As Milan’s poor form continues, Serie A is becoming as predictable as international relations.
Imagine Milan as a state: a power with such far reaching potential and projection that it needs to be balanced by another power, for it to be kept less dominant. Imagine Juve, another power: a disposed power, who in losing its status as a ‘Great Power’ through its relegation to Serie B, now works in a defensive manner to counter any weakness of the Great Power that is Milan. Football teams are power maximisers, just as much …

As the Rossoneri played out their third draw in a row, week four showed just how close this season’s title chase will be.
If you asked any Milan fan after that Athens night in May what Milan’s aims would be for the next season, I’m sure they would have suggested three things: retain the Champions League; win the scudetto; and sign a world-class striker to replace Sheva. Of the three aims, the third must surely be the most important to Berlusconi if he is realistically aiming to complete the first two.
Watching …

Juve’s first defeat and Roma’s continued form gives this Sunday’s clash an added bite.
With the international break over Serie A reconvened last weekend, and again did not fail to impress on the already exciting start. Juve could just not buy a goal against Udinese. Even if miraculously, Agnelli and co had paid the ref, the Udinese goalkeeper and the stubborn Udinese defence enough money to immigrate to space, Juve found the post four times, showing a real lack of clinicality in front of goal. The frustration reminded me of Arsenal …

As the off-pitch focus is on major club foreign takeovers, corruption and increased player autonomy, football needs to look at a new threat: heart failure.
All football fans know the game Football Manager. You can sit for hours and sign Kaka for Sunderland, or play gung-ho for 90 minutes and win 6-0. I know the majority of my school years were devoted to coming back when the 3.30pm bell went, running home, not even putting my bag on the floor, but jumping straight into the study room, knocking over my father’s …

From Catennaccio to Calciopoli, Serie A is entering a new era.
I remember my Sunday afternoons as a kid was spent watching Serie A, on Channel 4. James Richardson’s forehead used to gleam off my screen; Paul Elliot used to preach how Arrigo Saachi was a tactical genius; Joe Jordan, the wily Scot, would have pronunciations of players rolling off his tongue - Lentini, Lombardo, Bergomi. Those were the days that really bought Serie A into a new era. The wave of excitement that was accompanied by big name buys and …

Serie A column: Juventus’ attacking approach pays dividends as goals fly in during week one.
I’m not normally the type of football analyst that takes early season tables seriously. I mean, it’s one game into the season, surely the standings after the first game are not going to be setting trends for the whole season? Well, you never know…
With Inter sitting in 12th place and Juventus top of the pile, Serie A kicked off in style with some surprise results. Most impressive was Juventus. For all that has been said of …

Italian football sees resurgence of the Old Guard after two years of controversy.
Serie A returns to our screens on Sunday (Channel 5, 1.30pm) in what analysts have described as the biggest season yet. The Italian league witnesses the re-emergence of the old guard back into the spotlight, with Juventus, Napoli and Genoa firmly back in the establishment. The Italian game has for the last couple of years been dogged by the Calciopoli scandal, where Juventus, Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio were sanctioned for match fixing allegations. However, last season indicated that …