Author: Chris Willis

The best Goalkeepers that Serie A has ever seen?

Goalkeeper is probably, arguably the most important position on the pitch. And I know I’m biased in saying that, as it was my position when I still had hair and could get up off the floor after making a save. But in reality, if you don’t have a good goalkeeper you aren’t winning anything. Goalkeepers are often called mad, and you have to be to throw yourself at the feet of someone baring down on goal. For me, the annoying thing was that everyone on the pitch thought they were a keeper, they all had advice for you, despite never playing there themselves.

Before this turns into a rant though, let’s get back on track. Italy has produced some truly magnificent goalkeepers, and Serie A has played host to some of the greatest of all time from around the World. So, who was the best? I’ve selected a few of my favourites, without ranking who was best out of them. In no particular order, here are my favourites…

Gianluigi Buffon

“Buffon is the best goalkeeper I’ve ever seen, the only one who was never afraid of anything.” – Fabio Capello

Gianluigi Buffon has the most clean sheets in Serie A history

Gianluigi Buffon was just 12 years old when he decided that he didn’t want to play in midfield anymore and became a goalkeeper. Five years later he was making his Parma debut against Milan and keeping a clean sheet.

During his career Buffon would hold the World Record for most expensive goalkeeper (€52m) until recently, win 10 Serie A titles, 5 Coppa Italia, a World Cup and would be 3 times UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year. Comfortable in the air, with elite reflexes and great positional awareness, Buffon still holds the Serie A record for most clean sheets in Serie A with 296 and was once unbeaten in the goal for 974 consecutive minutes.

Was there anyone better?

Dino Zoff

“If you ask me who was the greatest, I say Zoff. He was not flashy, but you knew the goal was safe with him.” – Gianni Rivera

Dino Zoff made over 600 appearances in Serie A

Staying on the Juve theme with one of the other great Italian goalkeepers. Zoff actually made over 300 appearances for Udinese, Mantova and Napoli before joining and defining Juve. He would win 6 Scudetti and 2 Coppa Italia along with the World Cup (the oldest player to do so), before going into management where he would lead Juventus to the UEFA Cup and Coppa Italia titles in 1990.

He still holds the record for the longest consecutive run in Azzurri history without conceding, lasting 1,142 minutes in the early seventies. Zoff is the archetype of the classic Italian goalkeeper: composed, understated, and unbelievably reliable. Known for his leadership and calmness, he commanded his defence with supreme authority.

Walter Zenga

“Walter was a phenomenon – he could change the mood of a stadium with one save.” – Giuseppe Bergomi

Zenga conceded just twice in seven matches at Italia 90

Walter Zenga was nicknamed Spiderman because of his agility and spectacular reflex saves. For three consecutive years, he was IFFHS World Goalkeeper of the Year. He played 328 times in Serie A and was a UEFA Cup winner with Inter and represented the Azzurri 58 times.

Zenga combined flamboyance with athleticism. He was known for his dramatic saves and passion on the pitch. He was also renowned for his passion off the pitch, fathering 5 children over three marriages including two marriages to TV personalities. He has gone on to have a rather nomadic managerial career while still being a showbiz personality in Italy. Despite the off-field shenanigans, Zenga is remembered as an all time great of the game by Inter, Sampdoria and Azzurri fans alike.

Angelo Peruzzi

“He wasn’t just a wall — he was a mountain.” – Marcello Lippi

Peruzzi won the Champions League while at Juventus

In 478 appearances in Serie A, Peruzzi represented some of the biggest teams and most bitter rivals. He played for Roma and Lazio as well as both Juventus and Inter. To pull this off you need to be good, and Peruzzi was VERY good. He was short for a goalkeeper, under 6 foot, but that low centre of gravity gave him great reflexes and shot stopping skills.

Peruzzi would win 3 Serie A titles, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup during his career as well as 31 caps for Italy. He would also add a World Cup winners medal in 2006, despite never taking to the field. Peruzzi would retire from football in 2007.

Sebastiano Rossi

“He was always part of that Milan machine – ruthless, efficient, unbeatable.” – Arrigo Sacchi

Sebastiano Rossi was part of the “Dream Team” of Milan in the 1990s

Rossi joined his home town club Cesena at the age of 15 and was their first choice goalkeeper by the age of 22 after several loan spells. After his first season in Italy’s top flight, the giants of AC Milan came calling and after initially battling with Francesco Antonioli for the starting spot, he made it his own and would play over 340 games in Serie A, winning 5 Scudetti, the 1994 Champions League and UEFA Super Cup.

He held the clean sheet record for 24 years until eventually losing it to Gianluigi Buffon. Rossi wasn’t considered the most stylish goalkeeper but was immensely effective in an all conquering side behind the legendary defence of Baresi, Maldini, Costacurta and Tassotti. Despite all this he was consistently overlooked by the Azzurri and never played for Italy.

Gianluca Pagliuca

“Pagliuca wasn’t afraid of anyone. He stared you down like he already knew you’d miss.” – Roberto Mancini

Gianluca Pagliuca played nearly 600 times in Serie A

One of the most consistent and agile Italian keepers of the 1990s, known for his intensity and acrobatics. Pagliuca played for the Sampdoria side that won the 1991 Scudetto and was playing in their narrow Champions League final defeat to Barcelona a year later.

After seven years and 198 games for Sampdoria, Inter paid a World Record fee for a goalkeeper of just €7m to bring the Italian to their club. Rather remarkably, during his time at Inter he only won the UEFA Cup and nothing else. He was a beaten finalist in the 1994 World Cup as Italy lost on penalties to Brazil. Ironically, he held the record for some years of most penalties saved in Serie A with 24, until that was broken by Samir Handanovic.

An Azzurri and Serie A legend, Pagliuca moved on from Inter to Bologna where he would spend seven seasons and play a massive 248 games before finishing his career with a season in Ascoli, retiring in 2007.

Summary

From the cat-like reflexes of Zenga to the steely composure of Zoff, and the longevity of Buffon to the penalty-saving prowess of Handanović, Serie A has long been a proving ground for the world’s greatest goalkeepers. These legends didn’t just stop shots—they shaped eras, lifted trophies, and became the last line of defence for some of Calcio’s most iconic sides. In a league famed for tactical discipline and defensive mastery, it’s no wonder that so many of the game’s finest stoppers have called Serie A home. As new stars emerge between the posts, their legacy serves as a benchmark—and an inspiration—for generations to come.

Let me know your favourites on X @EnglishCalcio

25th Jul 2025
The best (and worst) Serie A kits this season!

So most of the teams, apart from like two of them, have given us their home kits for next season. However, all 20 have provided at least one kit and I’ve been through them all and assessed them for your pleasure. Now, be warned, I’m not listing all 20 teams, I’ve picked the best and the worst ones. These are, of course, only my opinions – yours will differ so don’t come at me unless you agree.

The Best

Napoli (Both)

Napoli have the best midfield and best kits for 2025/26

My word. Not only are they champions, not only do they have De Bruyne and McTominay together but these kits are works of art. The home is nice and clean, classic, it’s hard to get it wrong when you go simple. But it can be equally hard to get something beautiful – AND YET LOOK AT THAT AWAY KIT. Chef’s kiss. Well done Napoli, early trophy to you lot as best dressed this season.

