This week we discuss Gilardino’s handball goal, Ramos upset at Madrid, a Atlético Madrid - Villarreal goal fest and Beckham to Milan rumors. As well as FIFPro Team of the year, Champions League and UEFA Cup. That and much more on this weeks episode of Forza Futbol.

This week we discuss the Sicilian and Madrid derby. We also talk about Club Atlético de Madrid and their UEFA problem. We take the Ballon d’Or “short list” and make it really a short list. All that and so much more on this weeks episode of Forza Futbol.

This week on Forza Futbol we look at week six in Serie A and La Liga. We also discuss the Azzurri call ups from the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers.

Will this be the return to a marvelous Milan? Having made a few changes this summer Milan are entering the season fresh. There will be no Champions League to worry about though there will be UEFA Cup starting with a match against FC Zürich on the 18 of September. So lets get down to the transfers. Arriving at the club this summer Flamini and Senderos from Arsenal, Abbiati from Atletico Madrid, Zambrotta from Barcelona, Borriello back from Genoa, Storari from Cagliari, Cardaccio from Nacional (Uruguay), Viudez from Defensor (Uruguay), Antonini from Empoli, Shevchenko from well you know and a guy you might have heard about Ronaldinho from Barcelona. Those whom have departed the San Siro: Gilardino (Fiorentina), Gourcuff (Bordeaux), Cafu (Expired contract), Serginho (Expired contract), Storari (Fiorentina), Grimi (Sporting Lisbon), Abate (Torino), Simic (Monaco), Digao (Standard Liege), Ronaldo (Expired contract), Paloschi (Parma), Oddo (Bayern Munich), Brocchi (Lazio) Let's take a look at a few of the signings. Mathías Cardaccio from Nacional of Uruguay a 21 year old midfielder who signed a four year contact with Milan. He has a nose for goal from distance and isn't afraid to take a shot. He fancies himself a younger Pirlo. Tabaré Viudez from Defensor Sporting of Uruguay is a 19 year old left footed Midfielder. Pudants in Uruguay have been praising him as Uruguay’s most promising talent. Mathieu Flamini Ronaldinho: Andriy Shevchenko Marco Borriello

We were all bored to tears with the drama that was, between Cronaldo, Man United and Real Madrid. Well, little did Madrid know, but they alienated one of their key, creative players in the process, little Robinho. Robinho was offered to Manchester United as part of the CRon deal, to lower the asking price down to 65M Euros. No one from the Madrid camp, of course, bothered to talk to Robinho about the whole situation and Robinho felt unwanted, unsure of his place in the Madrid pantheon, etc. Did Madrid coddle their star? Offer an improved salary and contract? No, nothing, nada.

Along comes Samba, Felipao and Big Bucks Chelsea, with an offer Robinho cannot refuse. They can double his wages as long as Madrid agrees to the transfer. Well Madrid was furious, so Robinho does his best rendition of Cristiano Ronaldo and is doing a fine job of touche while pushing his way out. He's gone to the press, pleaded his case and frankly is playing like crap when he is forced to participate. Madrid's President Calderon has come out now stating if Robinho wants to go, he can buyout his contract. Not the 120M buyout clause but the 45M Euros that Madrid has asked Chelsea to meet.

It's going to happen. Madrid has been out played by their own player. Whodathunk? Just desserts? Did Madrid value and treasure one of it's most precious assets? Or did they spend their time drooling over the merchandise bonanza and possibilities of Cristiano Ronaldo? Well, now they got beat at their own game.

And Robinho is not the only one. Vincent Company was not happy with the way Hamburg treated him at the Olympics, so now he is at Man City. Who knows what is going to happen to Rafinha at Schalke or Diego at Bremen? I say they will be leaving their respective clubs, shortly. And what about Xabi Alonso, put on the market for Garreth Barry, without his knowledge. I am sure Xabi did not appreciate this, especially since he is a damn good player. Better than Barry IMO. I saw the way Xabi played against Middlesboro. He was poor, lacked confidence, until the end when he helped bring about the last two goals. Rafa has broken his spirit, very similar to Madrid with Robinho.

