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Free Weekly Episode - Juventus-Milan Shocker, #LopeteguiOut, Napoli-Roma Thriller, Conte Talks, Inter Milan Scudetto Party & Much More (Ep. 415)
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From Napoli 4 goal draw thriller against Roma, Aurelio De Laurentiis choosing between Antonio Conte and Stefano Pioli, Juventus and AC Milan goalless shocker, #NOPEtegui trends as Rossoneri fans in uproar over Julen Lopetegui rumors, Bologna secure important point in Champions League race, Udinese drop points from leading position again, to 400000 people in the streets of Milan during Inter Scudetto party, and Atalanta, Fiorentina and Lazio all win when relegation battle heats up, plus previewing the Serie A clubs involved in the Europa League and Conference League, as well as Baggio, Premface and Serie Ass of the week and much, much more when Nima and Carlo break down all the main talking points from an action-packed weekend in Italian football.
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Transcript
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome
Introduction and Conte to Napoli
00:00:03
Speaker
to the
00:00:18
Speaker
As reports grow that Antonio Conte is getting closer to Napoli, Juventus and Milan meanwhile play out a dreadful 0-0 draw.
Serie A Weekend Matches Recap
00:00:28
Speaker
Milan fans protest against their top target to replace Stefano Pioli as manager, that's Judo Napotegi, in to celebrate their Scudetto by beating Torino.
00:00:32
Speaker
Italian Football Podcast.
00:00:40
Speaker
Bologna slip up at home to Udeneze while Lazio continue their Champions League chase by beating Verona. Solanitano meanwhile are the first team to be relegated.
Listener Engagement and Support
00:00:54
Speaker
We'll preview the European matches this weekend, the semi-finals in the Europa League and the Conference League and we'll have our usual Baggio prem face in Serie S.
00:01:04
Speaker
of the week. For all our first time listeners, this is our free weekly episode that we do every Monday, reviewing the weekend steady action, all the biggest talking points in Italian football. If you want to support the Italian Football Podcast and receive all of our content that we do throughout the week, including a weekly Q&A episode every Tuesday, where we answer all of the questions from our Patreons, plus the weekly Thursday midweek review show, plus interviews, post-match reaction, and much, much more, then go to patreon.com slash TIP and become a subscriber for just $2.99 a month plus VAT. You can also sign up
00:01:34
Speaker
To be a paid subscriber on Spotify, we'll provide the link in the description. It's the same price and the same terms. And for all of you that do listen on Spotify, on Apple, on iTunes Podcast, we'd really appreciate if you give us a five star rating, give us a following a like. We're also on YouTube as well, so you can subscribe to us there. And it really helps us to grow and do more quality content for you guys. Okay, let's get into today's show.
Napoli vs Roma Match Analysis
00:02:01
Speaker
So let's start off with the game of the weekend.
00:02:04
Speaker
at least in terms of entertainment. And that was Napoli against Roma. At the Stadio Maradona, a 2-2 draw. The first things to say though, Nimmo, is what a game. Yeah, it was very entertaining, wasn't it? It was an exciting game. I really enjoyed it. Lots of end-to-end stuff and a lot of drama at the end. No, I quite enjoyed it. I really did.
00:02:31
Speaker
Yeah, I thought it was fantastic. I thought it had everything. But from Napoli's point of view, if we talk about Napoli, I thought they were fantastic in this game overall. They dominated the first half. They should have been well ahead. They should have been at least two up at halftime. Their chance after chance. Second half. Roma were a little bit better, but still Napoli created so many big chances. But they could only draw two-two. And I think this game
00:03:01
Speaker
showed the two biggest problems that Napoli have had this season in this disaster of defence of their Scudetto and that is number one that their finishing and chance conversion this season is
00:03:20
Speaker
officially the worst in the league which was a surprise to some people because Napoli have been bad in a lot of games where you know I mean this is their third coach they've been bad where they haven't deserved to win games but actually if you look at over the course of the season and the number of chances they've had
00:03:38
Speaker
They have created a lot of chances. Their second in Serie A this season, only Inter have created more and their XG versus actual goals, they've scored nine goals less than their actual expected goals. They've got the most shots in Serie A
00:03:59
Speaker
They've got the second most shots on target in Serie A just after Inter, only just as well. They've had the most touches in the opposition box in Serie A this season, but in terms of chance creation, in terms of their attacking, it hasn't been a problem in terms of creating the chances and having the shots, but they haven't put them away and it's crazy that they're ninth in the table when you see these underlying metrics.
00:04:26
Speaker
It's been yeah, and we saw that in this game. I mean Anguis has finished. Did you see his I was just gonna say that To me I was just about while you were talking I literally just saw that replayed in my head in the 35th minute like I've never seen like it reminded me when you played
00:04:49
Speaker
Like when you were, like when I, when the first time I think I played ISS, like you know what I mean? Like when you hit the button too hard, when you're alone with the goal. Well you hit the wrong button. You hit the wrong button. It's a circle instead of a square. Exactly. That's exactly how it looked. I've never seen it. I thought, I couldn't believe it. It literally felt like that.
00:05:10
Speaker
um it was it was it really was the symptomatic of everything you say like all everything you just said and all the others underlying metrics you brought up that just embodies it doesn't it without that finish i mean when you the movement was excellent flick on from us and it was brilliant and still they you know when you get to that chance you can't finish like that for the love of god what was that and it's very symptomatic of of now policies and an attack but i also think that defensively
00:05:39
Speaker
they have trust struggled. Absolutely. And we saw that in this game as well. I mean, the two goals that they give away, just dreadful defending. I mean, Juan Jesus, I mean, you know, how many times we have to talk about him. I mean, he gives away the penalty on his moon. How is he still playing, you know, for a team like Napoli? And then, you know, they're ahead. It looks like they're going to win the game and deservedly win the game.
00:06:04
Speaker
And then they give away, you know, a goal out of nothing, 89th minute for Abraham, where there's just non-existent marking. Where was the marking on that goal? And that's just, you know, where they're at really this season. They've not put their chances away, missed so many chances. And then they just haven't been able to defend, even in games where they've been complete, so comfortably the better team. And when the other team doesn't look like creating anything, then they just concede out of nothing.
00:06:32
Speaker
So that's why they haven't won this game and that's, I mean it's crazy that they're down in ninth place but it's very frustrating for Napoli because they played really really, I thought they were really really good in this game and they really deserved to win but they let down
00:06:46
Speaker
you know, where it matters post, I guess, which is putting it in the back of the net and keeping that, keeping it out of the net. Yeah. You know, it's very, very frustrating because I thought that they, they're big players were good in this game. I mean, Austin, and I thought was back to his best really in this game. I thought his all round game was great playing for the team, bringing others in a focal point. You know, he was a, as you say, a pain in the butt for defenders. You know, he scored the penalty, but he, you know, he, he, he,
00:07:12
Speaker
He had other chances where he was probably a bit unlucky rather than bad finishing, but he was setting up for his, setting up chances as well. And then Clarence Scalia was delightful. Some of his delightful touches. He won the penalty. He went close twice. He won nutmeg that he did on Christante, where he, as the Latin says, he sent Christante to the hot dog stand. I mean, that was one of the,
00:07:37
Speaker
That was one of the nutmegs of the season. It was actually really enjoyable to watch Napoli. This was more of a Napoli of last season. Apart from these shortcomings. Yeah, that's a very good analysis. I thought Napoli looked a bit more relaxed in this game. I think there's been a lot of nerves and it's been a very difficult season.
00:08:00
Speaker
for them, not just off the pitch, but also it's kind of translated onto the pitch. They've looked very tense. Uh, like they're fundamentally a sound team, what Spaletti's built, but it's just not worked for them this season. And I think that, and we saw a chance showed it and defensively, we know, you know, when you lose Koulibaly, Kim and Jay, it's going to have to have an effect. Um, and they didn't replace them properly and everything else that we've discussed pretty much all season. So.
00:08:27
Speaker
It's not really much more to add to that. Let's talk about Roma. We'll come on to Antonio Conte in a little bit. From the Roma point of view, a few concerns for me in this game looking ahead to the end of the season because there's a lot for Roma to play for.
00:08:47
Speaker
to determine whether this season is a success or not. And they got, I mean, as we've said, they got dominated in this game, first half, second half, chance after chance. I think Napoli had an XG of over three in this game. They started the second half a bit better and they took the lead and then they conceded a fluke where this is where they were unfortunate. And they conceded a fluke at a time when Napoli looked a bit broken. Understandably, Napoli dominated the game and they go behind.
00:09:15
Speaker
And they looked a bit broken at that point. And then they, you know, Oliveria scores this complete fluke and then then Napoli take over again.