Roma (Third)

They’ve killed it with this

This third kit launched just after I wrote this initial blog and it couldn’t be more welcome! It pained me having to put the Roma home kit in the bad section. Then someone at the club read it and did something about it. Probably. It is pure sex. Should come with a health warning it’s that naughty. Give me more!

Como (Home)

Yes Please

Yeah, everything about this works. The main chest of the shirt looks like the lake with some moonlight or something on it. And yet, despite that motif, it’s still pretty clean and basic. The colour consistency, the uncomplicatedness of everything else that isn’t the background. It’s gorgeous, 10/10 for Como.

Sassuolo (Home)

Is it this years shirt or a 90s classic?

Promoted for their footballing merit, they could’ve gone up for this shirt alone. Everything about it I’m in love with. The design of it is simple, yet nods back to the 90s – everyone’s favourite nostalgic period currently. Love that collar on the shirt too, a good collar seems like a lost art. Little touches like anything else on the shirt only being in white is really smart too. I don’t normally buy “other clubs” shirts but I might this one… 15/10

Parma (Third)

Parma’s third kit this year is a really nice effort

Is it an early 90s Leeds kit? Is it the current Parma Third Shirt? Who knows but I want more of it. Parma should’ve used this as their home shirt for me. It’s clean, simple, slight throwback. It works. Well done.

Milan (Home)

Clean, Simple, Milan.

Ok, so I am typing this with gritted teeth as an Interista, but this kit is nice. They’ve done no messing about here, like Inter did with their stripes. This is a really nice effort, the two tone badge is cool and the little pattern on the stripes is a nice touch. Hope this is all they get right this season. Well done Milan.

The Worst

Inter (Home)

Hmmm…

Rumour has it they took over 3 millions photos of Lautaro in this shirt and he refused to smile in this kit. I think when teams try something a bit different it can work, it refreshes their style and it can be a nice departure. None of that is true here. Inter have some of the best kits of all time and they’re all just SIMPLE BASIC BLUE AND BLACK STRIPES! What they’ve been up to the last couple of seasons I can’t tell you, but it isn’t cool. Go back to what you do best.

Juventus (Home)

Nope. No thanks.

Stop messing about with stripes. All teams. Now. If you have stripes, look at Milan and Atalanta and do that in your colours. Hate the haphazard stripes here, hate the two sponsors and although I know Juventus used to wear pink when they were founded, I hate the pink accents. Please god, just get together with Inter and bang your heads together.

Cremonese (Home)

Not for me

Goalkeepers wear grey kits. There’s not a lot else to say. It’s a weird colour for an outfield shirt and I’m not on board. Pass.

Lazio (Home)

Home? No. Away? Yes, just.

Guess what guys? Lazio have a plain sky blue shirt. They’ve made zero effort here and I’m not making any effort to talk about it. Wear the away kit, it’s a much sharper look.

Inter (Away)

As an Interista… No

Two things here. 1) Was this designed by a competition winner? 2) How did they win the competition with this design? Honestly, after the embarrassment we Interisti suffered at the end of last season, these kits feel like Nike rubbing it in a bit. Pass.

Juventus (Away)

Monstrosity

This looks like the hooky shirt you see hanging from a souvenir stand in a main piazza in Turin. Why this colour? Why the yellow Adidas stripes? Why are there two sponsors on the home shirt and none here? None of this adds up, I’m sure there’s a conspiracy here but I don’t know why, or what. Just wear that gorgeous third strip all season please.

Roma (Home)

Mixed feelings

Ok so hear me out here, because maybe there’s nothing actually wrong with this, maybe there is. I just feel like Roma normally turn out in such beautiful kits that this feels a little… generic? Again, it looks like a copy of a real Roma kit. Maybe the PES version of a Roma shirt. It’s not awful, it’s not horrible, it’s just not very Roma for me.

So there you have it, I’m sure some of you are upset by my choices, it goes without saying! But as you can see I’m not biased, an Interista choosing Milan’s shirt as nice and condemning the Inter efforts! Anyway, I’m off to Sassuolo to buy a shirt. Let me know your favourites…

22nd Jul 2025
Fallen Giants: Sampdoria’s Scudetto and Decline

In the summer of 1991, as the giants of Milan, Turin, and Naples counted their trophies, a club from the Ligurian coast ripped up the script. Sampdoria — a team built not on superstars, but on friendship, vision, and sheer defiance — stunned Italy by winning the Scudetto. Led by the fiery genius of Roberto Mancini, the lethal instincts of Gianluca Vialli, and the quiet charisma of manager Vujadin Boškov, they conquered a league at the height of its golden era. But just as quickly as they rose, Sampdoria began to fall. Within a decade, the dream unraveled — a tale of missed chances, lost leaders, and the harsh reality of modern football. This is the story of how a family-built dynasty captured the heart of Italian football… and how it slipped away.

Traditionally, Genoa were always the more decorated club until this point, but in 1979 something happened in the city that would flip this on its head. Temporarily.

Born in Rome just before the Second World War, eventually settling in Genoa in 1955, Paolo Mantovani became a shipping magnate over his lifetime and, although originally a Lazio sympathiser, he became a fan of Sampdoria and would purchase the club he grew to love on July 3rd 1979. Mantovani transformed Sampdoria over his stewardship from a yo-yo club in Serie B into a European and Italian powerhouse – briefly.

Vujadin Boskov

Mantovani planned to operate the club completely differently to our previous article’s subject – Parma. His plan was to build Sampdoria up into an irresistible force. He was quoted as saying, “I don’t buy champions, I build them”. The change in Sampdoria was accelerated by the 1986 appointment of Vujadin Boskov. The Serbian manager would bring tactical discipline and strong man management. The Serb employed a straightforward, compact, disciplined 4-4-2 system – with emphasis on wide play and a lethal strike duo,

Roberto Mancini and Gianluca Vialli celebrating together one of many times…

That duo was already in place at the club when Boskov was appointed, with Roberto Mancini and Gianluca Vialli forming a deadly duo that would last until the summer of 2021 when Vialli was assistant to Mancini as Italy won the European Championships.

Mancini started his career with Bologna before making the move that would make him. He joined Sampdoria in 1982 and through his time there, he would go on to make over 400 appearances and score 130+ goals. He formed a deadly duo with Vialli when he joined in 1984 from Cremonese. Vialli would stay for 8 seasons and contribute over 80 goals in this period.

Those numbers might sound low, but for a club of Sampdoria’s stature, it was immense. The duo, nicknamed The Gemelli del Gol (the Goal Twins), did enough to fire Sampdoria to their first (and only) ever Scudetto. During that 1990/91 season, while it was still 2 points for a win and a 34 game season, Samp scored 57 goals on their way to securing the title, conceding only 24 goals on the way. During this season, they captured key wins like 2-0 away to Inter at the San Siro and 1-0 over Milan at home. The title was clinched on 19th May when they crushed Lecce 3-0.

