The Calcio Blog

Category: Current News

All the latest current news from Serie A and beyond… in English…

  • The Calcio Managerial Merry Go Round: Who, When and Why

    The Calcio Managerial Merry Go Round: Who, When and Why

    We’re only a month on from the end of the 2024/25 season in Italy and already there’s more talking points that throughout most of the actual season. And the main one seems to be, who on Earth is going to be managing in Serie A next season?

    Axes have been wielded, resignations have been handed in and managers have been caught flirting with rival clubs. So what’s going on? And what’s still to come? Hopefully I’ve made sense of it below for you…

    Fiorentina

    After being appointed in June last year to replace Vincenzo Italiano, Fiorentina manager Raffaele Palladino has left the club “by mutual consent”. There’s no replacement as yet, although Stefan Pioli is being heavily linked with the role according to Viola Nation. Seen by some as a stabilising influence, he’ll need to use all his experience to turn around a gradual decline in Firenze.

    Atalanta

    After 9 very successful years at the club, Gian Piero Gasperini has left Atalanta. During his time in Bergamo, Gasperini led Atalanta into the Champions League five times and his tenure was characterised by swashbuckling attacking play. He famously led the team to the 2024 Europa League title.

    His replacement at Atalanta? It’s a baffling one… Ivan Juric has been handed the reigns in Northern Italy. That’s the same Ivan Juric that oversaw a disastrous spell in Rome last season before heading to England to somehow make Southampton worse than they already were – avoiding being the worst team in Premier League history by 1 point.

    Roma

    Gasperini comes through the door at Roma replacing firm fan favourite Claudio Ranieri. His move “upstairs” may be put on hold, however, with the news that Spalletti is leaving the national team job. Ranieri is the favourite to take the Azzurri through the rest of the World Cup qualifying campaign. Watch this space!

    Lazio

    Across the city and Roma’s great rivals Lazio have also had a change in the dugout after a rather underwhelming end to the season. A comeback draw at the San Siro to hand Napoli the Scudetto was a brief highlight in an otherwise forgettable season under Marco Baroni. He was dismissed and Maurizio Sarri is back after a 15 month hiatus. Sarri was announced in spectacular fashion by the media team at Lazio and the former banker will be chain smoking his way through next season with the hopes he can restore the Lazio empire.

    AC Milan

    In Italy’s second city, change is also afoot. For the second time in a season Milan sacked their manager after Fonseca didn’t see in 2025, Conceicao is now also gone. An underwhelming season all round, Conceicao paid the price for an 8th place finish and no European football next season after a Coppa Italia final defeat. However, brief respite was offered in the shape of a 3-2 defeat of city rivals Inter in the Supercoppa final.

    Allegri returns to Milan for next season after a break from the game following a trophy-laden spell at Juventus. In his first spell at Milan, he won the Serie A title and Supercoppa, Milan certainly hope he can repeat that next season.

    Inter Milan

    So near, yet so far to a treble. Dumped out of the Coppa Italia in the semi finals by Milan, beaten in the Supercoppa final, trounced in the Champions League final and second to Napoli by a point. Inter’s season could broadly be viewed as fairly successful until April. Simone Inzaghi was in demand from Al-Hilal and the news breaking in the run up to the final didn’t help their preparation.

    A mutual parting followed a 5-0 defeat from PSG. Inter acted swiftly to woo Cesc Fabregas who promptly turned them down in a rather embarrassing episode. Christian Chivu is the man to take them forward. Their former centre back was manager of the Under 19 team who won the Primavera before being installed at Parma to secure Serie A survival. It’s a gamble, but Inter weren’t left with much choice with the Club World Cup on the horizon.

    Torino

    Further down the table, Torino parted company with Paolo Vanoli and replaced him almost immediately with Marco Baroni following his sacking by Lazio.

    Parma

    Parma only confirmed today that Christian Chivu had left the club after only a few short months. He replaced Fabio Pecchia in February and had the brief to save the club from an immediate return to Serie B. He did it, and then left for Inter. Rumours about a replacement are few and far between, but they’ll need to act fast to avoid losing out in the summer transfer window.

