Serie A: miracles in province
Monday, 12 February 07, 06:30 PM
Though this championship is -according to many observers- poorer than the last ones, we think that it’s not just a technical matter. Of course, everybody would love to have Juventus, Napoli, Genoa and Bologna in Serie A, as they mean more fans and more money. In terms of quality, the problem is that Inter is dominating, and some teams that could do very well have been penalized, but there are two small clubs that are surprising everybody for their performances.
The first one usually fights till the end to avoid relegation. Sometimes they got it, sometimes they had to take a white flag in their hands. This team is Reggina, and everybody before the beginning of the season said it had no chance. A fifteen points penalisation due to match fixing (then on December reduced to 11) on a weak team could have been lethal, but if Serie A finished now, Reggina would be safe from relegation. All this has one name: Rolando Bianchi. The 24 y.o. forward has broken all goal records for a player of the “Stretto” club.
Coming from youth academy of Atalanta (he was born close to Bergamo in 1983), Rolando failed with black and blue jersey (no goal scored), then he played at Cagliari in Serie B and again in Atalanta (but just one match for him). Before this season, he had scored only 3 goals in Serie A (also due to a long stop for a knee injury), now he has already scored 12. Only Totti is doing better. Will it last? We hope for him.
Empoli FC is the other “miracle” this year. Empoli, the quiet town in the surroundings of Firenze, well-known in Italy for artichokes and glass, now is famous for its football team as well. The 'Blues' won in Palermo yesterday, and now they’re fourth (a place that in Italy means Champions League Qualifying). One of the creators of this miracle is Gigi Cagni. The 56 y.o. coach, after notoriety in the 90’s in Piacenza and Verona, has been forgotten for a long time before president Corsi called him in 2005 to guide his team. Last season, the no-frills game of Cagni’s team, brought –after many teams’ penalization- Empoli to UEFA Cup qualifying, but it couldn't even play the Continental competition, as they didn’t have the UEFA licence.
Now, after the 1-0 win in Sicily with a goal of the only foreign player, Argentinean Sergio Almiròn, they achieved an extraordinary result. Are we going too far? Don’t think so, if you play 4-4-2 and the names are not Ronaldo or Ibra, but: Balli; Raggi, Lucchini, Pratali, Tosto; Almiròn, Moro, Buscé, Vannucchi; Matteini, Pozzi. Cagni said he’s happy about the match, but don’t ask him about Europe, he could look you askance…
The first one usually fights till the end to avoid relegation. Sometimes they got it, sometimes they had to take a white flag in their hands. This team is Reggina, and everybody before the beginning of the season said it had no chance. A fifteen points penalisation due to match fixing (then on December reduced to 11) on a weak team could have been lethal, but if Serie A finished now, Reggina would be safe from relegation. All this has one name: Rolando Bianchi. The 24 y.o. forward has broken all goal records for a player of the “Stretto” club.
Coming from youth academy of Atalanta (he was born close to Bergamo in 1983), Rolando failed with black and blue jersey (no goal scored), then he played at Cagliari in Serie B and again in Atalanta (but just one match for him). Before this season, he had scored only 3 goals in Serie A (also due to a long stop for a knee injury), now he has already scored 12. Only Totti is doing better. Will it last? We hope for him.
Empoli FC is the other “miracle” this year. Empoli, the quiet town in the surroundings of Firenze, well-known in Italy for artichokes and glass, now is famous for its football team as well. The 'Blues' won in Palermo yesterday, and now they’re fourth (a place that in Italy means Champions League Qualifying). One of the creators of this miracle is Gigi Cagni. The 56 y.o. coach, after notoriety in the 90’s in Piacenza and Verona, has been forgotten for a long time before president Corsi called him in 2005 to guide his team. Last season, the no-frills game of Cagni’s team, brought –after many teams’ penalization- Empoli to UEFA Cup qualifying, but it couldn't even play the Continental competition, as they didn’t have the UEFA licence.
Now, after the 1-0 win in Sicily with a goal of the only foreign player, Argentinean Sergio Almiròn, they achieved an extraordinary result. Are we going too far? Don’t think so, if you play 4-4-2 and the names are not Ronaldo or Ibra, but: Balli; Raggi, Lucchini, Pratali, Tosto; Almiròn, Moro, Buscé, Vannucchi; Matteini, Pozzi. Cagni said he’s happy about the match, but don’t ask him about Europe, he could look you askance…
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Gabriele
Roma, IT
Un posto diverso da Calciopoli, molto più bello!
On Wambach-Boxx-Lilly, and the US go to the semi-final!