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The Final Stretch of the Champions League, De Rossi Leaving Roma, and The Relegation Battle (Ep. 12)
134 Plays7 years ago
The Serie A Show's Chloe Beresford, John Solano, and Nima Tavalley discuss Daniele De Rossi leaving Roma, the relegation battle, and the final stretch of the race for the Champions League places in Serie A.
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Transcript
The City Ass Show Returns
00:00:01
Speaker
Welcome to the City Ass Show. Hello everybody, we are back. I know it's been a while, but we are back another episode of the City Ass Show.
Chloe's Wedding Adventure
00:00:24
Speaker
Chloe, Nima, how are you two doing? Yeah, I'm good. Looking forward to getting started again.
00:00:28
Speaker
Yeah, the same here. I'm really happy to be back. I think last time that we missed, it was my fault because I was away at a wedding in North Wales. All the hatred you can send my way this time.
00:00:42
Speaker
OK, well, that's fair enough. I'll make sure everybody does that. So it's been it's been a while, as you said, since we've done this and quite a bit has changed.
Serie A Standings Discussion
00:00:52
Speaker
Obviously, with Juve having wrapped up the school, the talking point now seems to be this just limp to the Champions League. Obviously, there's Roma, there's Milan, there's Atalanta somewhat Torino. And then we have the likes of Lazio behind them. So
00:01:12
Speaker
Chloe, what have you been making of this? Because it feels like nobody just wants to wrap this up. Obviously Atalanta right now, the favorites. But they have a very difficult trip to tour in against Juve. So what are you making of this?
00:01:28
Speaker
I still think Atalanta are going to do it. Obviously, they're playing tonight in the Coppa Italia, so they may have a bit of fatigue when they face Juventus, but they've already proven this season that they can beat Juventus. They play in that Ajax style with another team that have put Juve to the sword, and they don't seem to be able to cope with such high tempo, high energy pressing forward kind of teams.
Atalanta's Champions League Ambitions
00:01:58
Speaker
I just, I feel that Atalanta are the one side that have the belief that they can do it. And, and I think, you know, they may, they're only one point behind Inter in third, I think they may even end up with that third spot.
00:02:16
Speaker
I think Lazio are now mathematically out of it. And I don't think Torino will do it. So I think, you know, maybe that fourth spot is between Inter, Roma and Milan, then a sort of a three-way duel to the finish. Yeah. I think that Atalanta,
00:02:40
Speaker
are definitely going to make it. And I think Inter are going to make it as well. But having said that, I think it all kind of depends on how things go this weekend when Juventus, when Atalanta travel to play Juve, because obviously, you know, Juventus have everything to, you know, have nothing to play for, and Atalanta have everything to play for, and also they have this Coco Pitalia final tonight that we'll be recording this on a Wednesday.
00:03:07
Speaker
Um, so I think a lot hinges on that. I mean, if it's, if it's one of those situations where Atlanta, uh, wins the cup and they get to, you know, it goes into extra time. I think there'll be really tired and I think they'll draw against you. I don't think they'll lose, but I just don't think that the Atlanta have the squad depth to beat you there and to win the Copa Italia tonight. I think they'd rather win the Copa Italia title is huge for a club like, like, um,
00:03:35
Speaker
like Atlanta, obviously the Champions League would be would be a dream. I mean, it would be it would be the biggest upset in Europe in European top football since Leicester won the Premier League, that a team that's been ransacked every season for the past four years finishes in the top four for the second time in three years. And this tiny little provincial side that shouldn't even be in the shouldn't even be in the in the race for it does it again.
00:04:00
Speaker
But having said that, I think that Inter will draw against Napoli, I think Juventus and Atalanta will draw. And then you've got Roma, who I think will probably go clean, cleanly for their remaining matches, Parma and Sassuolo. Because I think by the time they play Parma, Parma will also mathematically have avoided relegation. So I think Roma will take six points. I think Roma, Atalanta and Inter,
00:04:30
Speaker
will take four points, which if I'm not mistaken, that means that it's Inter and Roma who make it. Yeah, so I wanted to, obviously you and Nima being an Inter supporter. Do you have any worry that they could drop from third to fourth? I mean, not that it really matters, but... No, I think at this point, it doesn't matter at all. Because if, I mean, if Spalletti was a little bit more certain to stay and Inter weren't so adamant on getting rid of him,
00:04:59
Speaker
I think it would have mattered more then. But now it doesn't really matter. It's all about the top four now. Inter have to make it into the top four. Anything else other than that, it doesn't really matter. But I do think that... I think Inter will finish third. But it still doesn't matter. Now it doesn't matter. It's a moot point with Konta coming in.
00:05:26
Speaker
So, for Roma to make this happen, they really need a lot to go their way. They need Atalanta to lose to Juve. Obviously, they have to take care of their own business. They have to beat Sasuolo. They have to be Parma. And then, they also need Milan to drop points between one of Rosinone, who are already relegated, and Spaal.
00:05:50
Speaker
who are very, very difficult away, or I'm sorry, who are very, very difficult at home, but they don't really have much to play for. So between, it does seem like obviously Inter having it wrapped up, and then you have Atalanta, Milan, Roma. So Chloe, are you still, even with all that in mind, even with Atalanta being in the Copa final, are you still giving them the nod? Yes.
00:06:17
Speaker
Yeah, I think they've got so much momentum behind them and I know fatigue will probably come into it at some point but I do think that they've got this kind of belief and I suppose I'm a bit swept along by that and I just have this feeling that they're going to do it. Nima, who do you think does it? Yeah.
00:06:45
Speaker
No, I was wrong before. Sorry, I misread the league table. No, I actually think it's Inter and Atalanta. Who finishes third and fourth? It doesn't really matter, but I think it's going to be Inter third and Atalanta fourth. Because as Chloe said, and as I said before, I don't think that Atalanta will lose against Juventus. I think even if they do, they still have an advantage over Milan and Roma. So I think this is done.
00:07:12
Speaker
This is over. It's a foregone conclusion. For me, it would be a collapse like we haven't seen before if Atalanta were to lose three matches in a row now. There's nothing speaking to that. For me, it's Inter and Atalanta.