The players celebrate with the fans after winning the 1991 Scudetto

Mancini and Vialli weren’t the only ones who were making a name for themselves in this team. A young goalkeeper by the name of Gianluca Pagliuca was impressing, on his way to becoming Italy’s number one. Attilio “Popeye” Lombardi was working away tirelessly on the wing and Pietro Vierchowod was a defensive rock known as Lo Zar.

It wasn’t just a Scudetto season for Sampdoria though, they would see European success with a 2-0 victory in the European Cup Winners Cup over Anderlecht in Gothenburg – Samp’s first European trophy. They would have an opportunity to add another to the collection next season.

During the 1991-92 season, Sampdoria would be the sole Italian representative in the European Cup – now the Champions League. Back in this era, only the champions of each nation made it into the cup. Sampdoria would open up with a two legged tie against Norwegian champions Rosenborg. They would be despatched easily with a 5-0 and 2-1 victory, making it 7-1 over the two legs.

Round 2 proved slightly trickier for the Italian champions, scraping through against Kispest Honved of Hungary. Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, they inspired themselves in the return leg into a 3-1 victory, narrowly getting into the Group Stage after a 4-3 aggregate win thanks to two goals from Vialli.

With the competition splitting into two groups of 4 for Round 3, effectively an 8 team Semi Final with the top team in each group making the final, Sampdoria were drawn with Red Star Belgrade, Anderlecht and Panathinaikos. Sampdoria progressed with relative ease, losing only once to Red Star, while winning 3 and drawing 2 matches. They topped the group 2 points ahead of Red Star and the only team in that group with a positive goal difference.

Sampdoria line up for the European Cup Final against Barcelona at Wembley

It remains their only European Cup Final appearance to date. The other half of the draw was somewhat trickier, with Dinamo Kiev, Benfica, Sparta Prague and Barcelona competing to face Sampdoria in the final. It probably comes as no surprise that Barcelona would progress from this group and face off against Samp in the final at Wembley Stadium in London.

The final at Wembley Stadium was the last to be held before the European Cup format was abolished and rebranded as the Champions League. Neither team had won the European Cup before so whoever would take away the trophy would become the 19th overall winner of the tournament.

A Sampdoria team featuring Pagliuca, Mancini, Vialli, Bonetti, Lombardo and Vierchowod would face a Barcelona team stacked with names such as Zubizaretta, Koeman, Ferrer, Guardiola, Laudrup and Stoitchkov. The expectation was that Johan Cruyff’s superstars would crush Sampdoria and their constant overpunching. Things in football rarely turn out as expected though and at the end of 90 minutes, the scores were locked at 0-0.

It would take something special to win this game, and unfortunately for Sampdoria it was provided by Ronald Koeman. In the 112th minute, he stepped up to lash in a spectacular and memorable free kick to break Italian hearts. Sampdoria and Mantovani had come so close to fulfilling the impossible dream, they’d got to the final hurdle and stumbled. A lot of eggs were put in this European basket and a 6th place Serie A finish meant the decline had started.

Boskov had declared the European Cup final would be his last hurrah and he’d be moving on. He would briefly return to Sampdoria a few years later, but the magic had gone. Vialli was sold to Juventus that summer for a then World Record €12.5m and the team was weakening. Mancini would remain more loyal and stay until 1997 before moving on to Lazio.

On 14th October 1993, Paolo Mantovani passed away at the age of 63 with lung cancer. Sampdoria mourned. His second child Enrico Mantovani would step into the role of President and vowed to continue his fathers legacy. However, during these years, fortunes at the club began to slip away. It’s hard to compete with the big superpower clubs just once, but to sustain it with a “family atmosphere” and hard work is damned near impossible. Enrico did recognise this and would add Jurgen Klinsmann, Giusseppe Signori and Vincenzo Montella to the ranks. They would win the Coppa Italia – their 4th – in 1994 while finishing third in the league under the enigmatic Sven Goran Eriksson.

However, gradually, the core of the team was sold, Pagliuca went, as did Lombardo and Vierchowod and by 1997 Eriksson had gone to Lazio and taken Mancini with him. The club was gradually losing its identity, the management door was a revolving one and eventually, following a 2-2 draw at Bologna in 1999, Sampdoria were relegated to Serie B for the first time in 17 seasons. After the death of Paolo Mantovani the club appeared to gradually lose its direction, it became harder to compete with the other Northern powerhouse clubs like Juventus, Inter and Milan.

Sampdoria were briefly relegated earlier this year

Since then, Sampdoria have spent some time bouncing around between A and B, they did briefly return to Europe in 2010 but this soon collapsed after the sales of Cassano and Pazzini. The club has continued on its downward curve and this season were finally relegated to Serie C, before being given a slight reprieve. Thanks to the difficulties of Brescia, and their subsequent points deduction Samp got a second chance at survival with a relegation play off against Salernitana. They would win the tie, sort of, with the second leg being abandoned with them 4-0 up on aggregate thanks to protesting Salernitana fans. Hopefully this is used as a chance for Sampdoria to kick on and return to their former glory.

Before getting a reprieve from Salernitana and Brescia

Wherever they are now, it’s hard to argue that Sampdoria’s Scudetto is one of the more romantic ones in Serie A. A true underdog story and a romantic notion that a team could be built rather than bought. Mancini and Vialli’s friendship is legendary in the sport and the Samp way was to mix grit and determination with style and flair, unique for a non-giant. Sampdoria’s fall serves as a cautionary tale of poor succession planning and the dangers of losing the visionaries within the club. But I like to think of their legacy as per Vialli’s words when talking about Sampdoria, “Winning with friends is worth more than winning alone”. And isn’t that what football’s about?

21st Jul 2025
The Como Project: Serie A should be afraid

Six years ago an Indonesian tobacco company called the Djarum Group purchased a Serie D club in Northern Italy and no one really cared about it. All the World knew of Como was that it was a beautiful town on the side of a lake and sometimes some rich film stars got married nearby.

Fast forward to today and the World of football, and celebrity, knows very much what’s going on at Como 1907. The club had actually just won promotion from Serie D when it was acquired and although Italian football has banned tobacco advertising, the owners have stuck at it.

The Hartono brothers

As of 2022 the company, owned by brothers Robert Budi Hartono and Michael Bambang Hartono, earns around €4m per hour. 2022 was the year that Como turned professional again, and also the year that Cesc Fabregas and Thierry Henry joined on as minority shareholders.

In the 2023/24 season, Fabregas was appointed as manager, replacing Moreno Longo midway through the season. Como ended the season promoted in second position, finally returning to Serie A after a long absence but with a few questions hanging over the squad. Fabregas didn’t yet have his UEFA license so he had to initially act as assistant manager under Welshman Osian Roberts, and would their stadium be up to it.

As of now, both questions have been answered and Fabregas is now in sole charge and the Singaglia is used in Serie A. After an initial wobbly start last season, they finished strongly and were firmly in mid table when the campaign ended. Their young and dynamic squad was balanced with some (very) old heads and the club seems on the up.