Roma's Challenges and Future Prospects
00:09:22
Speaker
But you have to, we have to praise Roma for their fight in that even when they're playing bad and getting dominated, they managed to still show that fight and that De Rossi Grinta.
00:09:33
Speaker
grit and you know they showed that against Udenezer in midweek when they scored a 95th minute winner and Cristante in that that bizarrely kind of real you know played to a finished game where they played like 20 minutes and they managed to get the win
00:09:49
Speaker
And then they showed that here with the Abraham equalise, 89 per minute. Nice to see him come back and score a goal. So, you know, these are two huge, huge goals and late goals. And that fight from Roma is really, I think, all that we can really take away from this game from Roma's point of view. Yeah, it is. De Rossi was unhappy after the game. He said that this was a missed opportunity. He was he was annoyed. And I can understand why he was, because obviously, you know, when Bologna dropped points,
00:10:19
Speaker
as well. Um, then, then they, you know, they had an opportunity to gain on them and also, you know, they don't exactly have a very, um, a very, how do you say they don't exactly have very, very many easy games left.
00:10:34
Speaker
you know, Atalanta had beaten Empoli, so, you know, they knew, they were expecting them to beat Atalanta because they played that game before. You know, it's, they weren't too happy about that. But at the same time,
00:10:52
Speaker
It's still a point away to Napoli. It's still they're 63, you know, they've got 59 points. They managed to keep Lazio four points behind them. I think that's the main thing. They maintained the nine point difference to Napoli. It's not a bad thing. Of course, they would have liked to have won that, especially after having beaten Udinese in dramatic fashion when that game was played.
00:11:18
Speaker
and now they go into Leverkusen and then Juve and then Leverkusen and then Atalanta and then that's the end of the game. Yeah, it's a very tough game of the season like for this to get into the Champions League they're gonna have to earn it now because because you know Atalanta close on Roma now because they won and they will go ahead of them if they win the game in hand and then as you've said those end of season fixtures I mean the next two games in Serie A, you've entered home Atalanta away they're gonna have to
00:11:47
Speaker
they're definitely going to have to win at least one of them. They're probably going to have to beat Atalanta, to be honest with you, away, to finish above them. But obviously, they've got the backup option that they can win the Europa League and get into the Champions League. But they're obviously playing Leverkusen, and we'll talk about that afterwards.
00:12:05
Speaker
You know, and the concerning what I was concerned is they did look tired in this game. They were very flat, lacking energy. Obviously they had the Bologna game on Monday. Then they had to go to Udenet to play this 20, 25 minutes. And they had to play this game as well.
00:12:19
Speaker
and Roma were very angry. I think they put out a statement saying that they were very unhappy with the league for the scheduling of the Udinese game when it did, and I guess their fears were realised in this game. I think that's a little bit concerning ahead of not just the Leverkusen game, but also this really busy schedule, because they've got two massive games in between, and after this Leverkusen
00:12:44
Speaker
double header, which is going to take a lot out of them because they're such a good team. They're unbeaten all season. So for me, that is concerning. It'll be a shame if they run out of steam and the tiredness kicks in and that
00:13:02
Speaker
that ends their season and they don't qualify for the Champions League and they go out of the Europa League because of that. That's my concern from this game. I hope it's just it was a tough game. Napoli were playing really well. They were missing Paredes.
00:13:19
Speaker
This sounds crazy for all the stick we've given Paredes, but Roma were so bad in the field in this game that they got completely dominated. Napoli's midfield controlled it and Paredes has become very important under De Rossi. I think De Rossi said this after the game as well.
00:13:38
Speaker
is able to control the midfield, make some tip, keeps the ball very well, which is the words De Rossi uses. The other players are not that good at it. We know Cristante is not a controlling midfielder. He's not someone that's particularly good on the ball in short spaces. Barver has not really kicked on for me this season, to be honest with you. I know he's not always played. I like him, but
00:14:03
Speaker
he looks like he's maybe lacking something. He's still young. I think he's maybe lacking something a little bit at the very top level. Still a good player, but yeah, he was poor in this game.
00:14:16
Speaker
And then, Renato Sanchez, I mean, what could he say about this guy anymore? I mean, he's going to go down as one of the biggest pedones you've ever seen, I think, instead, yeah. I mean, he's, I mean, that what the hell was he doing on that penalty? Why does he do a, why does he after the, after the, the, the actions finished?
00:14:36
Speaker
trip the guy, you know, with his, with his back foot. Like there was no need to, no reason at all to use, gaining nothing at all from making that, that, that, that flip off of the ball after the, the action had gone. And then he trips it and he takes him down. I mean, that was on Corrada. I mean, that was, that was just inexplicable really from Renato Sanchez. Yeah. He's not been very good. And I'm surprised at that. I really thought he was going to be much, much better. Um, it's.
00:15:05
Speaker
I mean, I never expected him to be this crap. I mean, seriously, he has been absolutely dreadful. And how Paredes has become the good, has become the good signing. And the Renato Sanchez has been, well, one of the biggest bidones ever is genuinely bizarre.
00:15:25
Speaker
Um, and the injuries as well. Yeah, it doesn't, it doesn't help. But Sveela has been, I mean, he, he's been so good since, since, since, since he's come into the team for Lui Patricio. He performed miracles in this game to keep them out. He's three one-on-ones in this game, saved two of them. And then he rushed out to, to put, well, I guess.
00:15:43
Speaker
give him some credit for the Anguisa miss as well. I mean he made so many say even made a save at 2-2 when Austin went right at the end and Austin could have could have turned it around as well to make it 3-2. So I mean Svela we have to give credit in this game he was he was
00:15:59
Speaker
He was fantastic for Roma, but yeah, big two weeks for Roma ahead now. It's going to decide everything for their season. As for Napoli, obviously European qualification, they've got to try and get into the Europa League, but they've been caught by Fiorentina now as well.
00:16:17
Speaker
They're at risk of not being in Europe at all. And we know who does well, Nima, when the team that he takes over is not in Europe, because we've seen it at Juventus in this first season there. We saw it in Chelsea. I mean, this is all setting up for the Antonio Conte, isn't it? If he takes over an Napoli team that are not in Europe, I mean, that is... Conte is absolutely loving that. That's where he flourishes and he is the best. One game a week for Antonio Conte. I mean, there's good essay challenges, aren't there?
00:16:47
Speaker
Yeah, the reports are growing now on Friday.
00:16:51
Speaker
there was a detailed report on an agreement between Conte and Napoli over a three year deal. There's other outlets are reporting the same saying that he could be paid 6.5 million a year. I've just checked, we're recording this on Friday, on Monday, sorry. The Monday morning reports are that there's gonna be new meetings between De Laurentiis and Conte in the coming hours and days. So what do you make of this?
00:17:20
Speaker
I can't believe it. I just can't understand like I
00:17:27
Speaker
Apparently Pioli's in there, so he's not delivering, he's not just looking at one coach, let's say, which is way away at any top team, should work really. You shouldn't just have all your eggs in one basket. So Pioli's there as well. It's going to be very interesting, isn't it? For both Napoli and Milan, it's going to be very interesting to see, because I think a lot's going to be decided in the next week or two. I think both teams want to get this manager sorted as soon as possible. Of course they do. Of course they do. I think Pioli knows his time is up.
00:17:57
Speaker
I think Napoli are really considering. Is it time? Because if you go from Konta, look, I understand you've played 4-3-3 for almost half a decade or more than that, right? More than that. Even since Sarri and even before that. So pretty much since Mazzari left, you've played a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1. So maybe you want to change the formation. I get that. It's healthy to do that every now and again. But
00:18:26
Speaker
So that's why you want to bring Konta and of course Konta's professionalism and the level that he works at and the, you know, we know, we know what a meticulous perfectionist he is. But at the same time, that requires quite, you can't go into a priest like Antonio Konta. It took Antonio Konta about seven days after being unveiled by Inter before he started moaning.
00:18:49
Speaker
because Lukaku wasn't done in seven days. He's not going to, you need to have your ducks in order. And De Laurentiis must know this. This is Antonio Conte. He does not mess about. If he does not, I mean, by the time preseason starts and if the players he wants aren't there, he will, the grumbling and moaning will begin. That's just how it is. And you don't have, you know, the Victor Osman situation can't drag out.
00:19:19
Speaker
Um, you need to sign defenders. You need to, you need to bring in what he wants. It's as simple as that. Um, so you can't, you know, if he's going to come in, you're going to have to start getting to work right now. Okay. You've got mana in, um, these, these, these unconfirmed reports of pure Paolo Marine, or, you know, what's going to happen there.
Antonio Conte's Potential Impact at Napoli
00:19:40
Speaker
You need to have your ducks in order before you bring Antonio Conte in. Inter had that when they had our Celio and Marotta already there and everything was working and still Conte was moaning. So.
