep. All right, cool. Syria has done a terrible job with scheduling. I'm going to preface it with that. I don't know why they did it. They literally got everything completely wrong.
01:02:40
Speaker
So really quickly, i'm going to take you Friday, Saturday, Sunday on Friday. The Scudetto race is going to be decided. For some reason, the only two games are the Inter game and the Napoli game. I don't know why that game would not be on Sunday, saving the best for last.
01:02:55
Speaker
But nonetheless, we have Napoli at home against Cagliari with a chance to close it out in Naples, which would be amazing. And Inter going to Como. Both teams, Inter and Napoli, playing the Calgary side and Como side that have nothing to play for.
01:03:12
Speaker
Presumably, they both win, you would think, although Calgary and Como might want us to be playing. Spoilers. Spoilers. yeah yeah So interesting to watch. Hate that the game's on Friday. Quick thoughts, there are mods. I think there's no way Napoli don't win it. At home, it's going to be a madhouse. Listen, I mean, I thought that they were going to win all their games. So at this point, anything can happen as Calcio has shown us all year long.
01:03:34
Speaker
But I want to focus on the scheduling more than the games themselves. It just makes no sense. Like now, if you are an average person who is like, do I want to watch the Serie A?
01:03:46
Speaker
All you need to do now is watch Friday and then. yeah there There are implications in terms of what happens in the league standings on Sunday, the last day. But the big the big question is who wins the Scudetto?
01:03:58
Speaker
And so you just need to watch on Friday and then it's like, OK, I I see it all like it's it's always, always. It's just a common, common thing across all of Europe. Save the the the trophy winning game for the last match day.
01:04:13
Speaker
how it's a copycat league. Look at the other leagues and do something similar. It's such a bad move by Italy and Syria and classic makes no sense. And who do they have in charge?
01:04:25
Speaker
And it's in the middle of the workday for all us.
01:04:31
Speaker
I'd also like, I want to go back and look at every single match week, the games that are on two 45 on Friday. They're always, i mean, you might sometimes get a, a, ah like a top five, top six team and put them on Friday. So you have a good, a decent game, but most games every time are either Saturday night or Sunday night, or those are the big teams, big games.
01:04:53
Speaker
Why all of a sudden changed up. It makes no sense. And to your point, it it shoots you in the achilles for your united states watchers who you have a lot of on paramount plus network because exactly like you said it is a friday it's a close memorial day weekend or it is more of their weekend so people probably took a long weekend but you're still killing half your audience potentially by putting it 245 on friday it makes no sense Yeah, I'm pissed about it. don't know how I'm going to watch And then you have the games that mean nothing in the middle. So then it's like an even longer wait for the more games that make that do matter.
01:05:33
Speaker
so Yeah. So then going so going to Saturday. Yeah. So for us... The games that don't really matter, I don't know why you wouldn't put them on Friday. Where like people aren't really going to watch because they've got to work.
01:05:45
Speaker
And like it's Friday. It doesn't make any sense. So on Saturday, we have Bologna playing Genoa. Genoa have nothing to play for. Bologna are kind of have nothing to play for. Because the best they can get is Conference League. and if like They've already beaten that. So this game doesn't matter.
01:06:00
Speaker
And then Milan are playing Monza. Monza's relegated. Milan have nothing to play for. So I don't really know what's going on. It makes no sense.
01:06:12
Speaker
To the Syria, a two-year-old could have got this right. Games that don't matter Friday, four, five, six you European spots ah Saturday.
01:06:23
Speaker
Champion Scudetto saved the best for last Sunday. Makes no sense. Anybody could have got that right if you asked them. I don't know how you messed that up. I want to know who's in charge and who was who made that decision because they should immediately be fired.
01:06:40
Speaker
i Anybody could have got that right. No, I agree with you. so I agree with you. It doesn't make any sense. But that brings us to Sunday, which apparently is only the games that matter, minus the Scudetto race for some reason.
01:06:55
Speaker
So just going to take through through all the games and kind of what's at stake in each one because this it's Sunday is still going to be crazy. like This is like you need eight screens at once to know what is going on. The table is going to be moving the entire time.
01:07:08
Speaker
We've got Juve going to Venezia. So at stake in this one, Juve, Champions League football, Europa League football, potentially Conference League football.
01:07:20
Speaker
depending on the result, which is crazy. And then Venezia need to win. If they don't win, they finish the season in 19th place. So that's going to be insane. So relegation on the line there.