Which is precisely why Inter Milan came calling for Cesc Fabregas when Simone Inzaghi left for Al Hilal. Then something strange happened. Fabregas said no – to one of the biggest clubs in Europe. Apparently he firmly believed in the “project” at Como. Now, all football teams claim to have a project – except possibly Manchester United – but very rarely does a young, promising coach who played at the very top turn down a chance to go back there to coach. So what is the project?

According to the owners and their own message, they initially aim to transfer Como into a stable Serie A side, challeging mid-table and eventually targeting Europe. Their emphasis, oddly enough for the richest owners in the league, is to build long-term infrastructure with a brand new youth academy, a stadium overhaul and financial growth.

Don’t take my “oddly enough” as scepticism, this is the kind of club ownership I much prefer to see. Gradual, sustainable growth. But so far the Djarum Group has been able to temper anything boring and sustainable with some star quality. Fabregas and Henry bring high-profile influence, especially where recruitment is concerned.

And it isn’t just on the pitch where star names are having their heads turned. This season the Singaglia crowd has been a who’s who of A List celebrities, with Terry Crews, Kate Beckinsale, Kiera Knightly, Jeff Goldblum and Benedict Cumberbatch spotted taking in a game. They aren’t out there wielding flares with the Ultras either, they’re paying top dollar for hospitality.

Hugh Grant enjoying a match day at the Singaglia

Como is cool. This kind of reputation will be invaluable to sustaining manageable growth in the accounts department. Fabregas himself said when he rejected Inter that he’s part of a “£1bn plan”. Ambition underlined.

The club is investing heavily in scouting talent too, with young players the name of the game. They can offer both resale value and sporting impact during their tenure. Nico Paz and Max Perrone underline this point.

Paz and Perrone, the future of Como?

The ownership group has actually compared themselves to Atalanta by stating they want to organise an “Atalanta style youth to first team pipeline”. I don’t think a club of Como’s size could ever attract the World’s best, the huge stars, normally – but their beautiful riviera style lakeside location will go a long way towards this. But perhaps their best chance of a Scudetto lands within their own youth system. Developing and nurturing the best talent with the best facilities and the best coaches is definitely possible.

And that’s well within their mid to long term goals at the club. Infrastructure is key for the owners. The training and youth facilities but also the stadium.

I’ve been to the Singaglia and it has a gorgeous location, right on the lakeside. The old stadium, however, is looking rather dated. And while I’m a bit of a traditionalist, even I can see it needs modernising.

Even this process Como are looking to do in a manageable and sustainable way. In February this year, the club and the municipality submitted the planning documents. As you can imagine with bureaucracy in Italy, it’s going to happen slowly. Design approvals and public consultancy will take over a year and finish around May 2026.

They then hope to begin construction over a year later again in October 2027 to finish in time for the start of the 2028/29 season. Long term, the goal is to reach 15,000 seats, that can be increased easily to 20,000 if required. However, local planning revisions are trying to cap them at 14,000 and no taller stand that 19m.

Local opposition to the modern new stadium are worried about the lake view being obstructed

Local heritage and scenic protection rules mandate a careful balance, they want to build big, but they need to preserve views of the lake and the war memorial on the banks. Naturally, support from the terraces for the new stadium is huge, but less so amongst the “Academic Intelligentsia” local to Como. In fact, 111 intellectuals signed a letter calling for the club to relocate outside of the town or abandon their plans altogether.

This debate will rumble on, while on the pitch Como are only limited by their own imagination. Commercially, they’re going about the process in a smart way. With the Hollywood fan base, the beautiful setting and the young coaches and players, sponsors are tripping over themselves to throw money at this project.

If Como can keep their feet on the ground, the sky’s the limit for them. Will they ever win a Scudetto. As mentioned, provincial teams rarely get a go at it. Even Parma in the 1990s spent erratically and couldn’t get it right. Como has a chance, they’re in a great location, with money to burn if they want to and they’ve got something most provincial teams don’t have. They’re cool.

On the wonderful Italian Football Podcast, Nima said he didn’t think they could ever win a Scudetto. I’m not so sure…

19th Jul 2025
Evan Ferguson to Roma: The perfect move for both?

When a striker has a difficult spell in England at West Ham, you could be forgiven for thinking that the game is up. Destined to become a journeyman bagging a few here and there at different spells in lower/mid table clubs. That’s what Gianluca Scamacca must have thought anyway, until he came to work with Gian Piero Gasperini at Atalanta.

Fast forward a season and the Italian’s career was resurrected, he was back in the national team and he owed it all to Gasperini. At least that’s what I read into his words, “If I’m here so much it’s thanks to him, this year he helped me and managed to strike the right chords to make me click, I owe a lot to him.”

Now, Gasperini looks all set to hook up with Irish striker Evan Ferguson. The 20 year old is far from a washed up journeyman, but his career has drifted somewhat since a breakthrough season at Brighton when he score 10 goals in 25 matches as an 18 year old prodigy. Ferguson started the next season on fire and scored a memorable hat trick against Newcastle, but would only score 3 more goals that season as injuries hampered his progress.

Last season he managed only 1 goal in 13 matches before being loaned to West Ham in a spell which can only be described as disastrous. That’s not entirely down to him of course, West Ham’s second half of last season was only mildly better than their start and they were woefully inadequate as a team. It probably wasn’t the best environment for confidence building.

And confidence building will be key for a player who was once touted at €120m and now looking at significantly less. Injuries affected his confidence on the pitch, but also in himself, with the player seeming reluctant to fly into tackles or stretch himself physically.

Ferguson is physically strong, he has a bit of the Alan Shearer about him. A big lad, strong, physical, two footed finisher who has a strong header on him too. In fact Shearer himself described him as a striker with, “no obvious weakness”.

Physicality will serve him well in a Gasperini system, he’ll need to be ready to engage the defensive line early and he’ll need to be willing to run. As Scamacca himself said, “The coach hammered me day after day, told me how to move on the pitch, but also I started to get into good physical shape and so could give him what he wanted.”

Scamacca isn’t the only striker Gasperini has moulded either, one standout example from Atalanta shows how the relationship with Gasp can create a monster that’s hard to replicate elsewhere. Rasmus Hojlund had the eye of a lot of European clubs after his breakout season at Atalanta, Gasperini sharpened what was raw talent and got the best out of the young Dane. Manchester United have struggled to replicate this.

There’s no doubt at all that if Evan Ferguson can gain consistent minutes in a Roma shirt that his confidence will improve. Gasperini has a tried and trusted system that nurtures young attacking talent, while demanding a lot from them. Ferguson already aligns with some of Gasperini’s trademarks, he’s a strong and physical lad which will aid him in the press, something Brighton did effectively with him too.

Further to that, he provides an aerial headache for defences, he can provide that target man focus when required. Not only this, but he’s more than capable of drifting wide and linking with Wing Backs.

So where does he need to improve? First and foremost it’s with his fitness. It might be harsh to judge a player on their injuries, but if he can stay in shape and stay fit, that’s the first hurdle jumped.

Serie A’s defenders are significantly tougher and more physical than Premier League defences, who tend to focus more on their possession play than out of possession discipline. This will take some adapting in Italy.