00:07:30
Speaker
That is, that is truly amazing because it's the second time then in three seasons that Atlanta finish in the top four, which is truly amazing. And the Copa Italia added to
Atalanta's Success Under Gasperini
00:07:41
Speaker
that. I mean, Gasperini really should be, I mean, should be considered the Serie A coach of the year based on this alone, because, you know, we're talking about a tiny provincial club here. It's, it's, it's town. I mean, but I know Bergamo is recognized as a city, but it's basically a small, small town.
00:08:00
Speaker
and they've never been close to anything like this before in their history. It's a fantastic accomplishment. Milan and Roma, to be honest, Milan should probably have done better, but Roma, the collapse of Roma, this is what they deserve, given everything that's happened.
00:08:22
Speaker
Yeah, I mean really they have their own fault. Have they beaten Genoa away from Rome? They obviously would be in a much stronger position. I think it was in March, I believe. I almost said in jest because of how shit Roma, Milan, Lazio, everyone else has been. I said almost in jest, just give it to Atalanta.
00:08:46
Speaker
And here we are. They're right there for it. I think they're going to get it. I think it's very, very difficult for either Roma or Milan to overtake them, especially Roma, because Milan have the tiebreaker over them in terms of head-to-head. So I think Roma
00:09:04
Speaker
they really need a lot to fall their way but what do you two make of them should they ultimately get this done what what do you think they could ultimately do in the champions league because a lot of people especially those who who follow the city out very very closely they're going to look at this and say oh my goodness this is a waste of a spot but listen if your team has been I don't agree about the season it's not a waste of a spot yeah so
00:09:28
Speaker
No, it really isn't. And also, Gasparini's Atalanta is not a one hit wonder. It's not a one season hit wonder at all. Because as I said, I mean, they've been in the top, they finished fourth two seasons ago. So this is just a repeat of what they've been doing for a long time. Atalanta are topside in the Serie A. It's just that simple. I think a very good thing and a sign of health that if should they make it to the Champions League,
00:09:55
Speaker
It is that I think they won't be forced to sell so many players. I think they actually can hang on to their players. And I think a lot of players would want to stay as well because they'd want to stay for one more season to go on this Champions League adventure.
00:10:14
Speaker
which which I think they you know once there obviously they'll be in the fourth seed you know group the fourth pot uh seeding pot the you know the for the for the weakest teams but Atalanta can beat anyone at home we've seen that and they now next season it's it will be very interesting to see should they make it that they can actually can they deliver on that because in the Europa League they have
00:10:40
Speaker
and in the Serie A they have, they've demolished Juventus at home, they've demolished Inter at home, they've beaten so many teams, good teams at home, so I think they will definitely be, they should be able to make it from the, you know, to fight for one of the two places in the Champions League to go through from the group, I think so, I really believe in them, but that depends also on the summer, I mean Ken Percasi and
00:11:06
Speaker
and Atalanta hang on to their best players, I think they can. I mean, if you can offer Champions League football, why would you want to leave? Yeah, exactly. I agree, Nima.
00:11:17
Speaker
Absolutely right, Atalanta off at your peril. They've just proven since Gasparini has arrived, they've just continued to prove people wrong time and time again. I mean, they qualified for the Europa League and they ended up in a group with Everton and Leon and everybody, I can't remember who else it was, but everybody said that they would finish bottom of that group. And actually they beat all those teams and finish top of that group.
00:11:46
Speaker
So there's no point in writing them off because I think the way that Gasparini approaches his coaching is to not set any kind of mental limits for his players that they believe in absolutely everything. They believe that they can go
00:12:08
Speaker
to the moon, there's nothing that's ever going to stop them from achieving what they want to achieve. He spoke about it earlier this week that that mentality is really their strongest asset, that they don't think
00:12:24
Speaker
oh well you know we might not be able to beat such a team. They just go for it and you know the similarities with Ajax are definitely there because they have that same kind of belief and we've seen what Ajax can do in the Champions League. I mean I guess Atalanta probably haven't got quite as good a squad as Ajax but
00:12:44
Speaker
still, you know, I don't think they'll be as bad as people might think they're going to be. I don't think they're going to crash out straight away. And when you think about it, really, in Serie A this season, everybody from Juventus down is kind of, with the exception of Atalanta, is kind of not lived up to expectations. I mean, even Juve, they've won the league, but they've not really played very well.
00:13:10
Speaker
The other teams have kept making a mess of everything. Napoli haven't been as good as they were before. And Atalanta are the only team there that have overachieved and that have done more than people expected them to do. So, yeah, I don't think there's any point in writing them off.
00:13:28
Speaker
Yeah, I don't think so either. I would actually be curious to see what they could potentially do with champions like football in the summer because, as you mentioned, especially if they keep Gasparini, I think they will be an interesting destination for a lot of players.
00:13:49
Speaker
Yeah, so I wanted to bring that up. So there's that caveat as well. I mean, he's being heavily linked to Roma, heavily, heavily linked. He's being linked to Mila. And I mean, I just think it would be absolutely crazy for him
00:14:04
Speaker
to leave Atalanta and go to either Roma or Milan after having carried Atalanta into the Champions League just to prove because I don't know about you guys but to me it almost feels like he's trying to prove the point that he is a big club manager. It almost just feels like he's not doing it because it would make sense. It just feels like he's doing it to prove a point. Agreed, agreed and I think it would be a huge mistake for him to do that.
00:14:31
Speaker
I think he's, I mean, he's 61 years old. The Satalanta side that he took over, you know, they was basically trying not to avoid a relegation and he's finished fourth, seventh and now has a chance to finish third and to win a title, which is, I mean, just listen. I mean, that is amazing. But so no, I don't think he will leave. I think if he were to make it and if Percasi was to give him the guarantees, the owner, that
00:14:59
Speaker
you know, we're not we're not going to sell you. We're not going to sell at your star players. Zapata staying, Illichichi staying, Alejandro Gomez is staying, Manchini staying, all these, you know, Derun, Hatabur, all these players that he likes and he wants to keep. I think, I mean, for one season for those players, they're pretty young except for Zapata was 27 and Illichichi and Gomez, who I think anyway wouldn't want to leave because I think they're past that stage of playing for the Juventuses and Interz and Milan. I think they're
00:15:29
Speaker
they're in the stage of their careers now where they just want to be happy. I'd be very surprised if they left. So I think that for all those players and for Gasperini,
00:15:41
Speaker
one more you know it's you know since he's proven for the third season in a row that Atalanta he's to his Atalanta are are one of the best teams in the Serie A I think you know therefore he can afford to play to go one more season with Atalanta and for those players as well I mean show yourself with Atalanta in the Champions League I mean what player wouldn't want that?