00:19:49
Speaker
You know, that that is a risk. I just still can't believe that Aurelio will pay six and a half million net a season to content. I just don't believe that he's going to because of the character he is and how he likes to do deals selling awesome and selling that player buying that player haggling about pennies and dimes at the details, which he loves doing. You don't do that with Antonio Conte sitting there foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog.
00:20:19
Speaker
waiting for his players because that just destabilizes the entire environment.
00:20:25
Speaker
I don't think De Laurentiis, I think that De Laurentiis acts first, thinks later on those kinds of things. Conte maybe, it might be, in Conte's point of view, it might be that if he doesn't get the assurances over certain controls. He won't do it. Then he won't do it. So I think maybe from Conte's point of view, that could be a possible stumbling block in the negotiations. From De Laurentiis' point of view, I think that I just don't, I think De Laurentiis is more like, he wants something, when he wants something, he goes after it and he gets it and then afterwards,
00:20:54
Speaker
he worries afterwards about the side effects, let's say, of that decision. And so I think that's always been the way that he worked. He has a plan, he has an idea in his mind, and he goes for it. So I don't think that will affect De Laurenti's thinking, but I do think it will affect Conte's
00:21:15
Speaker
think it for sure. But it's going to be very, very interesting. Also for Milan, let us talk about Milan's search for a manager before we talk about Juventus versus Milan. And let's talk about what's going on with Judon Napatega because it is really quite
00:21:30
Speaker
quite fascinating what's going on. So it's pretty clear now, we know that, that Julian Lopategi is Milan's number one choice. The board want him, the Gazetta della Sport and others have said that there is actually a contract offer that has been drafted for Lopategi, three year contract worth around four million a year.
00:21:52
Speaker
that they're going to meet him again in the coming days. Milan wants to get this sorted, it seems. According to all sources, they want to get this sorted in the next week or so. Sorry, like really soon. They want to get their new manager sorted. They're in the Champions League now. They're officially qualified for the Champions League. So Milan know now that they can actually start planning properly.
00:22:12
Speaker
for next season and for the transfer market. So they want to get this manager in as soon as possible. So Lopategi is who they want. The issue is that, this is what is amazing is that there has been really strong opposition from the Milan fans to the extent that we even saw, and I love this hashtag, Lopategi. Lopategi, yeah. They started a petition, I think on change.com,
00:22:39
Speaker
where the Milan fans nope Etegi. And well, I'd say that this seems to be a new Milan tradition. This is what we're right on schedule. It's enough the fans with managerial. Yeah, the fans through his seat fits and lose their shit over over managerial appointments, you know, a lot of Etegi out, just like purely out.
00:23:04
Speaker
Trends they bring him in and then things go. Well, so I'd say we're right on schedule DiMaccio says that that that they have seen all the opposition and it has made them not rethink but at least acknowledge it and and have a debate about it have a debate about it so that I mean that they're looking at
00:23:27
Speaker
Fonseca, Paulo Fonseca, former Roma coach, seems to be an alternative who doesn't... I'm sorry, but when I read that, I choked. That is insane. Like, I know that he's a decent coach. Portuguese coaches are generally very well skilled, very well trained. They have a, you know, it's a very good school of coaching. But
00:23:54
Speaker
He can do well in France, in Portugal, in those leagues. He can't cut it in the Serie A. We've seen what happens to his football in Serie A. He's carved open. I think he's a good coach, but I think Milan should be aiming higher than Fonseca.
00:24:19
Speaker
And that's exactly where I am. I just don't think he's good. He can't play that. And Lopategi, I'm not as against Lopategi because I think he has done some good work and I can see his clear identity in what he tries to do. I think he's done some really good work at Sevilla. He was doing really well with Spain until the whole fiasco of him having to leave. And then obviously at Wolves. My issue with
00:24:42
Speaker
with Lopategi is that he's clearly being pushed to Milan by Jorge Mendez and if Lopategi goes to Milan then that to me suggests that Milan are going to become Jorge Mendez's bitch basically and all his clients that he's going to get clients and players that are going to get pushed to Milan basically like when we've seen that with Mendez in so many so many clubs where you know a key
00:25:10
Speaker
Key client of his whether it's a manager or or or a player goes to a goes to a club One of Mendez's clients and then all of a sudden so many of his other clients then start going I mean wolves is the best example. I mean wolves are basically they should be renamed all game and there's FC, you know, I mean, you know is is a become and not that is my concern like with Milan is that
00:25:34
Speaker
You know, if, if, if Lopategi goes to Milan, clearly it's Mendez that's pushing it, pushing it. And then, then Milan suddenly become, you know, just, just Jorge Mendez is his team and all of his players go there. So that is what worries me probably the most out of this Lopategi, out of Lopategi going to Milan. No, I think that's a fair point. And I think also there's, there's also,
00:26:04
Speaker
When it comes to Pellegrini coaches, because I think Lopategi and Pellegrini are kind of at the same level. I like them. I think they're decent coaches, the Manuel Pellegrini. I think they play a sound football. They're sound tactically. I just don't think they raise the level to where Milan want to raise the level the next step after Pioli.
00:26:30
Speaker
I understand why reports, which I believe, by the way, that Zlatan is pushing Konta hard because of the fact that Zlatan and Konta, in terms of winning mentality, they know exactly what it takes. This kind of obsession of winning and every aspect of your life has to be designed around that. And I think this Milan has shown that they react to those kinds of things. I mean, when Zlatan came back,
00:27:01
Speaker
just his presence in the dressing room, raise the bar. I agree with you. I might- Connor's the same animal. He's cut from the same cloth. He is, but he's not what he's not. He's not a company man. I think everything that we've seen with Milan under
00:27:20
Speaker
Cardenale and, you know, under Redbird, Elliot before, is that they want company men as their managers. They do. Well, no, I agree. But they don't, we saw that with Maldini, they got rid of him because he wasn't on the same page as them. And purely is a company man. He's done a very good job. But he's a company man. And
00:27:45
Speaker
I think Lopategi is definitely, will definitely not, he definitely won't rock the boat. No, no, no. He will be part of the team. Fonseca, I don't know so much from that aspect, but I'm assuming he will. Whereas Conte won't. Conte won't give a damn. Does there be, does there be, I don't know, maybe he's... Does there be won't rock the boat. If he's given a chance to coach Milan, he ain't going to rock anything.
00:28:10
Speaker
He's going to rock all the way to the bank. That's what he's going to do. He's not going to rock. I mean, if they, if they, if they're convinced that he won't, um, then they're fine. But I mean, but I suppose, yeah, I suppose I probably agree with you seeing as he's been, he's been at seven clubs. He's been at Sasola. He's been at Brighton. They sell all the best players and he's accepted it. So maybe does everybody be fine, but certainly Conte. Conte is not a company man. No, no, Conte doesn't miss out. But the thing is that maybe sometimes you need to,
00:28:40
Speaker
Have a bit of that, you know have that medicine because that effect lingers on because once players if I'm making the decision Yes, I'm with you Nima. The problem is the people making decisions. I think they don't they want a company man They want you to think you bring content for one two seasons because you know, he doesn't stay longer than that He'll win you a score. I thought he'll fight with everyone before during and after then you will but you will have had The the level will have been raised and then you can bring someone in
00:29:10
Speaker
who's a company man, because the effect will have remained, like Inzaghi after Konta, a completely different kind of guy, completely different. But the players, like Inzaghi said from day one, they always made themselves available. They wanted to win.
00:29:26
Speaker
because of that effect last. I mean, you know, Handana, which spoke about how everything changed when Spalletti came in. Do you know what I mean? Like, it's like a step. You bring a Spalletti, then you bring in a Conte. Do you know what I mean? I agree with you. I agree, especially as I think Milan, as we said on the last show, Milan have the core of a team that can certainly push on with the right
00:29:45
Speaker
a point in the management and just a few tweaks on the transfer. I think they're
Milan's Managerial Dilemma: Lopetegui's Consideration
00:29:50
Speaker
in a position to really make that next step. I think they've got the core there with a good summer that they can really make the next step up and Conte or a top coach, a winning coach can probably bring that. I just think that that's not the way that this Milan wants to work. They want somebody that will do as they say and not challenge them.
00:30:15
Speaker
And that's why I don't think Conte will, you know, someone like Conte. But the question is, the question is though, if Zlatan loses this battle, if it's true that he wants Conte and they go after Lopetegui and Zlatan's not on board, I wonder if he stays. Well, that's kind of why I'm surprised about Zlatan going to Milan and that's why I do wonder long term whether
00:30:43
Speaker
whether it will last between the two because we know that because he's not he doesn't like being on the kids table. He's not like he's not that kind of a guy who likes being seated at the kids table and being used as a gimmick that pisses him off that and he's also doesn't accept illusion as well. No, he can't handle that. He doesn't want to be anywhere near a losing project.