For me, his best chance of success will come in a dual striker system, the 3-4-1-2, rather than the 3-4-2-1. Partnering Ferguson with the likes of Dovbyk will complement aerial strength with sharp finishing.

Personally, I like Evan Ferguson, if you hadn’t been able to puzzle that out yet. This was a kid once valued very highly by Brighton and was attracting interest from all over Europe. Roma have the chance to land an absolute bargain. Moving to Italy has proven to be a breath of fresh air for so many stagnating in the Premier League, just look at the form of Scott McTominay.

I would say Ferguson has the potential to be significantly better than the Scot and if he can progress with Roma, you may just have them as an outside bet this season…

18th Jul 2025
Parma Calcio: The Rise, The Glory, The Fall and The Phoenix

Cast your mind back to the 1990s (if you’re of age) and you’ll remember when Serie A was on top of the World. Calcio was King and the best players in the World were plying their trade in Italy. One team embodied it all, and it wasn’t one of the Northern Powerhouses. No, it was a provincial team from Emilia Romagna that caught fire, then burned out spectacularly.

The sugar daddies of 90s Calcio have all but gone, only the Agnelli family remains at Juventus, but the big clubs were able to ride it out. Milan and Inter face challenges, but they had enough behind them to survive the end of the deep pocket era. For the provincial clubs, however, times have been a bit harder and when Parma went pop, the explosion was spectacular.

They achieved their first ever promotion to Serie A in 1990 backed by the massive Parmalat dairy industry giant. Calisto Tanzi was the owner of both and he pumped money into the club to get it moving. Under the stewardship of Nevio Scala they won promotion to Serie A and immediately set about upsetting the apple cart.

Parma winning the 1992 Coppa Italia

In that first season 1990-91, they signalled their intent with a stunning 2-0 victory over Juventus on their way to finishing 6th and qualifying for the UEFA Cup. Their first silverware followed a year later when they defeated Juventus 2-1 in the Coppa Italia final over two legs, securing their first ever major trophy while finishing 7th.

Another trophy was collected in 1992 when they defeated Royal Antwerp 3-1 in the UEFA Cup Winners Cup final. Parma added the first of their superstars to their ranks by bringing in the great Faustino Asprilla from Atletico Nacional and finishing 3rd. Lorenzo Minotti summed up the feeling at the club around this time when he said, “We never felt like a small club – Scala gave us belief”.

In the UEFA Super Cup that summer, they took on the Italian giants of Milan and beat them 2-1 on aggregate, before adding Gianfranco Zola to their ranks. They went on to another European final, the Cup Winners Cup again, losing to Arsenal 1-0 in a tight game.

They finally bagged the big prize in 1995, winning the UEFA Cup by defeating Juventus in the final AGAIN… Dino Baggio scored in both legs as Parma won 2-1 on aggregate, securing their highest honour yet. This was the peak of Scala’s era, with the likes of Zola, Asprilla, Baggio and Benarrivo firing Parma to the big prize and a 3rd place finish in Serie A.

The next season saw something of a transition season, as they finished trophyless and in 6th place, Scala would stand down at the end of the season and a certain Carlo Ancelotti would get his big chance to lead a Serie A team, being appointed from Regianna.

Gianluigi Buffon making his debut for Parma

He immediately set about proving himself, by giving a young 17 year old goalkeeper his start in the game. I’m not sure whatever came of Gianluigi Buffon, but a quick Google confirms that Ancelotti made the right call. He also brought in a little known Argentinian striker for €4m from River Plate, Hernan Crespo would go on to be a huge success.

Hernan Crespo scored a few goals for Parma in his time…

Parma finished second in Serie A that first season, just two points behind Juventus. Ancelotti was unable to repeat the feat next season and left after a 6th place finish and a UEFA Cup semi final defeat. His move to Juventus came that next summer and yet again, the Parma story involved a twist with Juventus.

Alberto Malesani was the man chosen to replace him and he oversaw perhaps the greatest triumph and squad that Parma ever had. Parma finished 4th in Seria A in 1998-99 and won the Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italia and the UEFA Cup again, with a 3-0 win over Marseille. The team contained household names such as Gianluigi Buffon, Lilian Thuram, Fabio Cannavaro, Hernan Crespo, Enrico Chiesa and Juan Veron. It’s no wonder then that Cannavaro was quoted as saying, “That team could beat anyone on their day – we weren’t afraid of anyone”.

There’s no wonder when it looks like a Fantasy XI from early 00s Serie A!

A ridiculous line up for any team

The fall began soon after this. There was no league consistency, and despite another Coppa Italia triumph in 2001, Parma began to tail off. Crespo was sold to Lazio for around €56m, Buffon went to Juventus for a healthy €52m and Cannavaro moved to Inter. The exodus was swift and the reason soon became clear.

We’ll drift now from football to business, because in 2003 the Parmalat scandal broke. Europe’s Enron hit.

Calisto Tanzi had built Parmalat into a global dairy empire and used the money to buy Parma. To keep growing, Parmalat falsified accounts – inflating assets and hiding debts using offshore companies. By December 2003 a massive €14bn black hole had appeared and Europe’s biggest fraud case was confirmed.

Parmalat’s collapse triggered lawsuits and wiped out thousands of investors worldwide. Parmalat was the main source of income for Parma, they owned them and sponsored them. Overnight, funds dried up, transfers and wages were halted. Unlike the big northern clubs, there was no fallback money for Parma. Tanzi would be convicted and sentenced in 2008, but the damage for Parma was done.

In the words of Alberto Malesani, “Everything we had built vanished overnight”. The club would survive for around 10 years after this point, using loan signings and selling any promising talent and ownership would ping pong between small investors. Alessandro Lucarelli could have left at any point but didn’t, “I stayed because I’m a man of my word – Parma needed loyalty”.

Eventually, in 2015, Parma were declared bankrupt with debts of over €200m. The club was wound up and relegated to Serie D. Surely this was the end?

Not with Lucarelli around.

The club was reformed as Parma Calcio 1913 and the phoenix rose from the flames. Three consecutive promotions followed and by 2018/19, they were back at the top table with the big boys. It hasn’t been all plain sailing since then, they were relegated again in 2021 and struggled with money.

Kyle Krause took over at this point and stabilised the finances before a further promotion back to Serie A. Last season saw Parma struggle for a lot of the season before being saved after Christian Chivu took over. He’s gone now, but Parma have seen players and managers come and go before. They won’t be phased, in fact they’ll be buoyed by their spirit shown at the end of last season.

Parma are back in Serie A, are they here to stay?

It wasn’t just Parma have struggled since the gilded age of Italian football came to an end. The influx of money into England from TV deals saw the balance of power swing from Italy to England in the early 00s. The best players decided to head to England instead of Italy, pragmatism was needed and the sugar daddies that once bankrolled the greatest league in the world moved on.

Stadium infrastructure in Italy lagged behind England, Germany and Spain too. Municipalities owned most of the stadiums and couldn’t afford to improve the facilities as the 90s drew to a close. Matchday revenues fell with the TV money. Scandals like Calciopoli followed and exposed systemic failures in Italian football governance.