Is this just the latest star player vs club battles that we have seen since the time of Maradona or Garrincha?  Or is this some new player impowerment of late, that has emerged with all the money that has been invested in football?  What do you think?

Well, I wanted to call this blog THE GOON SQUAD, but I thought better of it. But what the hell is going on with the Owner's in La Liga? Have they all gone bonkers? Is it something in the water?

This week in La Liga, 3 Owners have made some ghastly decisions that could wreck the future of their respective teams. Let's run down the list:

Real Betis - All verdiblanco supporters loathe resident lunatic, Manuel Ruiz de Lopera, who looks a bit too much like John Waters for my liking. Well, he finally decided to do the right thing and sell his shares to a new investor, Castel. Brilliant, yes! You have been sucking this club dry through legal and illegal means for too long! Please step down and give someone else a chance! But no, psych! Made ya look! Looks like Lopera is having cold feet and won't let go of his greed, I mean club. Give me a break! Can someone just hire an assassin and be done with it? I have a bad feeling that he ain't going anywhere.

Mallorca - In case you weren't aware, the Islanders are in the midst of a fire sale. They are selling all their best players left and right to the top bidder. Guiza, Navarro, Ibagaza, etc. Why? Well, their parent company has filed for bankruptcy for one. Of course, club personnel said that the bankruptcy had nothing whatsoever to do with Real Mallorca. Ya right! Well now, Grande the owner wants to sell his shares in the club to an English Consortium headed by Paul "the plumber" Davidson. Does this sound too much like an episode of Dream Team? Davidson claims that he wants to expand his home improvement- type company sales in Spain and that is his motivation for investing in the club. Whuh? Grande says Davidson will invest a great deal of bling in the club. OK. Now reports coming out of Spain say that the money Grande will be receiving from Davidson, will be used to pay off Grande's creditors. Yup! Also, the bankruptcy courts are investigating and reviewing the sale because it smells fishy!. This sounds like another owner using the club for his own private gain. In the process, the club has sold off it's best players, and the fans will be left with probably nothing but debt and more debt. I honestly don't think this sale will go through. Very sad indeed.

Valencia - Did you guys actually think that happy days were here again? That stability and zen was going to return to the Mestalla? That this year was going to be better? A fresh start? Think again. Juan Soler aka I am the Walrus has no business or sporting sense. The fans and players want him out. Please sell your shares! He "stepped" down last year and put in a puppet. That didn't work. This summer, he brought in ex Telefonica exec, Villalonga as President. Things were going to be different this year. Villalonga made a lot of promises IE keeping the stars, a return to greatness, cleaning house, etc. He brought in his own hatchet man, Javier Azkagorta to help reorganize the club. Unfortunately, Villalonga found out in a mere 10 days, that the financial core of Valencia is black and rotten. So he went to the press and publicly announced that Valencia is in a shiteload of debt. $750M Euros to be exact and that a huge capital infusion of $77M Euros would be needed to keep the star performers. Soler went through the roof and fired Villalonga along with his staff. (Soler paid them off $10M Euros to leave!) The Walrus then decided to make a pact with the devil, his old foe, Vicente Soriano, the second largest shareholder at Los Che. WTF? Has it all gone mad? I thought they hated each other? Is Soler really gone? Or is he lurking in the back? Is Soriano just the same old crap? He has been on the board all this time. And now it looks like the superstars, David Villa (Madrid lurking) and David Silva (Atleti lurking) are back on the market, among others like Joaquin. Shite just hit the fan at Valencia, again!

As the World Turns....

Well it is official. Ronaldinho has found a new how with a few less dollar signs. I think this is a very good move for Ronaldinho and has the opportunity to be a great move for Milan.

Let’s start with the player. Ronaldinho has not set the world on fire for quit some time now. First things first, lets get him back in shape. Milan love talking about the Milan Labs, now lets work on him. Have him get back into playing shape and ready for the season. We all know Ronaldinho possesses the skills to dazzle millions. But will he change his recent ways in Milan? I think he will. Yes there are still a huge party environment in Milan but I think for at least the mean time he will be good and get back on track by training and watching the weight. How long that lasts well, I hope until the day his contract runs out.