00:16:05
Speaker
Now, looking at this from the other point of view, Chloe, what do you think this means for Milan and Roma? Because it looks like both of them are likely to miss out on the Champions League. From a Roma standpoint, I mean, we've already seen it. We'll get into it briefly here, but we've already seen the club not offer Daniela De Rossi a contract.
00:16:28
Speaker
I mean, what do you think in terms of big picture that this will mean for both of the clubs? Because undoubtedly, coming into the season, I don't think you would have met anyone from a Milan or a Roma standpoint who would have even entertained the thought that they wouldn't qualify for Champions League.
00:16:46
Speaker
Well, no, I mean, certainly not Roma. Milan haven't been there for a little while, so, you know, perhaps the expectation was not so, not as great from them, but I think at clubs those size, they obviously need the Champions League. They need it to survive. They need the income that it generates. And it just,
00:17:12
Speaker
I think if Atalanta do get it, I think it should be a massive wake-up call to these big clubs in Serie A who are just not modernising to a sufficient level. Atalanta are ahead. They may be a small provincial club, but they are ahead in terms of they now own their own stadium, they're redeveloping it, they're going to
00:17:37
Speaker
have the income from that when it's ready. They already have a good youth system. They're set up sensibly and sustainably. Other Serie A clubs need
00:17:52
Speaker
need to catch up with that. The teams like Atalanta are going to end up overtaking the traditional bigger clubs if they are quicker to get themselves sorted out and they're just stuck in this old-fashioned way.
00:18:10
Speaker
and they're relying on Champions League football but they haven't anymore got the infrastructure to keep that going year in year out and I think they need to realise that and quickly.
Serie A Clubs' Need for Modernization
00:18:24
Speaker
I mean obviously Roma's season has been a complete disaster this year due to a number of factors and
00:18:32
Speaker
It just needs rectifying and the whole of the league will benefit as a result. I mean, if anybody, any other big team had got their house in order this season, Juventus were there for the taking, but nobody was up for it. No, and not only that,
00:18:52
Speaker
the champions league places two of them were up for the taking even second spot was that was there for the taking um because it was it was it was you know Juventus were fantastic but Napoli Inter I mean last season finishing fourth you had you know the fourth and fifth Lazio 72 points this season third is is
00:19:13
Speaker
You know, the team that finishes third can reach maximum 72 points. That's really poor. That just goes to show that they've been regressing the big teams. While a team like Atalanta has taken in a lot of the distance they had ahead of them. Yeah, it's been really, really messy for the
00:19:37
Speaker
All the teams that we thought, other than Napoli, who would be the contenders this season, it's been very, very strange. So to go back to something that we brought up or that I brought up just a minute ago, Roma announced that Daniela Derossi would not be handed a new contract as
Roma's Handling of De Rossi's Exit
00:19:53
Speaker
a player. They offered him a position in a directorial role.
00:19:58
Speaker
What did you two think of that? Listen, I wasn't surprised when it comes to situations like this. I mean, we see Juve still gets stick for the way they handled Del Piero, Roma still gets stick for the way they handled Totti. In my opinion, there's no right way to go about having a club icon leave the club. I just think the club is always in a losing position.
00:20:24
Speaker
but in this instance oh my god i don't think they could have handled it any worse it's not even necessarily the decision they made it's how they it's how they went about doing it i mean disastrous in my head i didn't believe it i just absolutely i heard the news and i i tweeted i actually tweeted that um about it when i'd seen it and just assumed that he decided to retire because um
00:20:50
Speaker
I couldn't see any reason why Roma wouldn't offer him a new contract. I know he's been quite injury prone, but when he has performed, to me, he's been one of the best players on the pitch. And at a time of such turbulence and such struggle, they need, to me, a player like De Rossi, who is a talisman for the team and who can unite the players.
00:21:18
Speaker
you know, aside from the ridiculous way, like you say, John, it was handled, I just, I just couldn't believe the decision in general. I'm really annoyed, because the Serie A used to be known or Italy used to be known for how they treat their heroes with respect and, and how they revered their heroes of the past and how you, you know, that was one of the things that the Serie A was known for.
00:21:41
Speaker
But I mean, look at the past few years, the way Inter handled Cambiaso, not nice. Del Piero at Juventus, not nice. Totti, the way when Maldini was given his send off and the Curva Suds behavior towards him.
00:21:57
Speaker
This is a change. This is not how it used to be in Italy. And this is a change I don't particularly like. Because one aspect of Italian football and culture that I really liked was the way in which the old heroes were treated with respect. And they're not anymore. And I find it really bothersome. I really do.
00:22:16
Speaker
Yeah, for me, I've been, I mean, anybody who has read or listened to me, followed me on Twitter, I've been very, very critical of that also on the pitch. I think he's been far off his best for a number of years now. And listen, I feel like people can't make the distinction that you can like a player as a person, as an icon, but still be able to be critical of their performance on the pitch. It doesn't.
00:22:42
Speaker
Make you less of a supporter or less of a nice person. I mean it's sport I It's astonishing that I even have to spell that out, but I actually thought that
00:22:53
Speaker
this upcoming season, because Roma are going to undergo a massive revolution. They're going to get Patraki as a new sporting director. They're going to have a new manager. They're going to have a massive restructuring of the roster. I thought his presence not even on the pitch, I thought off the pitch would probably mean more than him actually being on the field. I thought he would be an added value during this time of transition.