00:31:03
Speaker
Um, and if he feels that it's not at the level he wants to be at, then he'll just cut ties. He's very ruthless. Yeah. Watch that. Watch that space. I mean, if we, if we talk about Milan in this game against Juventus from Milan's point of view, not much to say other than they've got the, they've got the point they've, they've secured Champions League football. So they can start this planning now with the manager and with the transfer market, they've basically secured second place, um, now.
00:31:27
Speaker
Five points ahead of Juventus in third with four games left. I mean, they're not going to lose that. Now, they didn't play well in this game. They were awful. They didn't even try. They looked like they didn't even care, to be honest. They did nothing. They created nothing. They had no shots on target at all.
00:31:49
Speaker
0.31 XG. All their attacking players did nothing. Liao, nothing. Giroud, nothing. Poulassic, nothing again. Just a point on Poulassic. This is one thing that he needs to improve for next season. Milan need more from him in the big games. He's come short on almost every single big game this season, both in Serie A and in Europe. Almost all of his goals, and we're saying that he scored a lot of goals this season, which is great.
00:32:15
Speaker
almost all of his goals this season have come against bottom half teams have a look at the list of teams that he scored against I think he has one against Lazio at a time when they were down the bottom and he has one against Bologna which is on the first day the rest of the all the rest of his goals are against against bottom half and relegation teams in
00:32:31
Speaker
in Serie A. So that is something that Pudicic, because he's been really bad in the last few games against Roma in both games when they needed him in the Europa League, and then this game as well. I had a little look, and in the big games, and he was poor in the Champions League, he did score against Newcastle, but he was very, very poor in the rest of the group stage games. So that is where Pudicic needs to step up this season. And that kind of, I think, confirms where I am with Pudicic. He's somebody that...
00:33:02
Speaker
Probably he isn't got what it takes to make that real next that's next step to be among the very very best Players and that's probably why Chelsea got rid of him as well. That's what we need to see more I mean, there's definitely a skill and importance to scoring against the lower teams lower half teams That's that's in league seasons. That's that's that's vital But we need to see more from pool a switch. But yeah, just he just I guess just summed up Milan in this game and Nothing can attack
00:33:30
Speaker
The only praise, I think, of Milan is that their defence was completely decimated in this game. Tamoriau, Teo, Calabria, all of them suspended, Kea was injured, Teao played with Gabbia, and then Moussa, who's a midfielder, played at right-back, and then Florenzi, who's a converted right-back, or really a midfielder as well, played at left-back.
00:33:52
Speaker
And Milan defended, I thought, pretty well. They defended pretty well. I think all four did pretty well. I thought Tial was fantastic in this game. He was back to his best. He was absolutely magnificent. He totally dominated Vlalovic in this game. And I thought Sportiello played pretty well as well. He came in for Manon, who got injured in the warm-up. And he made a few good saves. He made one mistake at the end when Tial cleared it off the line. But apart from that,
00:34:18
Speaker
he did really really well so I think we should give some praise to the Milan defense given how decimated it was but in terms of the overall performance and attacking it was it was bad really bad no they were they didn't they didn't attack they didn't try there was nothing they they they looked exactly like a team that had lost the that had had their worst rivals win the scudetto in their faces on Monday I mean it was just they just looked flat they were
00:34:44
Speaker
mentally exhausted. They were, they looked a bit hungover. They, they just like mentally hungover, not physically, but that like kind of flattened. The air went out of them. I think what, you know, losing six starbies in a row with the Chilagina Sula Torta from Inter's perspective, winning the second star, getting revenge for number 19 that Milan won.
00:35:14
Speaker
in their faces when they were a home team. I think that just kind of completely deflated Milan. And that's why, again, I think the only cure to that illness is Antonio Conte. Because whether you like it or not, he's like that scene in Pulp Fiction when, what's his name? When Uma Thurman O.D.'s and John Travolta drives him to that house and they shove the syringe in her heart. That's what Conte is, you know?
00:35:46
Speaker
But seriously, that is what it is. That's Milan or Uma Thurman after she snorts heroin up her nose and O.D.'s right now. And Antonio Conte is the syringe. Exactly. Exactly. The syringe is Antonio Conte. And John Travolta is
00:36:06
Speaker
is Jerry Cardinale essentially now, do you know what I mean? Like he needs to drive her and the patient to the right place, you know? And that's where Milan are right now because it's just, they looked completely devoid. And for me, Paolo Fonseca, Lopategi, good managers, tactically sound, but is that really what you need to do? You need to turbo charge with energy.
00:36:30
Speaker
And you don't do that with, I think, Lopategi or Fonseca or any of these other names. I think someone like Conte or Sarri is what you need. You need a ball buster. You need a hard ass. You need an ideologue. You need a hard ass who doesn't take shit from anyone who goes in there and just kicks everyone up the ass and gets things going. And I think this game kind of confirmed it. I'm surprised that you didn't win.
00:36:59
Speaker
Yeah, well, let's come to you, Ventus. I mean, first of all, if we're talking about this just as a game, this was a bad advertisement for Italian football. It's one of the worst. The first half is one of the most unwatchable first half I've seen. I mean, the XG, the first half, 0.21 XG versus 0.2 XG.
00:37:22
Speaker
The second half was a bit better in terms of Juventus had had had had some chances and they they didn't have loads but they had enough to to to to just they had enough to deserve to win the game to win the game by a goal. I would say I think they probably deserve on the chances to win the game by a goal.
00:37:44
Speaker
But largely it was a game with with with that it was not a good skeptical and it was not a good advertisement for Italian football, especially as we saw that, like in America, where where, you know, the serial is basically
00:37:58
Speaker
going big on trying to conquer North America. Well they claim they've already conquered North America. They were going big about this, you know, American Derby, the Americans for Milan versus the Americans for, and then this is the game. This is the, I mean, this is, any kind of
00:38:17
Speaker
new watcher of Italian football in America is not going to watch again after watching this game. It was really, really bad. But yeah, Juventus should have won. I mean, the second half, they had the double save for sports yellow. Danilo had a really good chance on the rebound.
00:38:37
Speaker
Milik had a couple of heady chances. The one from the corner was a good chance and in the Rabio had the chance when Sportiglio made the mistake where Tial cleared it off the line. Juventus didn't concede anything defensively. Milan didn't have a shot on target. I think Juventus should have won the game but
00:38:56
Speaker
But again, it's not enough from Juventus. That's the bottom line. It's an improvement slightly on recent games. But you're playing against a Milan team who didn't care, who were suffering from the insert game. They were completely decimated in defence. Four of their back five out, a midfielder at right back, converted right back, left back.
00:39:20
Speaker
and they can't score had an extra of 1.1 which is okay but it's not really good enough still against that and you know Juventus' attack doesn't score again and this has been Juventus' biggest problem these last three years under Allegri as I explained in detail on last Monday's pod so I'm not going to go through all of it again but bottom line 47 goals in 34 games this season that's abysmal
00:39:44
Speaker
That's 7th in Serie A. And no 8th actually now because we're on team, put 5, scored 5 on Sunday night. I mean by comparison Inter have, is it 79 or 81? I can't remember if I made this before. I can't remember if I made these notes before Inter played and Milan have 64 by comparison. I mean that just shows how far off they've been in the tap given us.
00:40:09
Speaker
It's been a problem. There's no doubt about that. That, you know, it's been a problem this season, the goal scoring for, for you, but there's no doubt about that. And there's something that needs to be done. And I think there's, it needs to be done, not just at managerial level, but also at the technical level in terms of the squad. I just don't think they have enough firepower when Moiskeen, you know, Milik will do what he does. He's never going to, you know, he's not your, he can't be,
00:40:37
Speaker
you know, he can be a complementary striker in the sense that you can throw him on, but you need to have your, you know, Okevlao, which is score 15-16 goals in the Serie A, that's good, but you need more from him. You need 20-25 goals for him every single season. He was really bad at this game as well. Yeah, you need your 20-25 goal of season striker and
00:40:54
Speaker
I read somewhere that his pass success rate in this game was 52% or something. So like actually one of every two passes he made was, I mean, I think that's, that's on a bad day on a bad day passing completion rate. That's good. That's no good. But, um, listen, I think you will need to ask some serious questions now about everyone at that Scott. They need to.
00:41:22
Speaker
do what they did after Del Neri left and they brought in content, which is everyone is soto ezame. Everyone is being questioned. No one has a short place at this Juve in order to build something credible on par with what Juve deserve in terms of who Juve are historically and so on and so forth. But you can't, that means even Vlawic, Bremer, everyone. Locatelli, everyone. Everyone has to be serious, hard questions need to be asked.