Let’s go over to the club. Milan know that his name will sell and sell a lot. He will sell even more for the team if they are performing well on the pitch. Which takes me to my next point, as long as Milan do well on the pitch, we really can’t complain.

I am looking forward to this season beginning and I am hopeful we will see Ronaldinho back at his best entertaining millions and winning games for Milan.

Yes it's time to review the latest slate of suckers, no I mean Managers in La Liga for the 2008-9 Season. Managers can't win for losing. Yes they get paid the big bucks, but they get all the blame from the fans, players, staff management and press. This time around there are only 4 Foreign Managers in the Primera, very strange? (Schuster, Pellegrini, Aguirre and Kresic) Why the sudden decrease? That means 16 Spanish Managers. Is this the Golden Age of Managers, to go with the Golden Generation of Players? And only 8 manager changes in La Liga? (Guardiola, Lopez, Arconado, Emery, Marquez, Muñoz, Kresic, Tapia) Which means 12 Managers did the business and kept their job. Interesting...some stability? Well let's run down the list at the top of the table and let me know what you think.

1 Bernard Schuster - Real Madrid

He's back! Just friend of player, president and socio alike. Schuster did not bring to the club jogo bonito, but he brought harmony and a cohesiveness. He still has his detractors. Some may say the top of the table was weaker than normal. The real task will be this year as fans and background staff all yearn for La Decima. (The 10th Champions League Title) Will this be known as a cycle of stability at Madrid? Or will last year just be a fluke, riding on Fabio Capello's coat strings? It should be a very interesting year.

2. Manuel Pellegrini - Villarreal

The mild mannered Chilean Manager has brought this club back to greatness once again. They will be participating in the Champions League for the 2nd time in history and this time they are bringing some very interesting signings with a lot of quality. Of course the majority are South American, but Pellegrini knows that market intimately and is quite a crafty buyer to boot. Will they have enough depth to vie for all 3 titles? I say yes!

3. Pep Guardiola - Barcelona

The new kid on the block with the biggest job, IMO. Catalan born and bred in the Cryuff style. Can this superstar on the pitch succeed off the pitch? Does he have the man management skills and tactical nuance to battle with the big boys? Bringing in Pep so far has saved Joan Laporta's job, but just barely. He has spent the most money in La Liga and probably in World Football, this silly season. It will be very interesting to see how he will handle Ronaldhino and Eto'o should they stay at the Camp Nou. Is he in over his head? We shall see.

4. Javier Aguirre - Atletico de Madrid

Vasco had a very tough year last season. He had to break the mental barrier of Los Pupes. A disease that literally used to affect the team in the 2nd half of the season, so that they were always the nearly men. Nearly Europe that is. Kudos to Aguirre for building mental strength and fortitude. Looks like he is making some quality signings, especially in defense. Looks like Atletico is going to have another good year.

5. Manolo Jimenez - Sevilla

President Del Nido and company decided to stay with the ex player and youth team coach. Sevilla had an extremely tough year with the death of Antonio Puerta early on and the loss of Juande Ramos. They missed the CL and now have to settle for UEFA Cup. Is Manolo the man to bring Sevilla to the glory of two years ago? Not sure.

6. Juan Roman Lopez - Racing de Santander

The ex Malaga jefe, did wonders last year to earn promotion for the Anchovies back to La Primera. And his prize, well the Manager position at Racing. Can Lopez fill Marcellino's shoes? Does this small team from Cantabria have the depth and money to compete in the UEFA Cup? Is the team a Celta Vigo or a Sevilla? The reinforcements have been little to none, thus far. The future looks hazy.

7. Gregorio Manzano - Real Mallorca

The Spanish Manager made do with what he had and eked out tremendous results. Unfortunately, Mallorca's parent company has filed for bankruptcy and so they are selling all of their key/star players. Where they will stop, no one knows? Arango is probably the next one out the door. But Manzano is making some bargain basement buys, so you never know? I would put my money on Manzano to pull out another mid table performance and Copa Del Rey run.