00:23:20
Speaker
And for him to basically find out with two matches left on Monday of this week that they won't be extending him a contract, I think is so distasteful, so disrespectful. I'm still coming to terms with it because again,
00:23:37
Speaker
You could make the case and maybe to an extent I agree that this is the right decision You could absolutely unequivocally make that case, but it's not even about the decision anymore It's how they got to this decision and the actions that led them to it. I just it makes no sense to me I think it's terrible absolutely terrible as you said Nima unnecessary was an unnecessary was so poorly handled and it was so unnecessary the way it was handled there was no need for that at all and
00:24:05
Speaker
for them to handle it in this poor fashion. It's heartbreaking because Daniela de Rossi is a dying breed, the last bandiérrez of Italian football. I just didn't like how this was handled. You could tell that he was really annoyed because when he was asked, will you stay in Italy, he said we'll see.
00:24:29
Speaker
Daniela de Rossi, he's a one-man club, he should only ever play for Roma, and now there's rumours that Conte, who loves him, wants to bring him to Inter, which would be sacrilege. I think it's a bad deal for Inter. It's not a good look for de Rossi, it's definitely a finger in the eye to the Roma directors.
00:24:53
Speaker
I don't like it at all. I really don't like it at all. I don't think that will happen. I would venture to say almost 100% he will go abroad. He's always spoken about his love for Boca and Argentina. That wouldn't surprise me at all. That would be awesome. That would be so cool. I would love to see that. I can count on one hand the number of shirts I have. I would buy that shirt.
00:25:21
Speaker
Oh, yeah, but yeah, yeah, I mean I think it's an absolute travesty that that he's going to continue playing wearing another shirt And listen I've when I was living in Rome 2011 2012 I mean
00:25:40
Speaker
after they lost that Scudetto the following season with Ranieri. I mean there were some very odd press conferences. I mean him shouting at media members why he's being asked about the formation he plays. It's still on YouTube. It's a very good one. He's just screaming at journalists and press members because he was asked why he wouldn't change formation. That one yesterday with the new CEO Guido Finga
00:26:09
Speaker
where De Rossi is more or less railing against him, the club, Palota, and he's just sitting there. I wasn't there, but I was uncomfortable. And again, I've seen a lot of awkward press conferences sitting there.
00:26:24
Speaker
What does that say about how Roma is run? I mean, to me, this isn't even about De Rossi anymore. This is about a dysfunctional club. Yeah, it's very dysfunctional. And I think this season is a testimony to that, as everything has just simply gone pear-shaped.
Roma's Management Challenges
00:26:44
Speaker
I mean, it's been a completely, it's capsized, the entire project has capsized.
00:26:48
Speaker
in a way that no one could foresee or even think possible at this high level. And I wonder how much of that can be blamed at Palota himself. I mean, sure, you can say that, okay, Monchi didn't work out and the way he left you, et cetera, et cetera. But at the end of the day,
00:27:05
Speaker
I can't remember a club capsizing like this before in this manner within six months of everything going, you know, literally the wheels and the steering and everything came off at Roma this season. And it's really, really, really weird, really, really strange and weird to see. Now, OK, Petrachi, I think that's a brilliant appointment. I rate him highly.
00:27:28
Speaker
as a sporting director, it'll be really interesting to see who they bring in. If they bring in, for example, Matsari, I will die from laughter because, I mean, just the idea of Walter Matsari in Rome, I mean, he could handle the pressure because he could handle it in anopoly, so why would, you know, it enables as much crazier than Rome. But at the same time, I just don't see him playing the football that Roma wants to play.
00:27:58
Speaker
Gasperini does. But then again, I mean, if Petrarchi has worked harmoniously now for a season and a half with Matsari, why not? You gotta go all the way. You can't just do things half-assed. I think that is something that Roma has to learn from this season, is that no more half-assed
00:28:14
Speaker
Solutions go all the way and and putting a structure and and keep you know go in there for the long run and not just for the you know Don't do it half fast. Just do it hundred percent Chloe speaking of things half-assed before we get to content Maybe discussing and debating more who the next manager of what almost should be What is happening to your field in Tina?
Fiorentina's Rebuild Struggles
00:28:38
Speaker
Well, I was just going to say that actually what's happening to Fiorentina right now should serve as a warning to Roma if they're going to completely dismantle the team and completely get rid of anybody long standing at the club because that's what happened at Fiorentina two years ago.
00:28:58
Speaker
the only the only person really that was left was Federico Chiesa who was a young player who'd hardly been in the first team for I think he'd only been the first team a year and all the long-standing players like Boca Valero and Gonzalo Rodriguez they were all cast out and they started a new project as we know with all the youngsters and
00:29:25
Speaker
It just, it simply has not worked. It's not worked and I don't think you can just
00:29:32
Speaker
You need some continuity, even if it's one player that has been there a long time, it's very, very hard to just start completely from scratch. The glue that binds them together, it might hold for a little while, but in the end, it's going to come apart. Obviously, Fiorentina is a different scenario in a way because of what happened with our story, but I think this season,
00:30:00
Speaker
Pioli needed to go, there was no question about that and obviously again the way that was handled was awful and Montala has come in and I think what has happened is that Pioli was that glue that was holding those plays together because they were young, because they've
00:30:20
Speaker
suffered a terrible and shocking amount of grief and i think when he's gone it's just all fallen apart there are too many mediocre players and they they just they've just i mean the fact that they could still mathematically be relegated is literally ridiculous and it's going to have to take another whole rebuild in the summer two years later after the first one and it is just
00:30:49
Speaker
It's beyond belief really. I mean I think Montala can do well but he's going to need a completely new team. I'm so upset with what the de la Valle brothers are doing with Fiorentina. Either pay an interest and invest or take care of Fiorentina or sell because this is becoming farcical.
00:31:11
Speaker
Not even during the days of the crazy Chikigori was this bad. I mean, sure, you know, that thing failed because of his financial dealings, but at least he didn't, he didn't not care if you know. Oh, that's a great story though. We went through a whole episode on that family. I mean, that is, I mean, for the Syria, for us old, old folks in the Syria, I mean, that is a,
00:31:35
Speaker
Yeah, if you're if you're newer to the city I recommend googling that there has to be some good pieces on that as Chloe can attest Oh, yeah, if you want to talk about just Crazy crazy crazy The history of mad owners in city ah this isn't a recent trend I mean this has this has strong historical ties and
00:32:01
Speaker
Yeah, Tchaikigori was, but at least he cared, you know what I mean? It's not like the Della Valle brothers, they don't seem to care about Fiorentina. And they only seem to pretend to care as soon as it's going well. But the reason it hadn't been going well is when Prader did an excellent job there, or when you had Corvino who's done an excellent job there. It's despite them, not because of them. And now the fans have finally had enough.