Parma’s fall mirrored the fall of Serie A’s dominance in a way. Clubs can’t match the spending of England and Spain, Juventus modernised as a club, no one else has really followed suit.

Whatever happens in the future, Italy seems to have settled back into a rhythm. Clubs regularly make the latter stages of European competition again. Juventus and Inter both recently made 2 Champions League finals each, Atalanta won the Europa League, Inter lost a Europa League and Fiorentina played in two Conference League finals with Roma also winning one.

Parma are back at the top table, the glory days are gone, but talk to anyone from Parma and there’ll be a glint in their eye as they talk about Crespo and Chiesa scoring in the UEFA Cup final against Marseille…

17th Jul 2025
Legends of Calcio: Paolo Maldini

A name that transcends rivalries. Universally admired by teammates, rivals, coaches and pundits. The embodiment of Italian defensive mastery. The art of defending, personified. One Club Man. Elegance, Intelligence, Loyalty. Is there a bigger legend of Calcio than Paolo Maldini?

Born in 1968 in Milan, Maldini quickly rose through the ranks at AC Milan and would make his debut at the age of just 16 in 1985. By the time he retired in 2009 he had made over 900 appearances in all competitions for Milan, appeared in 7 major tournaments for Italy, won 7 Serie A titles and 5 Champions Leagues.

The man who would be cited as inspiration by John Terry, Gerard Pique and Virgil Van Dijk. His career took him all around the World, collecting trophies. But he never left Milan and he never won a thing with Italy.

A young Maldini making his debut.

Hi father, Cesare Maldini was on the coaching staff in 1985 when he made his debut, and his son Daniel would begin his career at Milan with his Dad as Technical Director. He’s since moved on, as has Paolo, and Milan feels a bit emptier for it.

Maldini would win his first Serie A title in 1988 as part of the irresistible pressing side of Arrigo Sacchi. He formed part of an indomitable back line with Baresi, Tassotti and Costacurta. His first European triumph wasn’t far behind when Milan dismantled Steaua Bucharest 4-0 in the final in 1989.

Milan would win back to back European Cups, defeating Benfica 1-0 in the final in 1990 with a defensive masterclass from their famous quartet.

The best was yet to come in Europe, however, and in 1994 Milan defeated the great Cruyff Barcelona 4-0 in the final, with Maldini putting on a clinic as a fill in centre back. Europe provided plenty of low moments too, though, with arguably the worst coming in 2005.

Paolo scored the fasted ever final goal (at that point) when he put Milan 1-0 up against Liverpool in Istanbul. By half time it was 3-0 and their name was on the cup. Fate had other ideas, however, and Liverpool roared back in the second half, eventually winning on penalties after extra time.

Despite the defeat, Maldini was praised for his leadership and sportsmanship that night in Istanbul. It would be avenged two years later though, when a 38 year old Maldini captained his side through a knee injury to a 2-1 victory over the same opponents.

A much happier Paolo Maldini

England provided another sweet Champions League moment for Maldini too, when he lifted his first one as captain in 2003. Not only did Milan defeat the old enemy Juventus, but they did so in Old Trafford, Manchester – birthplace of his father Cesare.

Back home in Italy, Maldini collected trophies like they were prizes in a cereal box. By the time of the Juventus final in 2003, he had already won 6 of the 7 titles he would win. Milan also won a Coppa Italia title with him, as well as 5 Supercoppas.

But it was internationally that Maldini was hardest done by. Making his debut against Yugoslavia in 1988, at just 19, he would play 126 games for the Azzurri across 7 tournaments but only collect runners up medals.

Paolo Maldini in action at Euro 96

The first of these came in the 1994 World Cup, when he was ever present in Italy’s run to the final. He captained the side for the first time too, after Franco Baresi was injured. However, three missed penalties in the final meant that Italy wouldn’t win the tournament and his medal would be silver.

He would remain captain of Italy after the tournament and would miss the chance to lift a major honour again when in Euro 2000 in Holland and Belgium, Italy lost the final to France 2-1 after extra time.

The absolute scandalous refereeing performance at the 2002 World Cup that saw Italy eliminated to South Korea in their home tournament eventually proved too much for Maldini and he announced his retirement from the international game to focus on Milan.

It was a good decision, Maldini played a further 7 years for Milan, eventually hanging up his boots after 902 matches and 33 goals in all competitions. He even received his first ever Red Card in that final season.

The best were terrified of taking on Maldini

Maldini was quoted as saying that, “If I have to make a tackle then I have already made a mistake”. He embodied the ideals of the perfect Italian defender with the way he read the game. His coolness under pressure, composure on the ball and a fabulous range of passing. He was uncompromising, tough, but fair and sporting.

These were all traits he would take into his next role, as Technical Director of Milan. He had the role from 2018 until leaving in 2023 under something of a cloud after tensions with the club’s owners RedBird Capital. His exit has been viewed by some Milan fans as the moment when the team started to lose its identity.

Maldini was widely regarded as one of the World’s greatest defenders of all time – known for his elegance, positional intelligence and loyalty. Inspiring a wealth of modern defenders, Thiago Silva (once of Milan) summed it up nicely with, “I dreamed of being a defender like Maldini”.

And the truth is, there’s no one quite like Maldini…

Maldini bids farewell

16th Jul 2025
Great Rivalries Explained: Derby D’Italia

There are only a few countries in the World that can rival the Italian passion for the beautiful game, and fewer that can match the passion that comes from her derbies. So when the two most successful teams in Italy come head to head for bragging rights, shit goes down…

Juventus and Inter Milan isn’t a city rivalry like the Derby della Madonina, or the Derby della Capitale. The Derby D’Italia, as the name suggests, is a battle for Italy. Not a city. So what led to this being a game that would have Gianluigi Buffon say, “There are matches you play with pride, and then there’s Inter — you play those with your blood.”

Both sides hold contrasting identities. Juventus, based in Turin, owned by the powerful Agnelli family (think Fiat) and linked traditionally with the business elites. And while Inter and their hedge fund manager owners are more lately considered business elites – historically the Milanese team was considered more cosmopolitan than business like.

Inter’s foundation in 1907 after a split from AC Milan over the issue of foreign players led to Inter being considered a team of artists, poets and generally anti-establishment. This, therefore is a battle of contrasting styles, different cities and a battle for supremacy on the pitch – and off it.

The best players in the World have played the Derby D’Italia

Think Liverpool v Manchester United.

And when you add up the trophy count, it’s easy to see why this rivalry was allowed to blossom. Constantly competing at the top for honours, Juventus have 36 titles (officially, but we’ll come back to that). Inter hold 20, but have the upper hand with 3 European Cups (Champions League) to Juve’s 2. Overall, the two teams hold 113 crowns, with Juve edging Inter 67-46.

Titles ignited this rivalry into pure hatred during the 2006 season when Calciopoli exploded. Juventus (more specifically Luciano Moggi) were accused of manipulating referee appointments to favour certain clubs during the 2005 and 2006 seasons. Juventus would be relegated to Serie B and stripped of the 2006 title which was then handed to Inter who originally finished as runners up.