8. Gonzalo Arconada - UD Almeria

No one can repeat what Unai Emery did last year at Almeria, so hopefully expectations will be managed accordingly. Arconada had a stellar year with Numancia in the second division. They clearly outshined the rest of the pack and earned promotion quite early. But playing in the Primera is a whole other ball game. Almeria has made some very good signings with Piatti from Estudiantes, a record signing for the club. But the jury is still out with the little team from Andalusia. The sophomore slump is boding.

9. Miguel Angel Lotina - Deportivo La Coruña

The long time Vasco coach had a remarkable year with Baby Depor last year. The team is currently in pre-season preparing for their Intertoto matches at the end of the month. Will Depor return to Europe with a bang? We shall see. Will Lotina continue to play 5 at the back? I hope not. Lotina has made some selective transfers that on the surface complete a very balanced team. Look for another good year for the team from A Coruña. One step at a time.

10. Unai Emery - Valencia

Into the fire, head first. One of the hottest Managers in La Primera last year who played with a very attacking style. Now for something completely different? The bad news: dressing room drama, an enormous squad with the majority of players either not wanted or inconsistent at best that screams out for a major renovation. Financial debt mounting that is relying on the Nou Mestalla as it's salvation. No Champions League, just UEFA Cup. The good news: two of the hottest players in World Football. A coach with 4 years of Football Managerial experience and some fresh ideas. Who's worried? Me.

There's no sure thing in La Liga, especially when it comes to the Managerial revolving door. But if I look at my crystal ball, here's what I see. Look to Atleti to have another good year. Yes Atleti! Look to Villarreal to beat their every other year glory with a coach who has learned from his past CL Run. Chaos will continue at the Camp Nou and at the Mestalla. While being on the top of the table will be a one hit wonder for Racing and Almeria. Both teams should be weary of relegation. The former with fixture congestion and the latter with a coach in over his head. What do you think? Does the future look bright for Depor? Is Mallorca going to surprise us again? Who will be the hottest coach this year?

Next week I will review the Managers in the 2nd Half of the table. I cannot wait for the new season to start.

Even with the big win by Spain, we have to remember that the show is Forza Futbol, a better lens at Serie A and La Liga, whether we like it or not and the Silly Season has begun in earnest on the peninsula. Here are my Top 10.

1) Amauri from Palermo to Juventus. The inevitable transfer that was rumored in the works all last year finally happened. For €15.3 million it was a fine piece of business for a club that notoriously prefer not to splash the big cash, but when the market for target-men is becoming so inflated, and moreso now with Eto’o and Drogba, not to mention the delirious Emanuel Adebayor, this signing may well be the one that stands out for Juve.

2) Alberto Gilardino from AC Milan to Fiorentina. I’m not a huge Gila fan, but there is no denying that the man scores goals when he is happy and the pressure isn’t on, and when he’s away from Milano. Well, here’s his wish. For €15 million it may be a bit on the pricey side for La Viola, but they have found a quality replacement finally for Luca Toni and they have cover in case the rumoured Adrian Mutu transfer starts percolating. I think we see a return to form for Alberto.

3) Sebastien Giovinco from Empoli to Juventus. The new poster boy for the Azzurrini may not be classic striker material but his quality shines despite his lack of size. After years of plodding hulks up front, we are starting to see players like Giovinco, Lionel Messi, Kun Aguero and Diego Buonanotte bring some class and trickery to the position. Already owned by Juve, a loan spell at Empoli cemented him in the first team for the tiny club last year, and impressed those in the know who pegged him for the national team. For those people who called forJuve to sign a creative force behind the strikers, I think Giovinco does the trick. Don’t be surprised if he regularly starts for the Old Lady.

4) Juan Pablo Carrizzo from River Plate of Argentina to SS Lazio. After a failed attempt to land Carrizzo last summer, Lazio finally got their man. After a disastrous campaign with career backup Marco Ballotta Lazio were in desperate need of a quality keeper and River is a factory for quality keepers, especialy those valued at around €8 million. He’ll do well, but Lazio were in such need, that any sort of play from Juan Pablo will make an impact.