00:32:29
Speaker
They're protesting and it's good to see because Fiorentina is a classic Serie A team. This is a team that should be in the top seven, top six, top five, maybe even top four, fighting for a Champions League when things are really, really going right. And they can't because they have two owners that just don't care.
00:32:50
Speaker
And it's a tragedy, and it's unworthy of Florence, a beautiful city of Florence, which I love, and Fiorentina. What do you think? Do you think they will ultimately sell? We saw in the last 48 hours, Preciosi put De Genoa up for sale. I feel like that's the 90th time that's happened, so I have doubts as to whether or not that will actually happen.
00:33:18
Speaker
The only place he hasn't put them for sale on is Amazon. That's the only place that Genoa has not been. Yeah. I mean, I'm pretty sure if you go to eBay now, you might be able to get a good deal on Genoa. But seriously, Chloe, I mean, what do you think they do? I mean, we've seen rumors of them. We've seen rumors of even Roma selling to the same owners as PSG.
00:33:45
Speaker
Obviously, we just said Genoa. Do you think it's time for them to sell or the right thing to do? Yeah, absolutely. But well, I don't think I don't think they have intention of selling. I think it's almost comical if you read interviews with them.
00:34:05
Speaker
They are so good at pointing the finger at everybody else. It's never their fault. It's always because of somebody else and they are
00:34:18
Speaker
just happy to use Fiorentina as a vehicle of self-promotion because they have their shoe brand as well. And they keep going back to 2002 and like, well, yeah, we saved the club. And well, yeah, they did, but it's 2019 now. And you can't just keep going back to, well, aren't you grateful we saved the club?
00:34:45
Speaker
yeah at the time but it's time to move forward and they're not willing to move forward and then somebody will say something and insult them and they're you know in a hissy fit they'll say right well the club's for sale and they did this uh i don't know if it was last or more or the one before and then um they put it on the market for a ridiculously elevated price and of course no one comes forward and they're like see see nobody wants to buy Fiorentina and it honestly they they twist everything
00:35:15
Speaker
to suit their own agenda and I think getting them out is going to be really difficult. But what I don't understand is what the hell do they want? I think the theory is in Florence that Fiorentina is a way of advertising and promoting their other business interests.
00:35:41
Speaker
that, you know, you look up for your antenna or who are the owners or who are they? Yeah, they own Todd's shoes as well. And that's the theory because what else can it be? They're not interested in making a success in the club. Like Mantella was sacked the first time for daring to ask for a little bit more money when they were on the brink of breaking into the Champions League places. Yeah.
00:36:03
Speaker
I don't remember that. That's a no-brainer. They just needed to spend a little bit more to then get a massive financial return from Champions League football. And they sacked him because how dare you? Well, we won't talk about that season because they should have got the Champions League place.
00:36:21
Speaker
We can do an entire episode on what happened in regards to that, because anybody who remembers... I'll pull a merino. If I speak, I'll be in big trouble. So I'll just be quiet on that. So going back to Nima, your side, Inter,
Inter's Managerial Changes
00:36:40
Speaker
It looks like they are on the verge, and I sort of wanted to make a dual subject of this, so it looks like they're on the verge of content. And then today we have Juve meeting with Alagri, and what looked like a certainty now for some reason, and I don't know why, almost looks like a question mark as to whether or not he will remain there.
00:37:00
Speaker
So what do you two think about those respective moves? If Conte were to go to Inter and then if Allegri were to leave Juve, what would you make of that? Because I think for the former, obviously a sensational appointment. I don't know how you make it work with financial fair play and the contract to Spalletti, but
00:37:25
Speaker
Well, and then I think Allegri leaving Juve, I think would just be preposterous. Well, I can understand if, I mean, after when you've been at a club five years, during which you've won four doubles. And, you know, if you look, if you remember the way he lost his rack against the Inter after the press conference with Sky, with Adani, I mean, that is not how a club
00:37:55
Speaker
how a coach who's won five Scudetos in a row should react. It's clear that he feels rattled, that he's angry, he feels unappreciated. I don't think it's just about him asking these rumors from France that are saying that PSG have approached him to offer him 12 million euros net per season, making him probably the best paid coach in the world.
00:38:22
Speaker
I personally think that he should leave. If I were him, I would leave. And I think if a PSG were to come and offer you that project, I would, I think he would be the ideal coach for that because Allegri is not an ideologue. He's not like Sarri. He's not like Claude or Guardiola. He's not an ideologue. He's a, he's a very pragmatic coach. He takes a bunch of players and gets them to produce the best he can from what he's got to work with.
00:38:48
Speaker
So in my opinion, I think that Allegri would be smart if he left because I think he's got absolutely nothing to prove. Unless he wins the Champions League, he won't get the recognition that he thinks he deserves and which I think he should get.
00:39:05
Speaker
Um, so, so that's that. But, but having said that, you need to have, um, an alternative, uh, for Juventus. And who would that be? There's no one out there. Um, Mourinho, no, uh, for obvious reasons. Um, Zidane is at Real Madrid and he's rebuilding them. Um, Guardiola is at Man City. Uh, okay. You know, there's this rumor. What about Pochettino? It's Spurs. Yeah. But I, I just don't think, I don't see him as a UVA manager. I, I don't think he's won enough. You know, UVA.
00:39:34
Speaker
They bring in either, they bring winners. And he doesn't, you know, Pochettino's done an excellent job with Spurs, no doubt about it. But I just don't see him, nah, not as a legacy replacement. If anything, it's Guardiola. There's no doubt about that they want Guardiola. And I think that he will go there at some point. His next job after city will be Juventus. I'm 100% certain of that. It's just a question of when. And the issue is, well,
00:40:03
Speaker
you know there's been this rumor that well if guadiola now wins you know rights primarily english football history by being the first coach to win the domestic treble uh... he's been there three four years if city get barred and banned from playing in the champions league will he want to leave uh... you know so the so there's a lot a lot of that going in the air but i i think at the end of the day when all the all of the dust settles i think guadiola will stay at city and i think this is why
00:40:29
Speaker
Allegri will end up staying at Juventus as well for one more year or one more season. I don't think they'll extend his contract and I don't think he will want to either.