    Italy National Team

    In true bizarre fashion, national team manager Luciano Spalletti announced his own sacking in a press conference after a 3-0 defeat in Norway. But he’s not going anywhere yet… He’s managing the team tonight against Moldova before finally leaving. Clear? Thought not. Ranieri is the favourite to replace him since Calcio has some clear agenda on letting the poor guy retire in peace.

    And there you have it. It’s been a matter of weeks since Serie A finished and the soap opera continues. Honourable mention to Juventus who look set to appoint Igor Tudor permanently after he finished off the season Thiago Motta started. Who do you think is the best appointment? Who’s undersold themselves and Who just got it plain wrong?

  • Seven things to look out for in Calcio this week.

    Seven things to look out for in Calcio this week.

    1. The Azzurri Coach Saga: Spalletti’s Swansong

    In a dramatic turn, Luciano Spalletti has been sacked after Italy’s embarrassing 3–0 defeat to Norway and a poor start to their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. He’ll still lead the team one more time, though—against Moldova on Monday—before stepping down.

    2. Pioli or Ranieri? FIGC’s Next Head Coach Dilemma

    Who steps into the Azzurri hot seat next? The Italian FA (FIGC) is torn between Claudio Ranieri—fresh off a Roma renaissance and desperate enough to postpone retirement—and Stefano Pioli, still basking in his Milan fame.

    3. Chelsea Tries Club World Cup Heist on Maignan

    AC Milan’s top-class keeper Mike Maignan is being eyed by Chelsea—who’ve made an emergency bid in hopes of registering him in time for the Club World Cup next week. Milan are lining up Roma’s Mile Svilar as a replacement. Classic mercato drama: massive tournament, ticking deadline, and goalkeeping musical chairs.

    4. Italian Representation at Club World Cup

    Speaking of the competition, Inter Milan have confirmed their participation, with a tough group including Monterrey, Urawa Red Diamonds and River Plate. And Inter will debut a new coach—with Cristian Chivu taking the reins. Meanwhile Juventus’ run will hinge on whether interim boss Igor Tudor impresses enough to earn the gig permanently. Expect some epic comebacks… or meltdowns.

    5. Transfer Talk: Chalobah to Napoli, Svilar to Milan

    Napoli are prioritizing Chelsea’s English defender Trevoh Chalobah to bolster Antonio Conte’s defence. At the same time, AC Milan are edging closer to bringing in Luka Modric, expect movement when the international duty ends. Napoli are also closely linked to Alejandro Garnacho and Jack Grealish – watch these closely over the next weeks.

    6. Managerial Chairs Spinning Across Serie A

    Atalanta have officially announced Ivan Juric as Gasperini’s successor after the legendary coach moved to Roma. Roma, in turn, confirm Gasperini on a three-year deal . Inter confirmed Chivu from Parma and Lazio have also re-hired Maurizio Sarri, one year after his departure, just in time to plan their summer transfer binge. It’s raining gaffer changes in Italy… umbrellas optional.

    7. Season Wrap & Azzurri Warm-Up

    We’re still raw from Napoli’s Scudetto triumph and Inter’s crushing Champions League final loss, capped by Simone Inzaghi’s departure. Now, the Azzurri need a lift ahead of the Moldova game—ideal for one last rally (or epic meltdown) before sweeping the coach saga under the rug. Let’s just hope they’ve practiced their goal celebrations.

    Why It Matters

    This week is pure Italian football theatre:

    • National team in turmoil = big story.
    • Transfers and coaching swaps will set next season’s tone.
    • Club World Cup puts Italian clubs on global display.
    • All against the backdrop of season-end fatigue and summer sizzle.

    Brace yourself for press-room drama, comedic transfer photos, and hopefully some actual… you know… goals.

    What are you most excited about? The national team drama, the managerial musical chairs, or who ends up playing keeper for Milan?