00:41:53
Speaker
They need to bring in a coach who understands that, who can transfer that onto the pitch, and they need to bring in players that understand that and are willing to understand the club that they're at. And I don't think very many players do. The attitude on display against Milan, or throughout the season many times, or these last three years, I'd say, has been
00:42:17
Speaker
It's not Yulva. You don't behave like that at Yulva. Also, the arguments. Everybody keeps arguing when they come off. As I saw it, Vlawovic wasn't happy again here. The Kiesa, we've seen it. Vlawovic, we've seen it. Even Cambiaso did it. Which game was it he did it in? I think it was the Lazio game.
00:42:36
Speaker
in the corporate salary if I haven't said more the game before. Canviaso was arguing until he told Allegri to be quiet when he came up. He said, you're making the team tense. He had a go at him. It doesn't matter who's right, who's wrong. You can't do that when you come off the pitch. You can't do it at all. You can't have a go at your manager
00:43:01
Speaker
or show that kind of negative body language when being taken off. You can't. Teams that do that don't win. They don't win. Occasionally it can happen. You've even seen Lautaro do it, didn't we? But it can happen even in winning teams. But in general, this is happening every single game with Juventus. And of course, part of that is we know that obviously they don't have the
00:43:31
Speaker
they don't have the trust, or some of these players don't have the trust, the attacking players anyway, with Vlovich and certainly Kiese, they don't have the trust in the manager. So that's why they're showing that. That's obviously a symptom of that. But it's also, that has to be cut out next season. We cannot have this kind of players questioning the manager, however badly he's doing. You can't question the manager in public. That has to be behind closed doors. No, exactly.
00:44:01
Speaker
Exactly. It has to be behind closed doors and they have to be able to handle it and the players need to be more disciplined. And I don't feel very many of them are now. We know that I like who's going to leave, but regardless, jointly has to put down the foot here. Um, and understand, make people understand what U of A is and maybe bringing someone like Helene back as team manager, like inter did with, or Yali and now with Ricky, Ricky Fairey, Ricardo Fairey, like.
00:44:31
Speaker
you need someone to under to explain the culture of the club. Yeah. And I don't feel you ever have that bridge as well between the manager and the players, but someone that's young enough that's still like on their wavelength to an extent not connected. Like you bring in someone that's too old. Sometimes they're not, do you know what I mean? They're not on that. They're the same kind of generation. Um, it depends. It depends on the personality. Everyone's different, aren't they? You know, um, that's a,
00:45:01
Speaker
Yeah, that needs to improve. I mean, Juventus' form definitely needs to improve. I mean, 15 games since the Empire League game, won three, drawn seven, lost five. I mean, that's horrendous. The Champions League race, I mean, Juventus need to be a little bit careful if my maths are correct.
00:45:19
Speaker
Juventus need six points from their four games to guarantee finishing above at least one of Roma and Atalanta. That's the key. They need to finish above at least one of them. They get six points from their four games if I've done my maths correct because Roma and Atalanta will play against each other.
00:45:37
Speaker
Um, which, which obviously means they can't both get to both can't get maximum points. Um, if they beat, you've been to the event has played Roma this weekend at the Olympic. If you've been to beat Roma this weekend, if I'm correct, they've qualified, I think, because they will have, they've got better heads ahead in Roma. We'll only be able to equal the number of points that you've been to Scott. If you get to draw with Roma, they'll need
00:46:01
Speaker
three points from three games, if I'm correct. And Juventus' remaining fixtures are, you know, it's not easy. They've got Roma away, Selenitana at home, Bologna away, Monza at home. So there's two very, very difficult away games there against teams that are fighting for the Champions League. Selenitana should be a gimme.
00:46:19
Speaker
So then it could potentially even come down to that Monza game, the last game of the season at home, where you definitely don't want to go into that last game having to win at home to Monza. So Juventus do have to be a little bit careful. They should be okay, but they are limping over the line. Let's put it that way. They are relying on other teams, really, at the moment, slipping up to still be in a driving seat, because they're not getting the points themselves. So they have to be a bit careful.
00:46:49
Speaker
The only other thing I want to say is the civil war between the fans, which is another reason why Allegri has to go because for a team to be successful, it needs to be united everywhere. There needs to be unity throughout the club, you know, in the changing room between the players in the management and with the fans. And you know, we see, I mean, I don't even want to call it a civil war, because I think the civil war is generally more when things are more kind of 5050 or 6040. Whereas
00:47:18
Speaker
I think pretty much every fan, almost 99% of fans, Juventus fans around the world want Allegri gone. But then there's the ultras that are absolute adamant and they want him to stay and they're cheering. In this game, they're cheering and chanting for him and they hold up a giant banner asking them for Allegri to extend his contract.
00:47:40
Speaker
And then you have the rest of the stadium booing Allegri and booing the Ultras. I don't want to call it a civil war because that's given too much credit for the Ultras, who I think are just complete cancer on Italian football. That's what they are. They're not real fans. They only care about the power and the money and control that they have. And they're also, a lot of them are Nazis. They're right-wing Nazis, if I'm honest with you, racists. And they're horrible, horrible people.
00:48:09
Speaker
And, you know, these Juventus cultures are, I'm sorry, but by doing what they're doing, they don't have Juventus' best interests at heart at all. But again, putting all that aside, again, this lack of unity between all the different fan bases, yeah, is another reason why Allegri has to go, because Juventus need unity. And while Allegri's there, these divisions are going to be more apparent.
00:48:37
Speaker
They are. They're not going to go away. And I think Allegri understands that too. But it's going to be interesting how that situation is handled if Allegri, how they handle it.
00:48:49
Speaker
because it's just a year, okay, it's a lot of money, the Cristiano Ronaldo legal case, just hit them in the face again. I think there's going to be quite a bit of upheaval at Yuba, to be honest. I think regardless of how you look at it, they're also in a settlement agreement with UEFA, which they have to respect. I think they're going to have to sell at least one big name player this summer. I just don't see any other option. The question is who it is and who they replace him with.
00:49:13
Speaker
And I think it's going to be interesting. I think a lot of things are going to change at U of A. I think it literally is reboot. I think they're going to reboot everything this summer and they have to because they need to, they've not, they've tried everything else and they failed at it. So now you have to give the mandate to
00:49:35
Speaker
to Juntoly to just clear the slate out, start all over. If it's bringing del Piero in and some sort of a managerial, some sort of a, you know, team manager role or Kelly near someone who understands what Juventus is back to basics. Do you know what I mean? Um, build an identity of what you are, who they are. Start over. Um, because as things are right now,
00:50:00
Speaker
they're not working and also it's just negativity around you but you want to change that narrative you want to change that vibe sometimes it's good uh yeah it's negativity and hopelessness and that's what you need that's all you got you need to open up the window sometimes and regardless of whose fault it is and whether or not it is someone's fault and blah blah blah at the end of the day when it's this toxic
00:50:24
Speaker
It's not working. That's what Juventus fans want because the good thing about the most beautiful, one of the most beautiful things about football is that however bad your team, you know, for any team, however bad your team does in a season, there's always the next, there's always the next season where things start from fresh and you start from zero, everybody starts from zero and you can go again. And that's what's beautiful. And what Juventus have been robbed of in these last three years is that after every bad season,
00:50:53
Speaker
there's been the hopelessness of coming back to the same thing again with Allegory. And that their hopelessness from last season into this season in that everybody, every Juventus fan knew that this season was a right up. And I said it at the start of the season, that Juventus is just gonna be another miserable season. And there's that hopelessness and everybody's just waiting for the season to end that next season there can be some hope. But yeah, there is definitely gonna be
00:51:19
Speaker
In the transfer market, Juventus, well, I know there's going to be a lot of business being done ins and outs this summer, for sure. Some of that will involve Bologna, and maybe, probably, let's say now, Bologna's manager, Thiago Motta. Bologna drew, though, with Udeneres there. They dropped two points in the Champions League race, although, because Roma drew as well, it wasn't the end of the world.
00:51:47
Speaker
for Bologna and in fact Bologna may see it as a point game as they were down to 10 men and played a very bad game they were losing and they still managed with 10 men to get a draw and even they even nearly won it at the end as well so a point closer for Bologna Nima? Yeah I'd say so but
00:52:12
Speaker
But I think they're going to make it. I think it's pretty obvious that they've collected so many points. I just don't see them crashing out of the top five, which is now the five places you get to get to the Champions League. So I think it's, you know, it's basically management. Now it's just basically managing things until you mathematically secure the Champions League.