Spalletti's Future at Inter
00:40:42
Speaker
But in terms of Inter, it's clear that it's Conte.
00:40:47
Speaker
Inter have decided that they want to go down that route Marotta is it's clear that he has decided despite his his His acting on on Sunday on Monday Monday night where he was talking about how you know these rumors about a spell at the getting sacked They cause a lot of turbulence. They don't destabilize us They cause a lot of turbulence and then spell at the Goes out after the match as he always does which is the exact reason why he's getting sacked and
00:41:16
Speaker
and loses his marvels and says that no it's not just turbulence it's destabilization you've been attacking us for the past nine years and you know comes out from one of his Spaletti rants where he kind of you know implied that he wanted to smack a reporter if you've got a problem come to me and I'll sort you out you know you're looking a bit you know your face looking a bit pale and your nose looking a bit haggard you know he went on one of his you know rants and and this follows him
00:41:45
Speaker
making an absurd allocate, you know, this follows a weekend where he during the press conference when he was asked about the contour rumors made some sort of absurd reference to a Robert Redford movie, the man who the horse whisperer, which which absolutely no one understood at the time, and
00:42:06
Speaker
they, everyone had to contact the club to understand what he was doing. What was Robert Redford? Yeah, listen, maybe I can speak on behalf of the guys. I don't think there's many Robert Redford fans. No, but I mean, the thing is, I don't think there's a lot of people who understand what Spaletti says in any language, to be honest. But he did make that, you know, he started talking about the, you know, the horse whisperer without saying that he was talking about Robert Redford.
00:42:33
Speaker
And no one understood that. He's clearly lost the plot. This is Spalletti. I can't remember Spalletti ever losing it like this. But at the same time, I... Wait a minute. Wait a minute. What? I cannot put this like this. I mean, he's talking in tongues. Chloe, come on. He's talking in tongues now. I think, Mimi, you've just had a revelatory moment and you've seen it and now you can't unsee it.
00:43:03
Speaker
But when did he make these absurd, like when did he last threaten to punch a reporter in the face at Roma? When did he talk about talking tongues, making Hollywood references that no one understood? When did he, I mean, he's just, I think he's really under pressure because he feels unfairly treated. And in a way I can kind of understand that, but he did.
00:43:28
Speaker
because he did defend Inter and he did do something good that no one else has done for the past decade since Leonardo was there and that is get Inter to two Champions Leagues and he should be treated with more respect he thinks but one thing this man fails to understand is that there would not be a discussion about his coaching position at Inter if he had not been so stubborn
00:43:56
Speaker
and confrontational in the way that he has taken on Ikari, the way that he's taken on Marotta, the way that he's taken on everyone and everything under the sun for no apparent reason. He's basically waged war on everything and everyone for no reason.
00:44:15
Speaker
um and and and and that's why that happened at roma though i mean he did the same thing they talked to you the supporters they're taught the situation let's be honest it wasn't that a little bit palata as well i mean the way they handled that was not you know i i think everybody had a had a part in that situation but i think as chloe has mentioned before i i think
00:44:41
Speaker
To understand him, you have to come to terms before you even read or understand what he's trying to say. That he is crazy. He's the weird avant-garde guy who just says the weirdest things and he thinks he's saying something very smart that you don't understand. You're just sitting there with a puzzle book on your face.
00:45:01
Speaker
What? That was just really dumb. But wouldn't it be absolutely hilarious? And I think that this, I wouldn't, you know, I really wouldn't put this beyond past if it were to happen. I know where you're going. No, no, no, not going back to Roma. No, no, no, no. But never, never. No, no. I don't think he wants to. And I don't think that would be good for anyone. No, I honestly think that he would. Part of me says that if Allegri were to, you know, just take the money and go off to Paris,
00:45:31
Speaker
and they don't get Pep, they don't get Pochettino, they don't get Klopp. Spalletti was a candidate for Juventus. Let's not forget that. Oh, I don't think they fought within there. I think they're too corporate, aren't they? They're too clean. They don't want somebody who's shooting the mouth off with random things every week, surely not.
00:45:50
Speaker
No, I'm not saying he will, but I'm saying that it wouldn't surprise me because if we're talking from a footballing wise, as a football tactician, he's very, very good. He's one of the best in Italy, the way he develops players and the way he gets the best out of players and players that have underperformed before raised their level. He's done that at every single club he's been at.
00:46:10
Speaker
So that would work, but the fact that he is a raving lunatic would maybe be a problem. He's a positive column and a negative. He's absolutely crazy.
00:46:27
Speaker
Well, Chloe, you laugh, but I'm telling you, he will be a Fiona Tina within the next five to six years. I mean, the guy spends 75% of his time in Florence. He has a restaurant there. I mentioned it before, but a very good one. He's going. So, Chloe, we've all had the experience and you already go into it with the four warnings that he's crazy, but I just know it's going to happen. So what you're saying is it's now my
00:46:52
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, we've all had our fill. You're certainly next. I mean, honestly, I think it seems inevitable. And he's a keen bicycle. He likes to bicycle apparently in a suit. I honestly think. And Florence is a nice city to go bicycling in. Yeah. Or why doesn't he quit football and have a nice relaxed life in Florence and save himself all that English?
00:47:23
Speaker
He's just getting himself stirred up. Can you imagine the madness of him going up against the de la Valle brothers? I mean, if you... Oh my god, oh no. It would be war every single day. So one of the last topics I wanted to bring up, one of our favorites
00:47:45
Speaker
The relegation battle. My oh my. I. So. Wow. Quievo. Gone. Frozen. Gone. Empoli are at thirty five. Genoa are at thirty six. Udenese at thirty seven. Parma thirty eight. And I'll stop it there because I don't want to upset you, Chloe.