01:07:31
Speaker
Then we got Lecce going to Lazio. Same thing. Lazio potentially can get Champions League football. Worst case for them, they can get bounced from the Conference League if things don't go their way with Fiorentina. um So a lot of craziness there.
01:07:44
Speaker
Lecce, again, tied with Empoli. So presumably they need at least a draw, assuming Empoli also doesn't get points. So it's crazy all there. Lecce are going to be planning to win because if they draw, it's not in their hands. The Lecce win, they arent they stay in the Serie A. And Lazio, I think, would probably be happy with a draw on that one. So that that creates a little bit of a difficult difficult dynamic because Lazio draw secures Europa League.
01:08:10
Speaker
win secure conference league ah win might get you something but i mean for them they need european ball i think is its priority so it might be a little bit tough there no marco baroni in that game either which is very interesting on the lapsio bench then we got fiorentina going to udonese fiorentina with a win could potentially get conference league football depending on the last year result udonese playing for nothing Then we got Roma going to Torino. We all know the stakes there. One point back from fourth place.
01:08:38
Speaker
Not fully in their hands to get Champions League football. But Juve are playing Venezia, who's fighting for something. Torino fighting for nothing. Roma got to get that one done. Then we got Parma going to Atalanta. Atalanta, obviously nothing to play for. They're in third place.
01:08:52
Speaker
But Parma firmly in the relegation battle at this point. They are two points clear. So really nothing but a win. 100% secures you at this point. And there could be a little bit of mix up there, but that's that's more or less it.
01:09:06
Speaker
And then the last game. Yeah, Parma tie. a parma tie That puts them on 34. So Parma tie, Lecce, and Empley win. They're all tied on 34. And then we have a bunch of tiebreakers. Which we'll go over in a sec.
01:09:17
Speaker
We'll go over the tiebreakers. But Parma, basically, they win. They're safe. So a lot of these teams, besides maybe Lazio, right, is you need to win to be safe or put your best foot forward for your European spot.
01:09:31
Speaker
And that brings us to the last game here, which is Verona at Empoli. And Verona are on 34 points. Empoli on 31 and 18th. And then the other piece of this is it. So if Empoli win, they go even on points with Verona.
01:09:46
Speaker
Because of the tiebreaker situations, they would actually go ahead of Verona. So Verona need a point here. A point for Verona secures safety. a loss, like you might be done.
01:09:57
Speaker
So what is the tiebreaker situation, Boas? What does that look like? Tiebreaker situation is really intense. And I had started to go through different scenarios, but it goes so deep that I couldn't do it.
01:10:08
Speaker
So the first thing is they look at points head to head. So that's in your game. So you get three points, one point, zero point to add them up. If at that point in the other problem with this is I don't know what happens when it's a three way tie. And that's why I stopped crunching the numbers because there are a lot of scenarios where three way ties could happen.
01:10:24
Speaker
All right. You're tied head to head on points. You go to. Goal differential in head-to-head. You're tied there, goal differential in the league. If tied there, it goes to goals scored.
01:10:37
Speaker
If tied on goals scored, it's coin flip. And I don't know what happens if you go to coin flip in a three-way tie, but there's no way that would happen, but that would be insane. Yeah, I don't think the numbers would, that there has to be non-time on one of those fours before there's a coin flip.
01:10:54
Speaker
um And that's how it works for head-to-head. However, if Napoli and Inter end the league on the same amount of points, there is a playoff game to be played for the Scudetta, which would be fucking insane.
01:11:10
Speaker
And home field advantage, if I'm not mistaken, in that one is determined by goal differential, I believe. It's either goal differential or head-to-head, and I can't remember which one it is. And the only scenario that happens is if Inter tie and Napoli lose.
01:11:25
Speaker
So it is possible that that does happen. I mean... highly unlikely playing two teams that need nothing um and what a win for napoli would mean you win the screw down dose so they're gonna probably die on the pitch although they win in the last two would have meant that as well and they haven't been able to do that so could be an epic game probably unlikely there's very low chances of that but still would be sick and epic if that did happen
01:11:57
Speaker
Yeah. So match week 38 shaping up to be as crazy and chaotic as match week 37, but just a terrible, terrible timeline because the Serie doesn't know how to schedule games and ah create suspense and get the buy-in of um your average fan.
