Always Remember

     

       Before I dive into today’s topic, I want to send my condolences and prayers to all those that were effected by the tragedy in Boston yesterday.  Truly a sad day and may the lost be remembered, but never forgotten.

       The events that occurred yesterday really had me thinking. Events like these are so upsetting and it takes a sick person to carry out these horrific acts. Is this an act of terror? Probably, but I’m not going to judge, discriminate, or point fingers at any one group of people that could have done this. 

       The Boston Marathon is the biggest and oldest marathon in the world. World class runners come from all over the world for this special day. For many it’s not about winning; it’s about completing a goal or achieving a milestone. After watching the news and continuous coverage of what was happening in Boston, I began thinking of other tragedies in sports. Today I’m writing about these other tragedies, not to compare them to Boston, but so that others can learn and never forget the innocent people that left their houses to enjoy a day at the stadium supporting their team and never returned home. 

Sicilian Derby 2007

Shortly after the Derby in the streets of Catania

       On February 2, 2007 Catania faced Sicilian rivals Palermo in the annual Sicilian derby. Palermo fans began throwing flares and firecrackers on the field and the police retaliated by throwing tear gas at the Palermo supporters. The game was ultimately won 2-1 by Palermo.

       After the match, Catania fans began attacking police. They charged at them and they began to fall because they were so heavily outnumbered. As a result, 40 year old Catania policeman Filippo Raciti was killed. 

       Following this event, Serie A was halted in February. Catania were forced to play their remaining games at neutral sites and there were no fans in attendance for their games. 

Port Said Stadium Disaster

       This riot took place in Port Said, Egypt, on February 1, 2012. The match between Al-Masry and Al Ahly had finished minutes before riot began. Al-Masry supporters rushed the field and began destroying the stadium after their team had won. The Al-Masry supporters began attacking Al-Ahly fans and players. 

       Once the final whistle was blown the attacks began. They had knives, swords (yes you’re reading that correctly), stones, and fireworks.

       This massive attack left 79 people dead, and nearly 1200 people injured. 

       I did not post a picture of this because all of the pictures I researched were too graphic and I did not feel they were appropriate to post on here. 

The Hillsborough Disaster

A picture of the Hillsborough Disaster

       This is one of the worst disasters in soccer history. The Hillsborough disaster took place during an F.A. Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest on April 15, 1989. Before the game was played many felt that the stadium was not big enough to hold the large crowd that was expected and everyone’s worst fear came true. 

       At the beginning of the game Liverpool supporters entered from only two gates on one side of the stadium; this was the first problem. There were so many supporters and not enough turnstiles for them to enter. The police were overwhelmed so they opened the gates and began letting everyone in. This led to a massive crowd of people being crammed into a small space behind the Liverpool goal.

       So many people were crammed together, people tried hopping the fence and invading the field just so they could breathe. Endless people were being trampled and crushed. This led to the death of 96 people. 

       When investigations began the police claimed that Liverpool supporters “rushed the gates”. This was never the case. For years Liverpool supporters have been blamed for the Hillsborough Disaster. It was not until December of 2012 that a court case was re-opened and proved that the “Liverpool 96” were innocent. 

       The Hillsborough Disaster was represented yesterday at the Boston Marathon.  The picture of the man below is the reason I’m writing this blog. The tragedies I talked about today are an unfortunate part of sports history. An event that happened 24 years ago is still remembered by everyone in Liverpool. The tragedy in Boston will never be forgotten and will unite the city like it has in England. 

Rivalries

There is nothing better in sports than a rivalry. Soccer, baseball, hockey, basketball, or football it doesn’t matter the sport, every sport has a rivalry. Sometimes teams share cities. Other teams have a long history of hatred and betrayal. Some rivalries even go beyond the sport and are about Religion and Political standings. There is always something extra in the air when rivals meet.

