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

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Op maandag 14 november 2005 12:21 schreef DIGGER het volgende:
Hoeveel van de Serie A volgers hier hebben trouwens zaterdag voor Italie staan juichen?

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Di Vaio still Inter-ested

Despite claiming yesterday that he wouldn’t be leaving Spain, it now seems that Marco Di Vaio is keen on a move to Inter.

Di Vaio said on Tuesday that he would not be packing his bags in January as the problems he was experiencing at Valencia were of a tactical, rather than a personal nature.

The truth is, though, whether tactical or not, the problem for the former Juve striker is that he is not getting any first-team action under Coach Antonio Lopez.

Now it seems, after further reflection, that the 29-year-old is pining for a return to his homeland and Di Vaio is keen on moving to Inter.

"Inter would be a superb option and a positive break in my career," he told television channel 7 Gold. "I’ve been close to signing for them on several occasions but it never quite happened."

As reported by Football Italia this week, there has been contact this season between the Milan club and Di Vaio’s agent Alessandro Moggi.

Relations between the Nerazzurri and the Liga outfit are also known to be good and in August the Spanish side were prepared to loan Di Vaio to Inter, who would also have the option to buy him for £4m.

However, three months is a long time in football and the Italian side now seem to have changed their minds, due to the breathtaking displays of Chievo’s Victor Obinna.

Although on loan to the Veronese outfit this season, Obinna is on Inter’s books and may be recalled to the San Siro in January as a replacement for Obafemi Martins, who leaves for African Cup duty in February.

Di Vaio need not think he is completely stranded, however, as Milan are said to be also monitoring his progress. Should Christian Vieri choose to move to Spain himself in January, as has been suggested in the Press of late, the Valencia outcast may find himself moving to the San Siro after all.

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Ibra: Roma as bad as Ascoli

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has entered the verbal battle with Roma with an almighty put-down for the side Juventus face on Saturday night. "It’ll be like playing Ascoli," he scoffed.

Ibrahimovic is not known for an easy-going nature and, with all the fighting talk having so far emanated from the capital, the big Swede has decided to reply on behalf of his teammates with a few verbal punches of his own.

"On Saturday we will win," he declared. "We are better than them."

The Giallorossi have been fanning the flames of antagonism all week, in an attempt to draw the Bianconeri into a psychological battle before the real one begins at the Stadio Olimpico tomorrow night.

Francesco Totti has had disparaging words to say about Juve Coach Fabio Capello, under whom he served for five years, and Leandro Cufrè added a few choice words of his own yesterday.

Remaining unapologetic for hitting Alessandro Del Piero in last season’s volatile clash, the Argentine hard man also encouraged Roma fans to welcome the Turin giants with open hostility.

Most Juve players have refused to react to the comments and attempted to remain above any Giallorossi jibes, but Ibra has waded in, in true confrontational fashion. For the 24-year-old, Roma’s aggressive attitude is a sign of insecurity.

"Playing Roma is like playing Ascoli," he added. "There are no easy games in Italian football, but I certainly won’t be losing any sleep tonight."

One man who might be suffering from insomnia is Capello. The competitive former Roma boss will be quietly determined to prove a point to certain disrespectful former employees, but is concerned about the condition of his players.

No fewer than 14 Juventus stars have been away on international duty and only just returned from exhausting trips around the world.

Pavel Nedved was notably weary after returning from his World Cup qualifying exploits, although he is expected to play.

Roma, on the other hand, had just six players representing their countries in the recent break.

Of those, only Daniele De Rossi and Francesco Totti are first-team regulars and the Roma captain missed both Italy matches anyway due to a minor injury - from which he has since fully recovered.

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Totti risks ban for Nedved kick

Francesco Totti risks a heavy ban if video evidence is used to punish his petulant kick out at Pavel Nedved during Juve’s victory over Roma.

The Giallorossi captain was caught on camera kicking Nedved in the back of the head as the two lay on the ground following a challenge from the Czech international.

If the Disciplinary Commission views the video evidence and considers it worthy of punishment, then Totti risks a ban of between two and four games.

It is hardly the first time that the Roma man has been involved in this type of incident, as he received a three-match ban during Euro 2004 when he was spotted in footage spitting at Denmark’s Christian Poulsen.

Totti is the most red-carded player in Roma’s Serie A history, having been dismissed eight times in his career.