00:52:39
Speaker
You know, it's, it's, that's all it is really. And you look at it and they got Torino way, Napoli, Juve, Genoa. Not easy though. Not an easy end to the season. Those, those, those next three games are all, it's very possible. They don't, you know, they drop points in all of those three games. So it's not, it's not going to be easy for them, but they've got that, that gap, that points gap and, and Roma play at Atlanta as well. So, so somebody's going to drop points there at least, if not both. Um, so I think it's looking good for them at
00:53:07
Speaker
Motta, as much as I love him, I think he made some mistakes in this game though, Motta. Sometimes I think he does some unnecessary rotations. Certainly for a team that's only playing once a week, like not starting Califiori, I don't know if there's any physical reasons for that. And then one of the other centre backs gets sent, one of the centre backs that start, came and gets sent off.
00:53:27
Speaker
doesn't start Orcelini. He's done that a lot this season, bringing Orcelini on as a sub. I'm sure there's some tactical reasons for that. He thinks that Orcelini can have an impact off the bench against tiring teams. But in this game against Udenez, a team you're expected to win. I mean, why not just start Orcelini and try and blow Udenez away? I think he made some mistakes from the start in this game, but also you have to praise him for turning things around with 10 men.
00:53:57
Speaker
against Dudenezi. But I think the bigger talking point in this game is Dudenezi themselves. I mean, they're going to kick themselves for not winning this game. They had to win this game as well because Prosenone had won. They've fallen into the relegation zone. And obviously, before kickoff, they probably would have taken a draw.
00:54:13
Speaker
but you're one goal up, you're a man up, you're looking really, really comfortable. And then Akoi makes that massive mistake on seller makers free kick. And then also you miss a Davis misses a sitter and injury time hits the post. They're going to be kicking themselves because they had to I mean, they had to win this game when they were, you know, when they were a goal up and a man up, you have to win this game, don't you never? Absolutely.
00:54:40
Speaker
you really do. And it's worrying. I'm really, really worried. Okay, they've got leche frozenone, an employee left, if I'm not mistaken. But I'm not this is worrying, man. This is really, really worrying. This is okay, a point away to Bologna is all right. But like you said, you're you're a man down, or a man up, I should say for from within SS perspective, and, and
00:55:10
Speaker
with with about 20 minutes left to play and conceding a stupid goal like that uh is just it's unacceptable. Yeah and if Houdanese go down Nima. It's so bad. It's it's it's it's it's if they go down it's because of dropping points from from winning the season. They dropped this is insane.
00:55:30
Speaker
Udeneze have dropped 27 points this season from winning positions. I mean, come on. How is that even possible? I mean, add those 27 points to the 29 that you've got. That puts them on 39, 49, 59, 56 points. That puts them in seventh position, one point below Atalanta. They'd be fighting for Champions League players.
00:55:55
Speaker
It's mad, isn't it? I mean, it's just, I mean, and it would be so wrong too, because I'm looking at that spot. It's not the best squad in the world, but it's certainly better than Empoli and Frazinorna. I mean, it's unacceptable for them to go down. Yeah, and Caliari too. Maybe even Verona.
00:56:11
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely Verona, Verona. Yeah, Regen and Verona aren't even, they're playing players that aren't even real. It's PI, it's FCAI for God's sakes. Some of those Verona players. What's also insane about Udenezer is their record against the top six is insane this season. Yeah, I know. They've got one of the best records in all of Syria. I know, it's insane. They've beaten Milan, Juventus, Lazio and Bologna. They almost got the double over Bologna.
00:56:38
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know. It's absolutely crazy and it's like that's why I'm saying they shouldn't go down. Now they have Napoli at home which is good because it's topside and then they got Lecce and Poly and Frosinone.
00:56:50
Speaker
Yeah, so they've got, they've got the games against direct rivals that they can get themselves out of trouble. That's, that's the positive. Canavaro, listen, we've seen straight away what Canavaro brings this team. Did you see the time wasting in this game by Canavaro? Oh my gosh. Mota said it after the game. If this is true, this is actually quite hilarious that the ball was only in play for 31 minutes during this game.
00:57:17
Speaker
Italian, Seria shit-howzer-y things. This game was almost as short as the game gets Roma on Thursday. This week, Udineze paid 51 minutes of matches in these two games.
00:57:39
Speaker
No, it's brilliant, isn't it? It's absolutely brilliant. So that's kind of where it's bringing back the old school. Oh, it's like the 90s. It's like the city of in the 90s. I mean, it was pretty funny. Time wasting the yellow cards, the professional fouls, going down, you know, faking injuries.
00:57:56
Speaker
it was a coy got booked for time wasted in the 51st minute which was which was pretty hilarious i mean oh my god this is very very funny yeah very very funny um let's move on to atalanta um pretty pretty much straightforward win for atalanta arrested lots of players ahead of the uh ahead of the europalee game against marsay uh lukman with another another
00:58:20
Speaker
Great week for Lookman, scored that goal for the crucial goal in getting to the Coppertalia final against Fiorentina and then another really, really good goal.
00:58:32
Speaker
So yeah, Atalanta continue their really good port form. And then now two points behind Roma in the fifth Champions League place with the game in hand. They win the game in hand. They go above Roma into fifth. And also only three points behind Bologna as well. So yeah, it's looking really, really good for Atalanta, isn't it?
00:58:52
Speaker
Oh, it absolutely is. And we like this. We like Atalanta. It's, again, when you see a provincial side like Atalanta with the very limited financial muscles they have continuously for a decade now almost, fight at the top, continue to produce players, young players, sell them at a profit, continue to be the stepping stone.
00:59:17
Speaker
is truly remarkable and that they continue to do it at the highest European level. I mean, let's remember they've been in the Champions League knockout stages. Now in the Europa League, they knocked out Liverpool after beating them again for the second time in a couple of years at Anfield in Europe. I mean, it's just another in the final of the Copa Italia. They play Marseille in the Europa League semifinal, which I am a little bit worried about. I'm a little bit concerned because Marseille are a tricky bunch.
00:59:46
Speaker
you you never know what you've got with teams like with Marseille I feel it's like you can beat they can lose six nil but they can also hammy five one yeah there's no there there's such a tricky side you don't know what Marseille you're getting so it's going to come down to efficiency for Atalanta I really hope they um have kept their powder dry uh when they come up against Marseille because they're gonna need it they're gonna need Skamaka they're gonna need
01:00:16
Speaker
look man they're gonna need cop miners to to show that they can take that extra step you know in this decisive moments when it's squeaky bum time semi-final European Cup you have to deliver but I think in the Serie A okay they got Sala Anitana who are relegated Roma, Lecce Torino I mean they're gonna win those
01:00:36
Speaker
I mean, Leccia, Torino, Sala, and I expect them to get seven or nine points there. Roma may be a draw. This is enough. But what is good for them, though, is that Roma are also in the Europa League so that they're not the only ones who have a tough fixture list. OK, they have easier opponents, but they're also in the Copa Italia final. They're also in the Europa League. So I'd say it's pretty even handed between Roma and
01:01:07
Speaker
and Atalanta in that last fifth spot. But having said that, we need to just again, Atalanta, praise them for how they look so fresh.
01:01:22
Speaker
And in this, in this, you know, how Gasparini's got his season planning right. Any individual in particular that you want to praise for the... Oh, Gianluca Scamaca. No, no. Any, any individual at Atlanta you want to praise for looking at... Oh, here we go. No, I'm staying, I'm staying clear of that.
01:01:39
Speaker
I just want to praise Gasparini's seasonal planning. When Astellanza beat Liverpool, I started drawing up a meme, or when you put two images side by side. In the left image, I had bangs made, and in the right image, I had an inhaler.
01:02:00
Speaker
Oh, God. And I wanted to do kind of like bangs bow, bangs bow three inhalers. Yeah, don't. Don't. Now they're looking good. They're looking good. Lazio also continuing their really, really good form. And they didn't play great in this game against Regen FC, but they just about they just about got the wins. Can you come back from injury and score in there?
01:02:30
Speaker
The winner and they are still out of it for the Champions League. Yeah, they're four points behind Roma in fifth place, but obviously bear in mind that Atalanta, when they came in hand,
01:02:46
Speaker
and they'll go to 60, so they'll be five points ahead of latitude, but it's going to be difficult for them. They're going to probably have to win all four games, but they've got a very, very good remaining... Very favorable. Yeah, Monza away, Emply at home, Inter away, Sasolo at home, and Inter obviously got nothing to play for.
01:03:06
Speaker
So it's going to be difficult, but it's not impossible. So it's been a good end to the season and a very positive start for Tudor, as we said on the last show. So we don't need to go into detail there. But yeah, they got the win here. And it's been a great effort last week for Lazio after the Coppa Italia win against Juventus, but they eventually went out on aggregate.