00:48:09
Speaker
yeah i know so between 15 and 18 we have three points with two match days left listen the last time we were here it looked like empoli were a 100% certainty and they have railed off two victories in a row and they have actually made this a battle now a genuine battle it looks set in stone that they were done um but what are you guys hoping for what do you think happens
00:48:39
Speaker
I mean, Empoli have a Torino who are chasing Europe, European football, and then they have Inter away in the last game. And I just don't see them taking six points from those two matches. Even if they take four points, I don't think it will be enough, because Genoa are playing a Cagliari at home this weekend, which, you know... And away to Fiorentina. Yeah. And, you know, and Parma are playing Fiorentina.
00:49:09
Speaker
this weekend.
00:49:12
Speaker
and Panama and Fiorentina literally need just one point. That match, if you're gonna bet, I mean, bet everything you have on a draw because Panama and Fiorentina will end in a draw. They both need one, you know, they both need a draw to be certain or Fiorentina needs it and Panama, you don't really need to win. So no, I, you know, I just don't see it. I think, you know, you guys know, you both of you know how excited I've been about this relegation race because I can remember
00:49:39
Speaker
the last time where it had been so, so many top turns, so many different
00:49:46
Speaker
you know, dramatic changes in how the narrative has been going, has been being played. But I just don't see Empoli... I think they can beat Inter away. Of course they can, because Inter are crazy and anything can happen. But I don't see them beating Torino. I really don't. I honestly don't see them doing that. No, I don't think so either. Can we do a very brief moment of appreciation for Mija, Polonia?
Mihajlovic's Impact on Bologna
00:50:10
Speaker
uh one loss in the last five well we'll go ahead one loss in the last five matches three victories in their last five sensational i we can't say enough about him yeah it's it's like um it's it's like champion's league form it he's just
00:50:28
Speaker
taken them from what looked like certain relegation and totally transformed them out. I saw a tweet I think from Bologna's official account that said in the last six home matches they've got six wins out of six and they've scored 17 goals and conceded just three
00:50:46
Speaker
And it's just incredible, you know, if you said to me a few weeks ago that Bologna would be sitting on the same points as Fiorentina after 36 games, I would think you were Spiletti, to be honest. No, it's truly remarkable. And I think this is where he should be. I think Bologna is Sampdoria, you know, those clubs are the level where he should be because
00:51:11
Speaker
He gets it to work. I think when he's at a Milan or a bigger club, I don't think he has what it takes to work at those bigger clubs. I really don't. Yeah, I couldn't agree more. I really couldn't agree more. I mean, sorry. So this is just going back to Gasparini. I mean, I feel like we talk a lot on here about a manager having the self-awareness to understand what their level is. We've seen Mazzari sort of realize that now.
00:51:39
Speaker
I feel like that's what Mija needs to realize now, you know, this is the perfect spot for him. If he had been given the full season, I mean, my God, could you imagine where they are? I mean, Khloé, you just mentioned Champions League for him. I mean, they could be up there with Torino. Yeah, they really could. But then again, you know, what you said requires Nisa Mihailovic to have a balanced perception of his own ego. And that is that's about as likely as happening as
00:52:03
Speaker
pigs flying and you know, dating pigs, because that man is, you know, he's crazy, but in a different way. He thinks his ego is, is, you know, galactic. So no, he will never, ever think that he's not one of the best ever. That's just not who he is. And that's quite kind of part of the charm with him a little bit as well. This, this, this, you know, part of the craziness that surrounds me,
00:52:32
Speaker
But I'm glad to have him back in the Serie A. I'm really happy to have him back in the Serie A, and I'm glad that he made it good. And I really like Bologna. I really, you know, it's a classic Serie A club now with their new stadium that they're going to build, which they'll own as you were talking about the importance of that earlier, Chloe. You know, I really want them to stay up. And, you know, the same thing with Uline Zen.
00:52:54
Speaker
and Panama and Genoa. I really like those teams. With all due respect to Empoli, I'm grateful for them having made this relegation battle so interesting until the very end. But given the teams that are coming up in the city, I just think that Empoli should just go quietly into that night.
00:53:20
Speaker
as we say where I live named Manchester, they should do one. They should do one. They should do one. So we have to, well, other than the the relegation battle, which is a thrilling subject, Anima's favourite, I wanted to briefly discuss
00:53:41
Speaker
Um, the incident with Moisakine, Kalyuri, not getting fined. I mean, Jesus, um, how many times is it now where the city has their eyes on them after a disgraceful episode and they have a chance to put things right and they just bottle it?
Serie A's Racism Issues
00:54:01
Speaker
I mean, we could, I mean, we could write a book on how many times they've done this. It's so embarrassing. It's so disgraceful. They don't care. I think this, um, in a way, um,
00:54:11
Speaker
They once again just proved every one of us right, didn't they? They just showed every single one of us right that they don't care. The problem with racism in Italy as a society, this is what's wrong with Italian society. It's the same people in charge and as long as they are in charge, nothing will change.
00:54:33
Speaker
Italians aren't more racist than anyone else. They're not more xenophobic than anyone else. The difference is that in other countries, there are consequences for these actions. And Italy is the country where nobody wants to rock the boat. It's got nothing to do with racism as such. This is about rocking the boat. And nobody wants to rock the boat, because everyone who's in power in that boat are sitting very comfortably in that boat.
00:55:00
Speaker
And therefore, Italy has become, you know, this country, the intergalactic champions of sweeping crap under the rug. The problem now is that there's so much crap under that rug that is literally, the rug is turned into a mountain of crap, and it's not holding it back anymore. And this is, you know, this is the problem.
00:55:24
Speaker
Once again, they just proved that the people in charge shouldn't be in charge. It's just that simple. And it's disgraceful, like you said. I mean, there's nothing to add to that. I mean, the reason given that it was in the context or whatever they said, it was just, it made me want to spew. It was disgusting. It was basically saying that they were excusing the behavior.
00:55:45
Speaker
In the context, there's no context for monkey chance against a black player. Are you stupid? I mean, what are you talking about, you idiots? Like, you know, it's just, but that's the length that they're willing to go to preserve their own power. It's just that simple. Chloe, what did you think of that?