It was Inter’s first title since 1989 and often referred to by Juventus fans as the cardboard title (scudetto di cartone) but as Marco Materazzi put it, “We took what they stole from us”. Inter were implicated in Calciopoli but never charged with anything which led to calls of hypocrisy from Juventus fans. There were calls of a witch hunt against Juventus, however, Inter fans point to one game in 1998 which they feel proves their point.

With four games remaining in the season, Inter travelled to the Stadio delle Alpi for a showdown with league leaders Juventus, who sat one point ahead of them. Inter, without a scudetto in nearly a decade were loaded with stars including Ronaldo, Djorkaeff, Simeone and Zanetti. Juventus included in their squad Del Piero, Zidane, Davids and Deschamps. None of these players would be the star of the day, step forward referee Piero Ceccarini.

Juventus took the lead in the first half with a really well taken goal by Del Piero (what else did you expect), before Inter piled on the pressure, with Ronaldo going close on several occasions. The game then settled into a rather scrappy second half, before the flashpoint.

Iuliano was judged to have not fouled Ronaldo

It all happened in 15 seconds really. Ronaldo entered the Juventus box and was blocked off from taking on a shot by Mark Iuliano. The Inter players looked round at the referee, expecting a whistle that never came. Cue pandemonium. Inter players reacted as you might expect, chasing the referee and waving their arms, while Davids brought the ball away and up the pitch. He passed to Zidane who beat two defenders and rolled the ball into Alessandro Del Piero. Taribo West came in from behind and pushed him in the back, Del Piero went down and Ceccarini blew for a spot kick.

Few debate that West had fouled Del Piero, but Inter were incensed, seeing no difference between the foul on him and the challenge on Ronaldo less than a minute earlier. Inter lost their heads, surrounding the referee, shoving him, the Inter manager Simonini was sent off.

The controversy didn’t stop there though, Del Piero actually missed the penalty. Inter, buoyed, went on the attack and had a goal ruled out for a Zamorano foul on the keeper. Juve celebrated, Inter fumed.

Inter lose their heads.

Pagliuca ended up in a scrap with Juventus fans and three days later in the Italian Parliament, Domenico Gramazio of the far-right National Alliance party had to be held back as he tried to confront footballer-turned-politician Massimo Mauro, who had won the title with Juventus in the 1980s before joining the Democratic Party.

Inter fans refer to the game as the mother of Calciopoli and the season became known as the great robbery. The damage was done though, the Derby D’Italia which was once a great sporting spectacle was now an all out war. And it wouldn’t get any prettier.

There’s much debate in Italy about the role of Ultras and that isn’t going away, but one thing you can usually guarantee is that they’ll light up an atmosphere, especially in a derby. It isn’t always in a positive way, however, and there have been numerous examples of this Derby boiling over off the pitch.

One of the more famous examples comes from 2018 when Inter’s Curva Nord caused national outrage with a banner mocking the Heysel disaster from 1985. I won’t put here what the banner said, it’s reprehensible, you can Google it yourself if you want. Needless to say, it didn’t go down well and retribution was swift.

Historically in Italy, especially around derbies, Ultras groups agree to pacts of non-aggression. Instead, hoping to protect the streets of their city from becoming a warzone and ensuring no innocent fans are swept up in the trouble. There is no such pact between the Juventus and Inter ultras. In fact, quite the opposite, they maintain a “guerra aperta” or “open warfare”.

Perhaps Zlatan Ibrahimovic captured this the best, when he signed for Inter from Juventus in 2006, “When I signed for Inter, I knew I wasn’t just changing clubs — I was switching sides in a war.”

Hopefully, I’ve managed to tread the area around some of the Derby’s thornier issues without upsetting too many people and if you’re still here we can debate some of the greatest matches.

Yildiz rescues Juventus in 2024

I actually went to one last year, I was at the San Siro as Inter blew a 4-2 lead to draw the game 4-4 thanks to an inspired Kenan Yildiz who took it upon himself to rescue his side. In 2022, however, Inter did win a match 4-2, with goals in extra time from Ivan Perisic, one penalty and one absolute thunderbolt securing the Coppa Italia crown for Inter.

In 1961, the biggest win in this fixture happened. In what was supposed to a title deciding fixture, crowds flocked to the Stadio Comunale in Turin to see the Bianconeri (hopefully) crowned champions. The game was clearly oversubscribed, with Juventus fans sat on the Inter bench and covering the running track, inches from the pitch.

After 30 minutes, the referee called time on the game, the conditions were ridiculous. According the rules, Juventus (responsible for crowd control) should have forfeit the game 0-2 as the responsible party for the abandonment. Juventus appealed the decision to the CAF (Football Arbitration Court) which happened to have as its president… the Juventus president.

The 1961 clash between Juventus and Inter

The 0-2 defeat was therefore subsequently overturned, and a replay ordered. A furious Inter Milan were deducted their (then) 2 points for the “win” and told to replay the game. This dropped them back below Juventus. Inter were furious and protested the decision, sending a youth team instead of their first team, subsequently losing 9-1. Juventus won that title and a pure hatred was born.

The Derby D’Italia is Italy’s El Clasico. It’s the two most successful teams fighting it out for supremacy. It’s bragging rights until the next time. Since Calciopoli, the bitterness and hatred between the two sides has intensified and despite the league position, the games are always intense. Inter hate Juventus. And Juventus hate Inter more. As Claudio Marchisio put it, “We’re not just playing Inter — we’re defending who we are.”

The fixture shows off the best and the worst of Italian football, and if you get the opportunity to go, you should. You just might enjoy yourself.

15th Jul 2025
AC Milan’s and the million transfers

Ok, it’s a bit cheeky to title the blog this, but I was surfing on X the other day and noted an account mention Milan’s “shortlist” this summer and then name 8 players. That isn’t a shortlist. It’s a list.

So I thought I’d sift through the bullshit that’s out there and look seriously into what Milan are up to this summer. There’s a million players linked with them, what’s credible, what do they actually need? And most importantly for Milanisti, what’s actually going to happen?

Well I don’t have a crystal ball so don’t go running out and betting on these guys to sign, I could be WAY off!

Luka Modric

Ok, let’s start easy. This one is done. Allegri has even said so himself! The 39 year old legendary playmaker will be strutting his stuff at the San Siro (and Perth) next season and the most decorated Real Madrid player of all time will be a welcome addition in the centre of the park. Don’t expect to see him up and down the pitch like he would have been 13 years ago when he signed for Real, but expect to see him dictate the play from deep. He’ll probably be used as a very handy regista.

Nicola Jackson

The Chelsea striker is expected to fall well out of favour considering he can’t finish, stay onside or even stay on the pitch for 90 minutes in most games. It doesn’t make him a bad player, the Premier League is just a huge step up and the gulf in class is huge.

Easily capable of contributing 20 goals a season in Serie A. Milan are reportedly “very interested” in the Senegalese striker although Chelsea’s rumoured €50m price tag might put them off. I could see a loan-to-buy happening, maybe he’ll be used as makeweight in a Maignan deal? That seems to have gone cold now but Chelsea were interested.

Granit Xhaka

This one seemed to have legs earlier in the summer and since then the trail has gone a little cold. Igli Tare has spent time in Germany with Leverkusen but the valuations appeared some way apart.

