The football blog for fans of all clubs
Isco’s free-kick against his former side, Malaga, was everything you need to know about the Spaniard encapsulated in a moment. A 25-yard effort bent perfectly over the wall before nestling delicately in the corner. The flight of the ball calculated precisely by an exceptional football brain, and carried out with beautiful technique. But, it was […]
And breathe. After arguably one of the most exciting games recent Champions League memory, Juventus and Real Madrid’s second leg was one that will love long in European folklore. As the dust settles and Juventus fans enter the bargaining stage of grief, we can reflect on what we learned from an unforgettable match. Gareth Bale’ […]
As an AC Milan fan born and bred, the sight of the San Siro is one that fills a Milanista with inexplicable joy. Emerging from the metro station as part of a sea of red and black and seeing the near 90,000-seater stadium feels like a pilgrimage to a spiritual home. But, on the day […]
As well all painfully know, there is no Italy squad travelling to the World Cup in Russia. However, there is a small silver lining in what seems like one of those huge, never-ending, grey clouds. The silver lining does, in fact, have a blue hint to it as Luigi Di Biago’s Italy squad called up […]
There’s a little-known phrase in Italian which sums up the current AC Milan team. “Deve bere di latte per arrivare a mio livello” No, it’s not nine Italian words for ‘shit’. Literally, it means, ‘you have milk to drink before you get to my level’. The essence of it is that this current crop of […]
It’s hard to remember a game more emotional than Fiorentina’s home game against Benevento. It was the first match the Viola have played since the tragic passing of their captain, Davide Astori, at just 31 years-old. With last week’s fixtures postponed due to the news, this round of fixtures was always going to be difficult […]
Zinedine Zidane is currently in the same category of manager as Sean Dyche. Already I can hear the reaction of the majority of people who just read that sentence: “Sorry, what?” Fear not, I haven’t lost my mind yet. In fact, by the end of this page I’m sure some people may actually agree with […]
Last summer, Diego Costa was the world’s most-popular exile. After that famous text from Antonio Conte saying there was no place for him in this season’s squad, it’s fair to say the situation as Chelsea quickly became volatile. Costa could have graciously accepted the news and discussed the teams that wanted him. AC Milan, Everton […]
This week, Napoli made history. Their most recent victory proved to be record-breaking in itself and is one more step to a potentially historic season, if they can hold on to top spot and topple Juventus come May. Sunday’s 1-0 home result against SPAL was their ninth consecutive win, a new club record and further […]
Ludogorets 0-3 AC Milan As Italian clubs come under fire for prioritising Serie A over European competitions, Milan proved otherwise as they took no prisoners in Bulgaria. Gennaro Gattuso named a full-strength squad led up top by Patrick ‘Wonderkid’ Cutrone, who opened the scoring with a smart glancing header just before half-time. Milan deserved the […]
Dries Mertens is the epitome of a modern football enigma. Fact. At 30 years old, the Belgian forward is finally in his prime, scoring goals for fun at Napoli. As part of an irresistible front three alongside Lorenzo Insigne and Jose Callejon, Mertens operates through the middle, the focal point of the most expressive and […]
Scholar. Polyglot. Charismatic. Mental? Not many people would argue with the first three adjectives when describing Clarence Seedorf. One of the most intelligent footballers of his generation, the former Ajax, Real Madrid and AC Milan midfielder won almost every trophy there is at club level, and is still the only player to win a Champions […]
Once a shining beacon of the world’s finest football, the city of Milan is fast-becoming a land cursed by the footballing gods. As if the woes provided by the red and black side of the city weren’t enough, Inter Milan have decided they want to be the number one team for getting fans’ hopes up, […]
As hard as it is to imagine, there will be no Italy at the 2018 World Cup. Anyone could argue from dusk till dawn why the national team is in the situation it’s in, and whether the Italian Federation has somewhat dug its own grave. But, it’s far more optimistic (and less painful) to focus […]
Back in December, when Benevento ‘keeper, Alberto Brignoli, scored that historic 95th minute equaliser against Milan, many thought it was already the beginning of the end for Gennaro Gattuso as manager. The header nestled in the goal, as did the all-too familiar feeling of dread and disappointment in the stomach of the rossoneri. Another legendary […]
One of the many beauties of football is the many weird and wonderful paths players take to make it to the top. It’s those journeys that provide us with the “Did you know he played for …” moments that win pub quizzes and evokes the typical emotional response from friends: “Did he?…Oh yeah, remember that.” […]
On a tense spring evening, the floodlights of the Stadio Olympico illuminate the semi-final of the 2017 TIM Cup. More importantly, its also the Derby della Capitale, as Roma and Lazio lock horns in Italy’s fieriest derby. 36 minutes in, the ball is delicately plucked out of the air by the brightest light on the […]
Cast your mind back to April 2013. Felipe Santana pokes home for Borussia Dortmund in the 92nd minute after a frantic goalmouth scramble to complete an incredible and controversial turnaround after trailing 2-1 to Manuel Pellegrini’s Malaga. Replays suggest he was offside, as defender Antunes seemed to be inside the goal as he tried in […]
2017 was a dreadful year for various political, social and environmental reasons. But even more tragic than that, it was a dreadful year for icons of football retiring. Francesco Totti, Xabi Alonso and Andrea Pirlo are among the much-loved legends that will live long in our minds now they have departed from the pitch. In […]
Fresh after the 12 days of Christmas, the 12 days of the January transfer window so far has pulled out some crackers. With Coutinho already staking a claim for the headline transfer of 2018, who should the top five realistically sign based on strengths, weaknesses, and a lot of statistics. Barcelona Area: Centre-Back Barcelona’s 3-0 […]