01:03:34
Speaker
Yeah, there's not much to add to that. I think, again, we see that Tudor is showing, he's laying the blueprint, he's created some stability. Things have calmed down at Lazio. That's the most important thing. He's come to a place where players were openly saying goodbye in the middle of the season to lots of infighting, and he's calmed the place down.
01:03:59
Speaker
And I think that can't be under, like, we can't, you know, underestimate the importance of that. And I think he's, he's showing that the kind of football he wants to play, you know, what he wants to do. And I think it's a football that really suits, suits Lazio. I think this three at the back, the three, four, two, one actually suits them. Romanioli in the middle of a back three.
01:04:23
Speaker
is a good idea. You know, of course they're going to need some proper wing backs. I don't see E-Saxon really being much of a wing back. Marusic, I think, can do it for, you know, as a stock gap. Gendozy is really happy there. No, look, Lazio can be positive. Like I said, carefully optimistic looking forward. Hellas, on the other hand, if they stay up, it's a huge overachievement. And they do, they have, you know, they're playing Fiorentina and Torino at home.
01:04:53
Speaker
Salaam Itana away and then Inter on the last day of the season. This is going to be one of the most dramatic. It's going to be mad for the relegation battle because again,
01:05:13
Speaker
And in the year 29, Empoli Frozino never won a 31, Calleary 32. Nemer's definitely doing a post match, a relegation post match. Or a watch-along. I've seen Nemer on a watch-along on the final day.
01:05:31
Speaker
Right, this is an insta very, very quickly on insta because they'd already won the Scudetto. It didn't have anything to play for. A bit like Milan, they didn't look like they really cared much in this game either. And then I think the red card really just took the wind out of Torino's sales, who were actually quite comfortable until the red cards. And then Chalinogolu comes to the floor, scores both. I mean, what a season from Chalinogolu. Two goals, midfielder of the season.
01:05:58
Speaker
without a doubt, without a doubt, the best midfielder in the Serie A consistently from start to now, he's had a few dips, but the dips haven't been that bad. He's raised his lowest level and he's become one of the top players in Europe in his position. One of the top five, top four, top three, however you want to play with it, but he has been the midfielder of the Serie A and there's no doubt about it. And the fact that he is, you know, like Taram joked about on Instagram, you know,
01:06:27
Speaker
things, certainties in life, death and Chalanoglo scoring from the penalty spot. I mean, it's just, he's become so stable as the penalty taker. He's become a pillar of this team and he, he's, he's become, you know, he's really peaking. This is probably his best season in his career. And, you know, it was, it was such a, you know, this, this feast that this sparked as well. I mean, after the game,
01:06:57
Speaker
when, because I think that's the biggest talking point here, where there are some estimates saying 400,000 people were out in Milan yesterday celebrating in Tescueretto. The bus that Inter were on slowly from the San Siro all the way to Dormo, it took them about seven hours from San Siro to Dormo. And when they got to Dormo, it was packed, it was fireworks, there were people all along this route from the San Siro to the Dormo,
01:07:27
Speaker
the game, it was an early kickoff game, it ended at about 2.30pm, my time, Italy time, and they got to the dorm at 11.30. And then it was just madness, complete mayhem. The treble wasn't even celebrated like this, it's just the vibe and
01:07:47
Speaker
buzz around Inter is truly it's like some it's like reading it's like when you read about in the 50s and 60s like that's the vibe around Inter they've really managed to build a connection with the fans in the city and you know just built a community in a way that we've not seen even when you know even when we won the treble when Inter won the treble we didn't see this like this this is something else
01:08:15
Speaker
there's a real connection here. And the players and the fans, they really, they enjoy, there's a relationship there that is very, that they all enjoy. You know, the players love singing the chants, the new chants of the fans. And they have a good connection with one another. I mean, yesterday, there was, they started singing anti, you know, derogatory songs about Teo and I don't know who else. I like the banner.
01:08:44
Speaker
Yeah, I'm going to get to that. They started doing that and then the inter players were like, no, no, no, we just sing like inter songs. But the banner, I mean, listen, I don't care. I have to say this. I don't care that people get so easily offended. If there's one thing, one of our patrons tweeted it out.
01:09:01
Speaker
which I agree with 100%. He said that the banner beefs between Inter and Milan players when they win the Serie A is the best thing to have happened this league in a very long time. And I 100% agree with that. I mean, if people don't really know where this started, this started in 2007 when Ambrosini, after Milan won the Champions League in 2007, Inter won the Scoredetto,
01:09:29
Speaker
And Ambrosini said, you can stick the scudetto up your ass. And then since then, there's been these banners between, Teo held a banner saying, you can stick the copitalia up your ass. And of course, what happened between Teo and Dumfries, one fan had this image of, I think it's a Grand Theft Auto image, where it was Teo as a dog and Dumfries holding him. Everybody has seen it. And Dumfries held it up. He's going to be fined 5,000 euros.
01:09:59
Speaker
you know, Zlatan's starting chance about Chalanogli, the mother being a son of blah, blah, blah. And this is just, you know, I don't care if people are offended by this. I know it's not, you know, you know, rated for children. But at the end of the day, if you understand the dynamics of the Melandabi, that they have a piece packed where the tradeoff for no violence is that everything
01:10:26
Speaker
in banners, except for racism, is allowed. And I mean everything. I've seen banners that are just so unhinged from Inter fans holding a giant banner that says Barabara Berlusconi loves Bukake to what we saw yesterday and everything in between. This is just part of the Melandadi energy. This is what they've got. And this is what it is. And the trade-off that they've done is they don't have any violence.
01:10:56
Speaker
You know, and I'm not saying it's good or bad, but I'm saying it's just part of the culture and they don't do anything. There's nothing racist here. There's nothing like that. It's just they take the piss out of each other. And I think it's I like that. I think it gives it an unique. It's part of fan culture. It's part of football tribalism. Sometimes it can go over the line. I don't think this went over the line at all. Just holding a
01:11:20
Speaker
It's a meme for crying out loud of Teo as a dog and Dumfries as an owner. He didn't create it. The fans gave it to him. He laughed. It's not it's not that deep. People need to get over themselves and stop being so offended over everything. There is an aspect of rivalry between this. Of course, there's a line you can cross. This certainly was not a line crossing for me. I'm not even I wasn't even bothered when Ambrosini and Teo held those banners of sticking the Copa Italia and Seria up your wazoo to Inter. I don't care. I'm not bothered by that.
01:11:50
Speaker
You know, I'm not offended by that. And I don't think anyone is. It's just when you win, get one over your worst rival and there's been a lot of shit talking, it's going to go back and forth. It's as simple as that. That's part and parcel of sports. And I quite like it. I think it makes it.
01:12:06
Speaker
you know, it's part of the rivalry between Inter and Milan. You know, when I interviewed Thomas Nurdal, who's the son of Milan legend Gunnar Nurdal, he used to tell me that when he grew up, when Inter won the Derby, they used to have funeral processions, like an actual casket of a... That's Covid, that's Covid in Italy. Yeah. That's famous when Napoli won the Scudetto in heaven, they did that. Yeah, it's, you know...
01:12:36
Speaker
It's it's just part of Italian football culture. And, you know, I'm sorry it's not sanitized for you, but get over yourself, because again, there is a line you can cross. And I don't think this was cross here. I don't you know, this classy, not classy, whatever. I don't care, really. I really don't care. I think people need to get over themselves. I thought it was hilarious. I thought the celebration that they had was unbelievable. Inter fans in Milan and everywhere in Italy turned up.
01:13:06
Speaker
It was beautiful to see. It showed Italian football all over social media was plastered with with these beautiful scenes.
01:13:15
Speaker
And I thought it was cool and they had fun and it was every, it was a very festive atmosphere. Of course they were going to mock Milan after having won the Scudetto in their faces at the San Siro. And next time Milan win, they'll do the same back. This is just how it goes. This is, this is sports rivalry. And as long as they don't cross the line, there's nothing to be upset about it. I just think it's funny. And it was, that's all it was.
01:13:40
Speaker
Yes, fair enough. That's fair enough. Right, the rest of the week, considering our pictures, I'll just read out the results. Frostinone3, Selenetana, Neil, that means Selenetana are relegated. Lecce1, Monza1, and then Fiorentina, Hamrin, Sasualo, 5-1, which means that
01:14:00
Speaker
Well, so they turn her down, but so all are really very, very much at risk now because they are quite a sort of five points from safety now with four games left. So they're on the brink now. And then it's, uh, yeah, then there's a, there's a bunch of teams that are, uh, with the NASA employee, for Sinone and Verona and even calorie or the calorie play on, on.