  • Americans in Italy: Christian Pulisic

    Americans in Italy: Christian Pulisic

    The first blog in a regular series looking at some of the players from English speaking countries who are affecting things in Calcio. If you’re anything like me, the first player who immediately springs to mind is AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic. Italy seems to be a hotbed for American “soccer” talent and what better place to start than the first American to score in a Milan derby.

    Hershey, Pennsylvania isn’t a traditional hotbed of football talent like Paris, South London or Milan would be but in September 1998 Kelley and Mark Pulisic welcomed their son Christian to the world. Kelley and Mark had both previously played “soccer” at college level at George Mason University and Mark had gone on to play professional indoor soccer for the Harrisburg Heat in the 90s.

    Christian’s idol growing up may surprise a lot of Milan fans, identifying Inter star Luis Figo as his hero when he was a child, but seeing him run at defenders at the San Siro, they can surely forgive him for adopting his style!

    During a year in England as a child, Christian briefly played in the youth academy of non-league side Brackley Town, however, it was the return to America that saw his soccer career really kick on. He played as a youth for Michigan Rush and then for US Soccer Development Academy club PA Classics.

    At the age of 16 Christian decided to head to Germany, eligible through his Croatian grandfather to travel and play at 16 rather than 18 in the States. Sure enough, Borussia Dortmund picked up a young Christian Pulisic and the rest is history. He made his first team debut at the age of 18 in a victory against Ingolstadt in January 2016.

    It wasn’t long before the USMNT recognised this young talent and in March 2016 he made his National Team debut in a 4-0 win against Guatemala. As of June 2025 he’s made 76 USMNT appearances, contributing 32 goals and 18 assists for his country.

    Pulisic made the move from Germany to England in 2019 for a spell with Chelsea often harshly viewed by a partisan English crowd. While at Chelsea he became only the second American to score a hat trick in the Premier League, at the same time becoming Chelsea’s youngest ever hat trick scorer. He became the first American to win the UEFA Champions League Final and only the second ever to play in one when Chelsea defeated Man City at the final in Portugal. Injuries and increased competition would put paid to his career in England and he would eventually join Milan in 2023 to seek more playing time.

    Christian scored on his debut in Serie A against Bologna in a 2-0 win, making him the first ever American to score in 3 of the top 5 European Leagues. In his first season in Italy he contributed 15 goals and 10 assists in 50 appearances. He was the first Milan player since Kaka to score more than ten non-penalty goals in a single Serie A season.

    Last season Milan struggled and as a result, the players form largely went with it. However, Pulisic still achieved several milestones. The main one being the first American to score in the Derby della Madonnina when he gave Milan the lead at the San Siro “away” to Inter. Milan went on to win the game and break the curse of 6 consecutive defeats against their city rivals.

    The goal was a perfect example of Pulisic’s energy and leadership, pressing Mkhitaryan in the midfield, running at the Inter back line who seemed to run away like scared sheep before passing the ball into the back of the net. It’s this kind of all action performance that earned him the nickname Captain America from the Curva Sud.

    Although the season was not a classic for Milan, he did also score in the Supercoppa Final victory over Inter and his 15 goals and 9 assists earned him a spot in the Serie A team of the season and he led the league in chance creation.

    Italy seems to have taken to the American from Hershey, with La Gazzetta commenting after one performance that, “He comes from Hershey, famous for the best chocolate in America. Yesterday, CP was pure sweetness too.”

    The Milan fans have taken him to heart too, his willingness to learn Italian and conduct interviews in Italian will always see you right in Italy. One fan even remarked, “For me, he’s Milan’s best player, and I also really like his attitude whenever I hear him speak.” and MilanTV commentator Mauro Suma frequently chants “U-S-A, U-S-A” after his goals!

    The pundits like him too, with popular and respected Tiago Leal saying, “For me, Pulisic can play on the right. He did it under Pioli, he is humble and he is a great professional, so he can play a lot of positions.” Fabio Caressa from Sky Sport Italia is also impressed. The esteemed journalist praised Pulisic as “the best signing of the entire summer transfer window,” highlighting his versatility and goal-scoring prowess.

