Serie A (en overig Italiaans voetbal) #17: C'mon Lazio!

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Mutu: I'm happy at Juve

Adrian Mutu’s career has been revitalised since his move to the Stadio Delle Alpi and the ex-Chelsea man has thanked Juventus.

“I am really happy at Juve,” commented the Romanian. “We are doing well, are top of the table and hope to stay there for a long time to come. This is a squad that is determined, professional and faces every match with the right approach – the desire to win.”

Mutu’s career took a nose-dive after he failed a drugs test and was fired by Chelsea, but the Bianconeri picked him up on a free transfer in January and have given him a new lease of life once his ban expired in May.

However, the former Verona man has been fielded as a wide midfielder rather than his position as striker, fuelling rumours of a reunion with his ex-Parma Coach Cesare Prandelli at Fiorentina.

“I salute Prandelli and compliment him on his success with the Viola, but I am more than happy at Juve. As for my position, we accept Fabio Capello’s decisions without discussion. I will gladly play out wide as long as I can play football and try to give my best. I always want to improve and never feel completely happy with my performance.”

There have been disciplinary problems within the Bianconeri set-up this season, as Mauro German Camoranesi has twice been substituted just minutes after stepping on to the field as a result of his over-the-top tackling. This week director general Luciano Moggi accused the Argentine of “not acting like a professional.”

“Camoranesi will get over this tricky time,” insisted Mutu. “If Capello decided to substitute him, then he must’ve had his reasons. The Coach is always right.”

Mutu has the Scudetto on his CV, even if he only made one appearance for Juventus last season, and maintains the title is not merely a battle between the Bianconeri and Milan this term.

“I am convinced that Inter still have something to say in the Scudetto race. Obviously, I hope we don’t have an extra rival, but there is a long way to go and anything could happen.”

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Capello called off Trez move

Fabio Capello has confirmed he convinced David Trezeguet to stay at Juve when he was on the verge of completing a move to Barcelona.

The French hitman had been heavily linked with both Barca and Chelsea during the summer with figures of £20m bandied about in the Press.

“It is true that I called David when he was close to completing negotiations with Barcelona,” noted the Juventus Coach.

“If I had not intervened at that precise moment, we would be talking about a different career path right now.”

The 28-year-old striker joined Juve from Monaco in 2000, having signed the contract a few days before scoring the Golden Goal against Italy in the European Championship Final.

He was crowned joint Capocannoniere with Piacenza’s Dario Hubner thanks to 24 goals in 2001-02, but a succession of injuries had limited his appearances in recent years and there was strong talk of a move away from the club.

This season he has already scored 11 goals in 13 official appearances between Serie A and the Champions League, taking his career tally for Juventus to 107 – more than Michel Platini and John Charles.

Capello outlined the reasons for the current success story within the Bianconeri. “Here at Juventus, we work as a group. This is a team and has that spirit of togetherness. Nobody makes a decision without consulting the others.”

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Inter ponder Ze Roberto swoop

Inter are lining up a bid for Bayern Munich midfielder Ze Roberto, according to reports in Italy.

The former Real Madrid man is out of contract in the summer and the Nerazzurri, who have got off to a disappointing start this season, are already looking – not for the first time – to cure their problems by delving into the transfer market.

The Milan-based club were interested in acquiring the services of the 31-year-old in the summer but opted instead to buy Luis Figo and Santiago Solari from Real Madrid.

Although Figo has impressed, the former Portugal skipper has played more regularly on the right flank this term, while neither Solari or Pierre Wome have performed well during the injury-enforced absence of Dejan Stankovic. Kily Gonzalez, meanwhile, appears destined for a return to his homeland.

Ze Roberto has enjoyed mixed fortunes at Bayern, whom he helped win the German League and Cup double in 2003-04, but then only represented sporadically last season.

This year, though, the left-footed winger appears to be back in favour with Felix Magath, who has played him regularly in the Bundesliga and in every Champions League match so far this term.

However, with his contract running out and Bayern operating a new strict wage policy these days, the Brazilian has been offered a 30 per cent reduction in his current deal.

Inter, meanwhile, are said to be prepared to offer the South American a two-year contract worth £1m a season, with the option to extend the deal for a further year.

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United to take on Italian duo

Manchester United are involved in a tug-of-war with both Inter and Juventus over two highly sought-after foreign transfer targets.

As reported by Football Italia this week, Juventus are lining up a triple swoop for the Ajax trio of Maxwell, Hatem Trabelsi and Nigel de Jong, while Inter are hot on the heels of Germany midfielder Michael Ballack.

It has since emerged that Manchester United are ready to fight tooth and nail for Ballack and de Jong.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s admiration for Ballack is no secret and the fiery Scot sees the German as the ideal replacement for Roy Keane, whose contract expires at the end of the year.

United have already said that they are prepared to invest as early as January in order to improve a midfield that has proved fragile this season, although with Ballack having already played in the Champions League this season, his arrival would only be planned for the summer.

German sources have also hinted that the Bayern player will be on his way to Real Madrid, whom he rejected in favour of the Bavarian giants in 2002, next season.

However, if the midfielder rejected Los Meringues before he could do so again and the 29-year-old would certainly be guaranteed more first team starts at Old Trafford.

De Jong, meanwhile, is one of the up and coming forces of Dutch football. Also out of contract in the summer, Juve have been on the trail of the 20-year-old for some time but United are determined to put an end to a growing list of player rejections.

Chelsea’s Arjen Robben and Ronaldinho are just two of the players who have turned down the Red Devils in recent times.

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Juve favourites to free Willy

Juventus have emerged as the front runners to sign Bayern Munich defender Willy Sagnol.