5) Marco Borriello from Genoa to AC Milan. Cash strapped Milan are still in the hunt for a big name striker, with all the big names involved, but buying full interest in Borriello from Genoa allows them some leeway in case the prices are too high in England and in Spain. He won’t be first choice, Milan don’t really rate him in the same way that they rate Pippo or Pato, but as a third strike option he is just what the Milanistas wanted: cheap and useful.

6) Felipe Melo from Almeria to Fiorentina. For around €13 million a player like Felipe Melo might be considered an anomaly, especially coming from an unheralded Almeria side, but Melo is an important cog from that squad and will obviously help to strengthen Fiorentina and also lengthen their bench as the Champions League beckons.

7) Raffaele Palladino from Juventus to Genoa. A very talented striker for the Azzurrini and one of a handful of the brighter lights of the youth competitions in Italy, Palladino featured in 26 games last year, 14 as a starter and 12 as a sub, but he never got a real chance in his preferred central role and was used more as an out-and-out winger. He will get his chance at Genoa as they will be looking for someone to shoulder the burden of top scorer Marco Borriello’s loss. Add to the fact that all told he cost about €4 million for half his rights and Juve have an option to buy him back later and it’s a win/win.

8) Matthieu Flamini from Arsenal to AC Milan. With his contract on its last year and still not starting for an Arsenal team in transition, Flamini was desperate for playing time and an opportunity to show his worth. After a year at Marseille, he had two workmanlike years at Arsenal, before having a career year starting alongside Cesc Fabregas. He traded up his journeyman’s contract for one more suited of a man of his station. What he’ll find out is that there are few open slots in that Milan midfield, there is obviously an adaptation period to Serie A, as we saw last year from Thiago at Juventus, and the expectations are much higher at the San Siro for winning championships than there are at the Emirates. It’s a good thing they got him on a free as they are more likely to give him a chance as a super-sub off the bench.

9) Pablo Ledesma from Boca Juniors to Catania. The Elephants will be running this year as Boca’s hard running right sided midfielder will be playing in Catania next year. Another in a long line of Boca prodigies, Ledesma will bring hard running and a strong shot to the islanders. A good, strong signing for a club that usually stays out of the mix.

10) John Arne Riise from Liverpool to AS Roma. Sorry, but it wouldn’t be right to ignore Roma, as I am a supporter, but frankly I think Riise is a good, complementary player, and of course no superstar, but a good fit for the giallorossi. He is better going forward of course and has a powerful shot, plus his throwins are some of the longest I’ve seen.

This list is of course just what’s gone on, to date, and as expected Inter still haven’t joined the melee and Milan will probably finalize the Ronaldinho move soon enough, but it’s usually these early deals that work the best, as it gives the players more time to adjust to their new surroundings. Stay tuned to the show for more transfer silliness.

‘I think in football there’s too much modern slavery in transferring players or buying players here and there, and putting them somewhere,’ Sepp Blatter.

‘I agree with the comments of the president of FIFA. What he said is right,’ he told Portuguese channel TVI. Cristiano Ronaldo.

Cristiano Ronaldo believes he is being treated like a slave? Last time I checked slaves didn’t get paid. I am appalled anyone would make such a statement, not surprising it comes from Blatter. That is utterly ridiculous and extremely offensive. You might want to check yourself Cristiano, you get paid to do a job, no one holds a gun to your head or chains you to a post. Last time I checked you get paid a nice penny for your job and are under contract which apparently means nothing to you, FIFA or UEFA. Yes, Sepp Blatter first made the analogy but I think it is absolutely ridiculous for the statement in the first place and then for the comment by Ronaldo agreeing with him. I’m sick of the run around about is he going is he not. If Manchester United are smart they will sell Ronaldo to Real Madrid and soon. Get as much as they can for him and stop this circus of crap coming out of everyone’s mouth.

Blatter quote taken from Soccernet

Ronaldo quote taken from Soccernet