    His importance to Milan was also underlined with Stefano Pioli tailoring tactics to leverage Pulisic’s defensive diligence, with the team encouraging opponents to play towards Pulisic’s flank, trusting his work rate in defence.

    The more attention that falls on Pulisic with these performances, the more chance there is he’ll be lured away from Milan and Italy, but for the time being he and his audience seem quite content to continue in each other’s company.

  • What’s happening in Calcio this week?

    What’s happening in Calcio this week?

    It’s Monday, so there’s a whole week of the soap opera about to begin. Below is our top ten list of things to look out for happening this week.

    1. Serie A Fixture Release – Friday, June 6

    Grab your espresso and mark the date—this Friday, the 2025/26 Serie A calendar drops. Fans are praying for a soft opening fixture. Clubs are crossing fingers to avoid an away trip to Bergamo in Week 1. And somewhere in Milan, Allegri is plotting a 1-0 already.

    2. Serie C Play-Offs – Semi-Final Stage

    It’s chaos, it’s passion, it’s Serie C. Ternana and Pescara will fight it out in the final for a golden ticket to Serie B. Expect drama, flares, debates, and at least one 90th-minute winner to shake things up over the two legs tonight and Saturday.

    3. Maurizio Sarri Back at Lazio

    Yes, you read that right—he’s back. Maurizio Sarri returns to Lazio just 15 months after quitting. Apparently, absence does make the heart grow fonder (or the board ran out of options). Two-year deal, one big reset button. Get the cigarettes and 4-3-3s ready.

    4. Allegri Returns to Milan

    AC Milan have turned back the clock and hired Max Allegri. He’s promised structure, pragmatism, and probably a very annoyed Rafael Leão being told to track back more. Milan want trophies. Allegri wants another coat. Let’s see who gets what first.

    5. Gasperini Leaves Atalanta

    After nine iconic years, Gian Piero Gasperini has waved goodbye to Atalanta and is set to join Roma. One Europa League trophy, countless 3-4-2-1s, and more underdog wins than a Rocky film series. Replacing him? Not so easy. The next coach better love wingbacks.

    6. Special Serie A Transfer Window (June 1–10)

    A unique transfer window opened on June 1 for clubs preparing for the FIFA Club World Cup. Deals can be registered until June 10. It’s like Black Friday for sporting directors—but with more agents and fewer refunds.

    7. Davide Frattesi Transfer Rumours Heat Up

    After a Champions League final cameo that never materialised, Frattesi is being linked with a move away from Inter. Juventus, Roma, and even some cheeky Premier League clubs are sniffing around. Inter might sell—but only if the price makes Oaktree raise an eyebrow. Watch this space—and Frattesi’s Instagram stories.

    8. AC Milan Push for Samuele Ricci

    With Allegri back and reportedly craving a Ricci-type in midfield, Milan are stepping up talks with Torino for the Italian starlet. At this point, Ricci may just walk to Milanello himself to get it over with.

    9. Napoli Trademark “McFratm”

    In what might be the most Napoli move ever, the club has filed a trademark on Scott McTominay’s nickname “McFratm.” He’s the city’s new cult hero, and merchandising execs are already dreaming up beach towels. All that’s missing is a line of limited edition Limoncello.

    10. Juventus’ New Tudor Era Maybe Begins

    With Thiago Motta drama behind them (for now), Juventus moved forward under Igor Tudor. The Croatian is a disciplinarian who doesn’t mind upsetting a few stars. Think of him as the anti-Allegri—except with just as much tactical tinkering and slightly better hair, and they look set to make his temporary stay a permanent one.

    That’s your Italian football week ahead: part soap opera, part tactical chess, part transfer market circus. And it’s only Monday.