01:14:23
Speaker
on Monday evening at Genoa. If Caliari win that, they're all but. If they don't, if they lose. They're in the race. They need to win this game.
01:14:38
Speaker
If they win against Caliari, they'll be on 35 points and then they'll play Lece, who are on 36. And I can bet you... Biscotto, the vintage Biscotto cooked by Nono. That game is going to end in a 1-1 or a 0-0 draw.
01:14:55
Speaker
30 so that they are on 37 36 it's going to be the it's going to be the the holy biscotto of biscotti he picked up that bag of toys he's going to pick up a bag of biscuits it's going to be the mother of biscotti if caliari went tonight i'm not even watching let's let's check caliari because that's not going to there's nothing to watch we all know what's going to happen there they're not going to hurt each other
01:15:18
Speaker
They're going to draw back. Okay. Let's, let's, let's, let's quickly close this show up. So European matches on Thursday, it's the semi-final time champions league. Our team's not in there, but Europa league and conference league, the first legs of the semi-finals, Marseille at Atlanta, Marseille at home in France, the first game, and then Roma, Leverkusen.
01:15:40
Speaker
Roma at home at the Olympico this week. I think we're pretty confident about Atalanta going into this tie. Roma, though, is going to be very, very difficult. And I'm just, you know, we're hopeful, but I'm just worried about Roma looking a bit tired. And Leverkusen, I mean, they're invincible. They haven't lost a game in all competitions this season. And
01:16:04
Speaker
I was watching the end of their gaming at Stuttgart, at Stuttgart, a good team by the way, at the weekend, and they scored in the 96th minute. That's the thing. They score late. They continuously score late. And there is a bit of history between these two sides. They played last year, didn't they, in the semi-final of the Europa League, and Liverpool want revenge.
01:16:26
Speaker
So I'm worried about Roma. Roma have the more European experience. They do. I think they need to use that to their advantage and hope that the big players, Di Bala, hopefully Lukaku's back, hopefully they can step up. Leverkusen do concede chances though. They do concede chances. They did against Stukka, a lot of chances. I just hope for De Rossi
01:16:53
Speaker
to show that he is ready at this level. If he can tactically outmaneuver Chabi Alonso over two games, then we're talking about one of the most impressive managerial breakthroughs in Italian football in recent years.
01:17:11
Speaker
because then it's not just fluke, it's not just form. He will have played some of the best coaches in all of Europe this season and he will have tactically outmaneuvered or at least matched them. We need a win for sure. Oh, no, Italian Europa League final, Atalanta Roma, please God in heaven, give it to me. That would be lovely, wouldn't it? And Fiorentina at home in Florence for the first game.
01:17:39
Speaker
They are. They shouldn't underestimate them. They can't underestimate them.
01:17:47
Speaker
I can't claim to have watched. No,
Football Culture and Anecdotes
01:17:49
Speaker
no, no. They can't underestimate that. They can use that. Yeah. They can lose that. But yeah, we, you know, it's good to see if you're going to get in a big win to get their confidence up and also to score some goals as well. That would be nice. They don't score. They don't put enough of their chances away. And sometimes, you know, that lets them down almost. The ketchup effect, as we say in Sweden against a solo, isn't it? Like the Heinz ketchup effect. Do you know what I mean?
01:18:13
Speaker
where where you can like the floodgates open and I want to see I was very happy to see them score that many against us. I call it the Pringles Effect in England. Why Pringles? Once you pop you don't see it. Okay, okay, fair enough, fair enough. Let's finish with Baggio Premface and Seria Ass of the Week. Baggio. I think this Corretto celebrations were just unbelievable.
01:18:39
Speaker
Um, the, again, three, 400,000 people out in the streets for nine, 10 hours. Um, from the sunseed or all the way to the dorm or getting there at the dorm or, and then the fight. Have you seen the scenes? Yeah. It's, that's what Italian football does best. They know how to celebrate.
01:18:58
Speaker
There's nothing like it. No, all of them. Yeah, whether it's Rome, whether it's Naples, wherever it is, it's just Italian football celebrations are just... It's unlike anything else. The fireworks, the singing, the chanting, the... Nah, man, it's just... Yeah, I want to give a shout-out also to Lukman, because he had a big week. Yeah, he did.
01:19:24
Speaker
He did. He really did. Right. Prem face. Do you have a Prem face this week? I saw one of Roy Keane. I don't know if we've had it, but did he actually call Hall Under League 2 striker? Did he really? Yeah, I'm learning this now. And I'm like, huh? Do you think there's a more bitter son of a bitch on earth than Roy Keane?
01:19:50
Speaker
I mean, is there a more miserable son of a bitch than Roy Keane on this planet? Has he ever been happy with anything in his life? It's like you have this expression in Sweden called resting bitch face.
01:20:01
Speaker
yes we have that Roy Keane is like a resting bitch attitude like it's like he just can't he cannot be happy it's like he saw an interview a couple of weeks ago of Roy Keane about how he used to refuse kids requests for interviews for autographs sorry and the way that he used to get so pissed off at them like
01:20:26
Speaker
Is your life so worthless that you have to ask for autographs? Can you imagine talking to children like that? How bitter of a human being you have to be. What a miserable human being he's got. Can you imagine having that ag guy around you all the time? Jesus Christ on a cracker. He is just such a boring, miserable
01:20:49
Speaker
bitter miserable. And he did say it is true. He did call him a league. I imagine he's talking about his first touch and his ability to bring others into play. I would imagine he's talking about it. Yeah, I guess so. But still, League 2 striker. And it's funny too, because I'm sorry, Roy Keane was hardly known for his technical ability.
01:21:12
Speaker
I mean, if, if, if, I mean, Paul calling kettle black, I mean, you know, I don't know. I would chill with, with, uh, yeah, you were, you were, you were a great ball winning midfielder. There's no doubt about it. One of the best at the time, but you weren't exactly Diego Maradona, but like, you want to calm down, like history with, with, with, with, with Harlan's father,
Roy Keane's Controversial Legacy
01:21:33
Speaker
doesn't he? Well, he ruined his career. He ended his career. He ended his career. I mean,
01:21:37
Speaker
It was there's no doubt about that. And I think that that's what this is about as well. If you know the history, it's just what a miserable human being that is. Christ, our cracker. That is right. I'm serious of the of the
Serie A's Art and Humor Mishaps
01:21:51
Speaker
week. This is this is okay. I am not making this up. Okay. This actually happened. And I share it on my Twitter. It's it's from the city official Instagram account. And what they wanted to do
01:22:05
Speaker
was a kind of mashup between, they wanted to do an art mashup of, you know, famous Italian classical, you know, old Roman Empire level, you know, art from that era or depicting that era, and inter-players
01:22:31
Speaker
which is a great idea, but the execution was primary school student level. It was like, it's just, it's, it's, there's a photo of Turam and Dumafries and like all, they've got like, they've cut it diagonally and then they've put just glued in the statue and it just looks so weird and low budget.
01:22:53
Speaker
It's so poor. It's just, it's all of them. It's fratazion, some Roman general. It's Aslany looking like he's kicking the ball and then his foot is touching. It's just, it looks so bad. And it just, it looks just like they literally did it. Like our good friend Sal Bono tweeted at me, he said, it looks like something one comes up whilst waiting for the, whilst waiting on the driving rage for one's turn at golf. Like, it's like,
01:23:22
Speaker
There's no, it's like, again, a great idea. Dreadful execution. There was a, there was a series of them, wasn't there? Yeah. So I'm saying Fratesi, Aslani, Dumfries, Lautaro. Yeah. There's one because you forwarded me one of them first. And I saw that there was about five or six of them and the, the, the photo shopping was, was, was.
01:23:42
Speaker
it was actually about as bad as my photoshopping as you'd be. Unsurprised, no, it's not the best. I mean, I think I could have done a better job at photoshopping, you know, and artistically, as I said before, I'm not the best. I once drew, once painted a picture of the horizon at school, I painted the sun in front of the mountain. You know, that's how bad I am with when it comes to art.
01:24:09
Speaker
And, you know, I think I could have done a better job at Photoshop and then the fonts and everything about it. I'm sorry, but the one with Dumfries and I think it's Kirikesh or is it Ehrlich and Turam where it looks like, well, they've given Turam breasts, like beak up breasts in a vagina.
01:24:36
Speaker
and it looks like he's got his hand on Ehrlich's bum like it just is so weird and then the one with
01:24:47
Speaker
Lautaro doing his signature like celebration and that statue that it's just it's so bad it's so so bad it's just such bad execution and it's just I don't know man it's just I don't know conquering North America
01:25:08
Speaker
It's just so bad. Okay, let's leave it at that. Thanks everybody for listening. We'll be back on Tuesday for the Q&A and another episode later in the week. Until then, ciao ciao.