01:12:20
Speaker
And then there is there is one more tiny little... wrinkle in this in the relegation battle if there's tide there's also potentially a playoff so there's a relegation playoff still could happen in this instance but that brings us to siri b because there's been some drama there That does bring us Serie B. And the news, or there was a Sampdoria basically got relegated, I think like a week ago, ah that that they were going down to Serie C, Serie T. However, in classic Italian fashion,
01:12:55
Speaker
A team, Brescia, did not, ah due to financial irregularities, they just didn't pay their players essentially or something to do with not paying the correct wages to their players.
01:13:07
Speaker
They were ah given a four point deduction, which then drops them below Sampdoria. So now Sampdoria, jumps up to 17th place, which means they stay in Serie B. However, that means they're tied on points with Salaritana 17th place.
01:13:27
Speaker
So now, in order to see who stays up in Serie B, there is that playoff game for relegation that Vos mentioned could happen if ties happen in the Serie A. This game was supposed to be today, but because of the point deduction and all the investigations and things like that,
01:13:46
Speaker
It is suspended or postponed indefinitely. um And once again, i said it about the scheduling. I'm going to say it about this game. This is in the Serie so I can't say classic Serie A, but it is in Italy.
01:14:00
Speaker
Classic Italy here. Just fucking pay the players and you stay up in the league. There are always these owners in these old clubs, these dinosaurs for owners. They're trying...
01:14:12
Speaker
to always do something smart and it ends up backfiring and then it leads in point deductions. Juve's gotten it before. Now it's all that way happened in Serie B. Just, it doesn't make any sense. um Just figure your shit out, basically.
01:14:27
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, for that wraps it up. We got one week left, potentially two weeks left, if there's some funny business with playoffs. And then we got a Champions League final around the corner too, which we'll have to do an episode just about that. um Talk about Inter Milan there.
01:14:42
Speaker
But before we're done, we have our last Colby of the year. Last week, we went one for three. I was the only one that hit. We've done a bad job tracking this year, going have get really down and dirty with the tracking. Obviously, Logs is not here, so we're going to need a Paisam leg.
01:14:55
Speaker
But Mons, you want to kick us off? Yep, I'm going with ah the old lady. um When and we secure Champions League, I'm backing them.
01:15:05
Speaker
um Just like I have all season long, even though they stink and they can shrink in big moments. And I really think this is a massive moment. And Benetzi is going to know... how big that moment is for them and Juventus aren't, but I will never go against my team. The old lady, I got Juventus money line. It's a very, very ah bad, odd bet. So not going to be winning a lot of money for the Paizans if they take the Colby this week.
01:15:31
Speaker
Juve is coming in at minus 185 away from home in a tough place to play like Venezia, who's going to be dying on the field. So probably not the best and smartest bet here, but I want them.
01:15:42
Speaker
I know what a win means for this club. So I'm backing them. uve money like I don't love it. I don't care. I hate your pick too. I've got Lazio at home. Money line against Lecce. I like it. It also comes in at minus 185.
01:15:55
Speaker
So we need a big fat Paisan. Like the problem is there's not a lot of good odds out there that I agree with. So that's how we got stuck here. um But that's it for us. Next time we talk, we'll have a Scudetto champ.
01:16:07
Speaker
And we'll know if you might know who's been relegated. We might have a playoff. Lots to say. Yeah, if you're still with us, please like the video, comment on the video, subscribe on YouTube, wherever you're listening. Been little bit more active on social media. That's looking to continue. So looking forward to that.
01:16:27
Speaker
Once again, please like, subscribe, but comment, vote. Where can they find us? ah We're on all the things. We're on YouTube. We're on Twitter, TikTok, Instagram. What else are we on? The name at all?
01:16:38
Speaker
miss Apple Music, Spotify, Spotify, at Cultural Culture FC. But we're going to be here, guys. We're going to be here next week. We're going be here all summer. We're really building out the content. You should see a lot of stuff coming out now. mean, Mott's really got the infrastructure down.
01:16:52
Speaker
um But with that, Mott, you want to kick us take us away here? Yep. Looking forward to a crazy match week 38. Going to be awful in terms of the way that we see everything happen just because of the scheduling, but it is what it is.
01:17:04
Speaker
With that said, this has been another great episode of Calcio Culture. Paisanos, do not beat Agagutz and Forza, Calcio Culture.
01:17:27
Speaker
Thank you.