  • A Champions League Disgrace: What Happens Next For Inter

    A Champions League Disgrace: What Happens Next For Inter

    In Milan fans of the Rossonero were holding a mock funeral for Inter’s Champions League final last night, but inside Inter’s organisation there’s already a full post mortem underway. On the receiving end of a record Champions League Final drubbing to a brilliant PSG, coming second in Serie A and losing to Milan in both the Supercoppa and Coppa Italia it’s not exactly a marquee season for Inter.

    Until March they were very much looking at the possibility of a banner season and a second ever treble, going down in history with Mourinho’s team of 2010. However, a complete collapse in the league and a hiding from Milan in the Coppa semi final put paid to that. But morale boosting ties with Barcelona gave Inzaghi and his team some breathing space from too many external questions.

    Last night, however, the chance to save their season and go down in history passed them by. Inter simply never arrived in Munich. A midfield that went completely missing, a confused Acerbi marking no one, Di Marco running in rings and an isolated forward line and this was not the Inter we’d come to appreciate over the last couple of seasons.

    Everything Inter did to beat Barcelona’s press in those two memorable matches recently was missing, they completely went to pieces. Inzaghi didn’t seem to have an answer, rigidly sticking to his 3-5-2 in the face of its obvious failure on Saturday. Confusing substitutions and the refusal to use last minute hero Davide Frattesi meant Inzaghi faces legitimate criticism from both outside and inside the club.

    Speculation began over Inzaghi’s future in the run up to the final with Gazzetta breaking the news that Al-Hilal were prepared to pay him €30m a year to break free from Inter and go to the Club World Cup with them. Last night, in his post match press conference he refused to confirm he’ll lead Inter in the tournament in America next month.

    The rumours are now picking up with La Repubblica reporting that everything will be decided in a meeting Tuesday with the clubs hierarchy. There’s even a rumoured list of ready made replacements with Cesc Fabregas the front runner after his fabulous season at Como. Roberto De Zerbi from Marseille and former Inter defender and current Parma manager Christian Chivu are also on the list.

    This fits firmly with the owners plan to introduce some young fire into the club. Oaktree made it clear that their strategy is to reduce the average age of the squad, something fans will be delighted by after the leggy performance of an ageing side last night. Nico Paz, the 20 year old Argentinian midfielder at Como is reportedly high on the list along with 25 year old Canadian striker Jonathan David.

    They have already added Tomas Palacios, Argentinian Centre Back last August, he spent this season on loan at Monza. The club also secured their 11th Primavera title this season (the Under 20s crown), with a 3-0 victory over Fiorentina in the final.

    Oaktree have a plan to freshen Inter up and last night’s “performance” probably sped this process up significantly. However, all isn’t doom and gloom over at Inter. The Gazzetta reported this month that Inter have money to spend. The Oaktree takeover from Steven Zhang is complete, the last few seasons of free transfers and big sales have boosted the coffers and given some Financial Fair Play breathing space. The almost successful European run has added millions to the bank and the Club World Cup will do the same.

    The one thing Inter need to do before any of this freshening up is decide what to do with their manager. Inzaghi exposed his own weakness on Saturday night against PSG and his negotiating position isn’t as strong as it was in March. It wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see the club decide on a different direction, but don’t start writing the obituary of Inzaghi’s Inter yet…

  • Breaking down a nightmare: Inside AC Milan’s 2024/25 season

    Breaking down a nightmare: Inside AC Milan’s 2024/25 season

    Look away now Milan fans… it’s time to break down this absolute breakdown of a season from one of Europe’s biggest teams. The Red Devils experienced turmoil in the boardroom, changed managers, didn’t qualify for European football and had their lowest finish for years. Milan and Manchester are united in their red half being in disarray while their blue half powers on. But what exactly happened this season to Milan?

    After the close of the 2024 campaign, Pioli was out and on his way to Saudi Arabia and Lille manager Paulo Fonseca was on his way to Italy. He wouldn’t see 2025 in Milan. In a reign framed by internal dispute and strife, a fall out with Rafa Leao over his defensive contributions would lead to his ultimate departure.