The 32 year old has played 49 times last season for Bayer and contributed 6 goals and 7 assists, but his game is so much more than that. His work rate and tackling also mean he’s incredibly useful defensively.

I think this transfer looks like it makes sense, but let’s see if they can pull it off.

Jean-Philippe Mateta

Matteo Moretto (via Telegraph) in the UK has suggested that Milan have enquired about scouting data on Crystal Palace’s marksman. Talks are expected to take place in late July between Milan and the London club. It’ll be interesting to see how Palace’s demotion from Europa to Europa Conference affects his choices.

It’s not like Mateta isn’t spoiled for choice either, with Inter, United, Barcelona and Atletico all interested in the striker. It would be a coup for Milan against some of those names, but don’t ever rule out the allure of joining the great history of Milan.

This one is early stages, and it’s a long shot, but keep an eye on it.

Other Strikers

It’s clearly a problem area for Milan, who spent a lot of last season with Tammy Abraham donkeying around up top. He’s gone to Turkey and Milan are looking for something a bit more befitting a club who once had Shevchenko and Crespo playing together up there.

Vlahovic is one name constantly swirling around. Juve are motivated sellers, so motivated in fact that they’re talking about cancelling his contract. Moise Kean at Fiorentina is the envy of most of Serie A and his name has appeared on a few Milan links, but with some obscene Saudi money on offer, let’s see what happens to him.

Lorenzo Lucca at 22 would be an interesting one, he scored 11 times in 32 games as Udinese struggled last season. He could do a lot more damage in a Milan team with creativity abound. Ramos at PSG is out of favour with Dembele on this revenge tour to the Ballon D’Or, his wages would be a problem but the transfer fee wouldn’t be an issue for a motivated selling PSG.

Who’s leaving?

Well a few players. Aside from the obvious ones who’ve gone on free transfers, Kyle Walker won’t be back after his underwhelming loan spell. The full back gone full circle in his career and ended up back at Burnley.

Theo Hernandez has emotionally bid farewell and gone to collect massive bags of money at Al Hilal with fellow Milan resident Simone Inzaghi.

But what of two of the current Milan stars, Mike Maignan and Rafa Leao.

Maignan was envied by Chelsea earlier in the window but the two clubs had hugely different valuations. For what it’s worth, I think Milan valued him more accurately than Chelsea did. Tare says that’s off now and Maignan is staying at Milan. But if a club comes back with a more suitable offer, it’ll be interesting to see what Milan do.

And Rafa Leao? I’d be surprised to see him leave personally. German media says that Bayern are sweet on him and want him. But so far no bids have been forthcoming. Milan don’t want to sell one of their golden boys and it would take €80-100m to pick him up. I don’t know if Bayern rate him that highly.

Stranger things have happened, but I don’t see Rafa heading over the Alps to Bavaria from Lombardy.

Obviously, this is all done on my opinion, because who the hell knows what these huge European clubs will actually do when the time comes.

All I know for now is what my gut tells me. Bookmark this page now to tell me I’m wrong in September.

13th Jul 2025
Serie A and Gaming: Adriano’s left foot and Piemonte Calcio

Serie A is rightly embedded in football folklore and the Italian passion for the game doesn’t stop at the real life game. It extends to the virtual World too. Some of the great stories from old football video games stems back to Italian teams.

And where else to start than with Adriano’s left foot in the incredible old versions of Pro Evolution Soccer (PES). On the PES5 and PES6 games this was one absolute beast. You could literally shoot from anywhere and it was a guaranteed goal, the Inter Milan and Brazil front man was repping 99 Shot Power for two editions.

Some of those goals seem impossibly realistic but Adriano really did have this skill and power for a brief moment in his career. Unfortunately for the man Inter fans called “The Emperor” it never really worked out long term for him, but that’s not a story for today. The great man was such a cheat code that people would just refuse to play against Inter.

I remember specifically in my evenings playing PES with friends that Inter wasn’t allowed. Just because of Adriano. However, as our Serie A gaming connection goes on, you’ll see that an overpowered Adriano wasn’t the only reason Serie A had a lasting impression on gaming.

In 2020, Juventus signed a big massive deal with Konami to be exclusively represented on PES and not on FIFA (now EA FC). After the 2019 game, Juventus was no more on FIFA. Instead, there was a bizarre Serie A team called Piemonte Calcio. The kits looked strangely like the Juve kit, and they had the same players, and the badge was similar, but it wasn’t Juventus.

Unfortunately, to get really deep, this just showed how the business and commercial aspect of football was now creeping into the gaming world. Something that was supposed to be fun was now a victim of the men in suits wearing man bags. By 2023 they were back, but we’d lost the Milan based teams!

Yes, that’s right, in their place was Milano Calcio and Milano FC. The badges made it clear that Calcio was Inter and FC were in fact, AC. Clear? Wait until you see the kit.

See the difference? I know it’s hard because they’re such good fakes… But if you look closely, you can see that they’ve completely and utterly bodged it. What on Earth is this supposed to be??? I mean, I’m not an idiot, I understand the concept of commercial licenses – it’s just a bit sad it’s crept into the supposed fun hobby of gaming.

One way that fake and copied stuff was kept fun in gaming was in PES and the inventive names. Milan being called Rossoneri was less a kick in the teeth than Piemonte Calcio somehow. Although PES did refer to Juve as PM Black and White in one edition. What?

My favourite will always be the Brazilian marauding full back that represented Milan and Roma. Remember him? Facu? There was also great fun with Tachicardi (Tacchinardi), Naldarinho (Ronaldinho) and heroic defending with Cannarobo (really need help with that one?).

However, the likes of Lucatone started to disappear to be replaced with the real names from PES2010 onwards and the days of editing all the team names before playing were over. Palermo will always be SI Black Pink to me though…

Adriano wasn’t the only overpowered Serie A gem in history though. Old FIFA gamers might remember the sheer ridiculousness of Gervinho’s pace while playing at Roma during FIFAs 13-15, or after 15 when Pogba had an obscene long shot, strength and 5* skills. Try tackling him on FIFA 16, bet you can’t.

Even as recently as 2023, Victor Osimhen was the player Napoli would love him to be now. Insane skill and pace combo that meant he was damned near impossible to get the ball from. And don’t even get me started on Totti or Dida on old versions of PES.

Gaming funnies like these often step over into real life, such is the bond with fans and their clubs that their virtual namesakes also take over our lives. Case in point was when Juventus fans were spotted at matches waving Piemonte Calcio flags. And if I ever have the pleasure of meeting Adriano one day, I’ll be sure to open with a PES related anecdote, not one of his actual career. Perhaps it’s best I never meet him.

I guess the beauty in this article is the acknowledgment that the gaming world has for the general chaos that is everyday Calcio. It’s been embraced by our favourite football games, whether you’re launching 40 yard screamers with Adriano or spending hours editing the clubs names and player names before actually playing a game.

What are your favourite Serie A anecdotes from the world of gaming? Let me know in the comments below, or on X @EnglishCalcio.

12th Jul 2025