00:56:03
Speaker
I know, because I see you on Twitter, Chloe. This is something that we all have to battle against when we write about Sidi. I mean, for those who don't watch the league on a consistent basis, I mean, I know you hear it, you see it, Nima, you as well, I get it too.
00:56:19
Speaker
Oh, it's racist fans. It's a racist league and it's episodes like this. That's sort of just reinforce that stereotype it does and and you know making one sweeping statement about another problem of making sweeping statements and is not a helpful thing that it we've got to try and understand what's causing the problem and and I think is
00:56:46
Speaker
you know English-speaking writers about Italian football it's up to all of us to try and make a noise about it so that you know somehow the pressure builds on the Italian authorities to try and you know stop them from like Nima says just sweeping it under the carpet like nothing to see here you know they they deliberately waited
00:57:12
Speaker
until the furore around what happened to Moises-Keene died down. And then sort of... So cynical. Just so cynical. Yeah. So cynical. So cynical. I found it so interesting. They tried to bury this story. If you looked at the way in which it would be... I mean, the matter in which it was announced. This is what I refer to as the Italian Okidoke.
00:57:37
Speaker
you know everyone just you know everything you know let odds become evens and let you know look you know let's just you know you got a little bit of a penalty there and you get a little bit of penalty there and we just call it quits and everyone's happy you know this this notion of not changing anything and not rocking the boat that's what this is it's the classic case of the Italian Okidoke and it's just not work it doesn't work in the modern age and this is something that
00:58:06
Speaker
is holding Italy back as a country. This isn't just about football, this is a societal problem in all of Italy. This notion that nothing gets done, nothing gets changed, and the way that they wait for everything to die down, and then they release something when they think no one's looking. It's absurd, but that's how it works over there.
00:58:29
Speaker
Yeah, very absurd.
Palermo's Expulsion from Serie B
00:58:31
Speaker
So before we go, Palermo, what the hell is happening? The Serie B, I mean, what's happening to the Serie B? I mean, I love that league and I love watching it, but it's basically, I mean, they're not even, I don't think they're even going to play the Serie B for the next four or five years because
00:58:46
Speaker
Everyone, you know, first of all, this season, you know, they were 19. They played with one last team. Yeah, they played with 19 teams due to one of these situations, because Bari, I think, was thrown out. And now, two days before the playoffs begin, you just kick Palermo out. I mean, this is becoming absurd now. You know, the Serie B is really becoming a... It's really a Mickey Mouse League now. It's being run by, again, a bunch of incompetent idiots who want to preserve their own power. And when people, you know, when somebody makes
00:59:15
Speaker
complaint and they no longer can sweep it under the rug, then they just make these absurd nonsensical lashing out and punishing someone on the spot which pisses that person off and that party off to no end because they feel singled out and then they try to point the finger at someone else
00:59:37
Speaker
And if they make too much noise and it becomes too big of a turd to sweep under the rug, then they lash out and kick that one out. And it goes, the tombola keeps on spinning. It's just absurd. It's so sad because it's a really, really nice league. It's a league that has produced so much, you know, in recent years alone, it produces so much good talent, produces such interesting football that has such interesting ownership and sporting directorship partnerships that actually come to the city later.
01:00:07
Speaker
I just find it heartbreaking because I love that league and it just saddens me. They clearly need more stringent rules. The fact that this is allowed to get to this point where clubs are in such a mess
01:00:24
Speaker
it just makes you think that a lot of these owners are allowed to just do what they want and the people who really lose out are the fans that are, you know, they're going to watch their team every week and they put everything into it and then all of a sudden somebody who's very careless with something so precious is just allowed to, you know, make it just a mess.
01:00:49
Speaker
And that shouldn't be happening in second tier football, you know. Yeah, I agree. Listen, I feel like more so in Italy more than any other country. I mean, it feels like every other week we're reading about some historic club that just goes under and it's astonishing to me.
01:01:14
Speaker
Chloe, you just mentioned it. I mean, the lack of parameters in place to weed out these bad Apple presidents is just embarrassing. And then we have these new owners that come and they're bigger schmucks than the guy before.
01:01:37
Speaker
And it just turns into this merry-go-round of failed club after failed club. And as you just said, the ones who ultimately suffer are the fans. I mean, it feels like centuries ago, but do we remember the absolute meme of a situation that part of mine were in a few years ago?
01:01:54
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, they've done really well to recover in the way that they have. Absolutely. Yeah, I mean, a lot of clubs don't though. Yeah, I mean, they're in the 1% of the minority where they go under, they come back fairly quickly to the top. But I mean, just look at these. I mean, Nimi, you just mentioned Barri. I mean, you want to talk about historic club. Absolutely embarrassing what happened to them. Yeah. Embarrassing.
01:02:18
Speaker
But what was that former referee's name who owned them? What was his name? He was the one who? Well, now they're owned by De Laurentiis. Yeah. Yeah, it's De Laurentiis. But I mean, he's a stable owner. He's proven an happily. So I'm actually happy about that. But one thing, one thing, though, and I think, you know, if he starts doing really well and he gets tired of
01:02:42
Speaker
of Napoli, I think that's where he will go because I don't think the pressure will be the same on him there as it is in Naples. But then again, he makes a lot of good money in Naples as well. So we'll see what happens there. But I mean, did we expect, did we expect Zamparini to leave Palermo in any other way than like this? It's burned to the ground. And then there's scorched to the earth's core. And this is scorched to the earth's core now.
01:03:10
Speaker
And it's sad because I was really looking forward to seeing Palermo in the Serie A. I was really, really looking forward to them. We're going to leave it there. We will be back next week. I promise we will not have another 10 week delay in between episodes. We will be back next week.
01:03:25
Speaker
Because we are winding down in the season here. There's only two match days left But there's still a lot to play for as we've discussed Champions League Europa League Relegation as well. So there's still a lot going on even though there are only two match days left. So
01:03:40
Speaker
Thank you everyone for listening. If you can continue to leave us a review, a like, subscription, whatever, all that good stuff, it really, really helps us. And as always, we really appreciate you taking the time to listen. So until next time, take care, everybody.