    Leao and Theo Hernandez were left out of the line up in late August against Lazio, with Milan trailing 2-1 in the second half both were introduced. However, shortly after scoring the equaliser Leao and Hernandez chose not to join the team huddle for tactical advice during a drinks break, instead opting to stay on the other side of the pitch, to the embarrassment of Fonseca and Milan.

    Both parties tried to play it down, but the message was clear – we don’t respect the coach.

    Still, a month later and facing the prospect of a record breaking seventh consecutive defeat to cross town rivals Inter, Milan finally showed up. A swashbuckling performance led by season’s silver lining Christian Pulisic drove the team on to a 2-1 victory which in truth could’ve been more. Milan were back. Or were they? Despite beating Lecce in their next outing, they were beaten by Fiorentina and Napoli in the coming matches and drew with Cagliari and Juventus.

    It was an odd few weeks for Theo Hernandez who equalled Maldini’s record of 29 goals for a Milan defender, then followed it with a missed penalty and a red card against Fiorentina. Encapsulating the inconsistency that defined Milan’s season.

    Fonseca’s short reign ended on 29th December 2024 after a rather tame 1-1 draw with Roma, another side who would change managers in the season. His replacement, Sergio Conceicao was appointed a day later and would take the team to Saudi Arabia and the Supercoppa campaign. Milan easily despatched Juventus and would face the old enemy Inter in the final.

    By half time, it was business as usual and Inter led Milan 2-0, appearing to be heading for defeat. Conceicao sparked something other than a cigar at half time and Milan’s comeback was complete when Tammy Abraham smashed home a last minute winner to hand Conceicao a trophy before he’d even managed a league game. His famous dance moves in the dressing room would come back to haunt him later in the season though…

    Theo would surpass Maldini’s goalscoring record with his 30th goal in a 2-1 win over Como in January. Corner turned by Milan then? Well, not quite, the popular Davide Calabria was stripped of the captaincy and loaned to Bologna prompting him to comment, “I will miss everything”.

    Milan would spend the next few months lurching from one headline to another, inconsistency on the field was becoming the norm, while off the pitch turmoil gathered pace. The Curva Sud were vocal in their criticisms of the club’s American owner Gerry Cardinale and the board running the club.

    During the 125th anniversary celebrations, chants of “Cardinale you have to sell” and “We are not Americans” were heard, banners were erected and directors had to use a secondary exit to escape.

    Against Roma in Fonseca’s last game, the first ten minutes of the match was dedicated by the Curva to constant criticism of the owners and the manager, in January against Parma they did the opposite and stayed silent during the entire match. Then, in March in a match with Lazio, the ultras delayed their entry until the 15th minute and as they entered, they chanted insults against Cardinale and Conceicao.

    This came to a head in the final game of the season with the famous choreography of the fans spelling the words “GO HOME”. The Curva Sud were quick to point out their issues, “Incapable directors, a club without ambition. You are not up to the level of our history. Players without desire and dignity, you are the mirror of this ownership.”

    Conceicao managed to make it to the end of the season and not much further. He was dismissed on May 29th rather unceremoniously and has already been replaced with Massimiliano Allegri. Expectations are high for Allegri in his second spell, having won the league in 2011. He’ll need to do something quickly because morale is very low.

    Allegri hasn’t spoken publicly yet, but there’s concern for the English players in the squad, Kyle Walker, Fikayo Tomori, Tammy Abraham and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are all facing uncertain futures.

    But was it all bad this season? Pulisic had a real breakout season, bagging 17 goals and 12 assists, Theo Hernandez became the highest scoring defender in Milan’s history and Tammy Abraham contributed 10 goals.

    Milan stopped the rot against Inter, with three wins and two draws in various competitions including winning the Supercoppa against them and knocking them out of the Coppa Italia. A brief high point included the 3-2 comeback win at Parma scoring two goals after the 90th minute.