Sagnol, who is also being pursued by Inter, will be a free agent in the summer and it seems that his head has been turned towards Turin by France teammate Lilian Thuram.

The 28-year-old has enjoyed five fruitful years at Bayern, but is thought to be ready for a new challenge once he has represented his nation at the World Cup in Germany this summer.

Juventus, who poached Robert Kovac for nothing from the same Bundesliga club in June, are thought to have already offered the right-back a four-year deal worth £1.35m a term.

Sagnol would be an ideal replacement for Jonathan Zebina whose Delle Alpi days appear to be numbered after requesting a pay rise.

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Veron issues Inter quit threat

Inter's Juan Sebastian Veron may return to Argentina before the summer, the midfielder sensationally revealed today.

The former Sampdoria and Lazio man’s contract runs out at the end of the season and he has made no secret of his eventual desire to return to his homeland.

However, he hinted on Wednesday that he may head back to South America earlier than anyone expected.

"I will leave Europe and I have spoken about it already with my family," said the playmaker to journalists during a short break in Argentina.

"My contract at Inter expires in 2006, but if I want to I will leave beforehand."

Veron went on to say that he has also spoken about his plans with his employers, who have apparently told him that they will not stand in his way.

"There won’t be any problems if I go," he added. "The club know what my intentions are."

It is possible that, after a poor start to the campaign, Inter may decide to cash in on the 30-year-old.

The ‘Little Witch’ has made 10 starts this season and has had the full support of boss Roberto Mancini.

However, his recent dismissal against Roma for violent conduct may have soured relations with the Nerazzurri, who are said to be looking for reinforcements in January.

Internazionale already have the perfect replacement for Veron after they signed Udinese playmaker David Pizarro in the summer.

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New deal for Cassano?

Roma are preparing to bury the hatchet with rebel Antonio Cassano by offering him a new three-year deal as early as next week.

The Giallorossi are eager to put the whole unsavoury Cassano contract conflict behind them and are said to be ready to meet with the player in the next 10 days.

The capital club are believed to have drafted a three-year agreement which would pay the 23-year-old incrementally every season.

Cassano, an Italian international, would receive £2.15m the first year, £2.3m the second year and £2.43 in his final year.

It is now up to the striker himself whether or not he is prepared to agree to a truce and resume negotiations.

Any deal would favour the club, who are at risk of losing Cassano for nothing at the end of the year and, having protected their prize asset, would almost certainly be willing to offload him to Juventus in the January transfer window for a bumper fee.

The former Bari player, despite his undoubted talent, has been frozen out of the Luciano Spalletti’s plans given his present situation.

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Op donderdag 10 november 2005 13:51 schreef -Vaduz- het volgende:
Hij staat bij mij in het rijtje overschatte voetballers.

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Vieri out - Crespo in?

Milan’s Christian Vieri could be on his way to Spain and replaced at the San Siro by Hernan Crespo.

According to Spanish daily Diario Sport, Vieri is being touted to numerous clubs in La Liga, with Espanyol the favourite among them to capture the services of the striker.

Vieri has not had the best of starts to the season at his new club and has scored just once for the Rossoneri.

A further source of displeasure for the 32-year-old is that he is not first choice under Carlo Ancelotti and is growing frustrated at watching on from the sidelines - and sometimes even the stands.

At this stage in his career and with a last chance to appear in the World Cup fast approaching, the Italy international is eager to play regular football.

He is therefore said to be in favour of a move to Spain, where he enjoyed a successful year with Atletico Madrid, scoring 24 goals in as many matches during the 1997-98 season.

Should Bobo leave for the Barcelona-based club, Milan would be keen on welcoming back Crespo from Chelsea.

The Argentina striker, who was hugely reluctant to end his loan spell at Milan and return to London this summer, has hardly played for the Blues this term and allegedly had a huge falling-out with Jose Mourinho recently.

Although he has denied any rift with his Coach, it seems clear that Crespo would relish a return to Milan, where he enjoyed a successful spell last year.

"You must not believe I'm going to leave in January," the former Lazio and Parma man said.

"I am very happy here. The group of players is great and the manager is great. And when you play in a great team it is normal that you do not always have a place.

"Of course I am frustrated. I know that I am at Chelsea, if I want to play for a small team then I will always get 90 minutes. But when you play at a big team like Chelsea you need to be patient. The season is still early."

His wife and family still live in Italy.

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Inter braced for foreign concept

Inter may have to give their squad a complete overhaul this summer as CONI aim to introduce new protectionist regulations from next season.

CONI, the governing body for sport in Italy, is currently discussing moves to reduce the number of foreign nationals permitted to play for Italian clubs.

It is perceived that fewer Italian players are getting the chance to make the grade and ply their trade in Italy, as a result of the influx of foreign players, and so steps are being taken to ‘protect’ youth systems.

CONI’s new directive stipulates revolutionary changes to the current system if enforced, as intended, from next season.

Under the new regime, of 18 players - the first 11 and seven substitutes - in a match-day squad submitted to the referee, at least 50 per cent must be Italian or have come through the ranks at an Italian outfit.

The squad of players at a club, meanwhile, must also consist of at least 50 per cent home-grown players.

The new regulation will come as a shock to the system for numerous Serie A sides, many of whom look abroad for new recruits.

Inter, in particular, will be seriously affected by the new ruling as they boast no fewer than 18 foreigners. Only five of Roberto Mancini’s men hail from Italy.

Francesco Toldo, Marco Materazzi, Giuseppe Favalli, Paolo Orlandoni and Cristiano Zanetti are their Italians – even if only Materazzi and Favalli can be considered first-choice players.

Critics of the proposals will say that clubs will flout the new laws by recruiting foreign players at a younger age, developing them at the expense of other Italians and sending them out to other clubs on loan.