    And let’s not forget the thrilling 3-1 win at the Bernabeu against the imperious Real Madrid. Morata, Reijnders and Thiaw with the goals on a night when Milan could’ve won by so many more. There’ll be none of that next season, with Milan finishing the Serie A season in 8th and not entering Europe at all. Napoli weren’t in Europe this season though, and the extra time on the training ground seemed to work for them.

    So it’s not entirely a “banter era” for Milan, but Allegri needs to get it right to stop it becoming one. And quickly too…

  • Scott McTominay: What the hell happened in Naples this season?

    Scott McTominay: What the hell happened in Naples this season?

    The casual observer may have missed Scott McTominay’s deadline day move from Manchester United to Napoli, dismissed it as an average player joining a 6/10 team not expected to pull up any trees. What the hell happened then? Fast forward 9 months and the newly crowned Serie A Player of the Year was scoring a bicycle kick in the final game to win Napoli only their fourth ever title.

    It was 12th goal of a stellar season which also included 6 assists in his 34 matches and it underlined his importance to Napoli and, perhaps more importantly, to Antonio Conte. A dynamic midfielder himself, he saw something in “McSauce” at Manchester United and knew it would set Napoli on their way to a title.

    The numbers speak for themselves too, in the top 5 European leagues this season, he ranks in the top 10% of all midfielders for goals per 90 minutes. His non-penalty xG of 0.21 goals per 90 minutes puts him in the top 4% of European midfielders his average touches in the opposition area per match of 2.84 is in the top 10% of European midfielders.

    So is this simply a case of a player not being great in a top league and excelling at a “lower” level? Well, anyone who watched the Europa League final would argue that the Premier League standard isn’t exactly among Europe’s elites at the moment. There is something to be said for the breath of fresh air that seems to be achieved by leaving Manchester United. Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and others have all experienced a renaissance outside of Old Trafford.

    But there’s something else at play here… McTominay has taken on a more attacking role in Napoli’s midfield. Traditionally viewed as a box to box player, Conte has shifted McTominay into an advanced playmaker role, finding himself often between the attacking and midfield lines and exploiting the gaps that brings. Aerially he’s a threat too, Napoli’s other midfield players don’t carry the same physical presence of McTominay – making Napoli a handful on set pieces with Lukaku also involved.

    “Scott has goals in his blood; he’s very good at making runs into the box.” Antonio Conte

    It’s notable how much McTominay has been able to improve his pressing and his off the ball runs. Timing has significantly improved, yes Serie A is played at a slower pace than the Premier League, but Conte and McTominay have clearly worked hard to improve this part of his game.

    This marked improvement and desire to get better has had a ripple effect on a squad who last season rather limply defended their title. The entire squad is clearly working harder, thinking more and getting the results that go with it. McTominay was emphatic when asked on Conte’s influence on him, “When a coach like that wants to bring you into the squad, it fills you with confidence. The conversations we’ve had are obviously between me and the coach, but all very positive and really demanding, which is really good for a player of my age.”

    Conte wasn’t holding back when he spoke about McTominay either, “Scott has goals in his blood; he’s very good at making runs into the box. He has excellent technical qualities, as well as an important physical stature. And he’s strong in the air. In his DNA, he has quite a few goals.”

    In fact, pundits in Italy have been falling over themselves to praise the Scottish contingent in Naples, especially McTominay. Paolo Di Canio was decisive when he said, “How can you sell Scott McTominay for £30 million and sign Ugarte for £50 million?”.

    It’s hard to argue with Di Canio too, while United were labouring to a 15th place finish in the Premier League after losing the Europa League final, McTominay was enjoying the adulation of Neapolitans by swigging from a whiskey bottled thrown onto the team bus during the victory parade.

    Naples is the birthplace of pizza, and I have a feeling it won’t be long before we start seeing the deep fried…

  • Welcome to the blog…

    Welcome to the blog…

    Hi all, thanks for stopping by and seeing what the blog’s all about. Great to have you here, over the next few days and weeks you should see a lot more appearing here including some of our deep dives, our history lessons, future stars articles and my personal favourite – legends of Calcio!