Milan vs Internazionale

Being a Milan supporter it would be a crime for me not to include this one. Milan and Inter not only share a city but a stadium. The Derby della Madonnina was named after the statue of the Virgin Mary in Milan. These two squads first faced off in 1908 and have played at least once a year ever since. 

Roma vs Lazio

Just like Milan and Inter, Roma and Lazio share a city and a stadium. The Der della Capitale is one of the most violent rivalries in the world. The game that concluded this afternoon involved numerous fights and it was reported that 6 people were stabbed. Roma was supported and directed by Benito Mussolini to challenge clubs like Milan and Juventus. Roma has a history with Fascism, whereas Lazio is more democratic and is said to be “for the people”.

Michigan vs Ohio State

We’ll be talking about a different kind of football here. Michigan vs Ohio State is arguably the greatest rivalry in college sports. I have never seen such hatred between two schools. Their main rivalry is in football where these two teams are powerhouses in the Big Ten conference. The rivalry has hit a bump as both teams were going through tough times, but it is always the biggest game on their schedules. 

Army vs Navy

The United States military academies are the best in the world. They also produce one of the best college football rivalries in the nation. These teams have met annually since 1930 and Navy currently lead the all time series 59-47-7. Today the game is played at a neutral site, usually in Philadelphia at Lincoln Financial Field. The stadium is packed and all cadets from both schools are in attendance. 

Yankees vs Red Sox

The biggest rivalry in baseball. The trade that sent Babe Ruth from the Sox to the Yanks is what started this great rivalry. A World Series drought ensued for the Sox; 86 years without winning a title. Yankee stadium is one of the toughest places to play in baseball. Yankee fans are as tough as they come, trust me, I know, I’m one of them. Red Sox fans aren’t welcome in Yankee Stadium and Yankees fans aren’t welcome to Fenway Park. These two teams are rich in history and great players. The critics say that this rivalry has lost its edge over the last few years but that is a lie. Ask any Yankee fan what the most important game of the season is and they’ll say any game against the Red Sox. 

Giants vs Dodgers

These teams might be rivals now but the rivalry was much more intense when these teams were still in New York. The Giants and Dodgers were constantly contenders for the National League Pennant over the 40’s and 50’s. Jackie Robinson hated the Giants so much that when he was traded from the Dodgers to the Giants he retired from baseball. Talk about loyalty. 

Celtic FC vs Rangers 

Wrapping up the list of rivalries is one that I feel is the biggest and most controversial in the world. It goes by the name The Old Firm referring to Celtic and Rangers of the Scottish premier league. Rangers are currently in the Scottish 3rd division after declaring bankruptcy, but that’s a story for another day. Rangers were founded and are supported by Protestants in Scotland. Whereas, Celtic represent the Irish Catholic population in Scotland. In 1980 an invasion of the field resulted in multiple deaths, hundreds injured, and the banning of alcohol at Scottish soccer games. Ever since this game, away fans cannot go to games unless they are personally escorted by police to the stadium. The battle in Glasgow, goes far beyond favorite teams, it is a personal hatred fueled by religion and beliefs. This has been deemed the most dangerous rivalry in the world. 

This is just scratching the surface on sports rivalries. Meetings between rivals are always the biggest games of the season and never seem to disappoint. The intensity when rivals meet is unlike other games. Without rivalries sports wouldn’t be what they are today.

World Cup Qualifying

       Today ended a full day of World Cup qualifiers across the globe. Nearly all the big teams were in action: Italy, Germany, Spain, France, England, and Portugal headlined the European qualifiers. Argentina, Uruguay, and Colombia were the South American giants trying to earn qualification as Brazil has already qualified. 

Italy vs Malta

       Italy’s starting line up was made up of entirely Milan and Juventus players. Buffon, Marchisio, Pirlo, Bonucci, Barzagli, and Giaccherini represented Juventus, while Montolivo, Abate, De Sciglio, El Shaarawy, and Balotelli represented Milan. Malta are known as a “Minnow” nation. They have such a small talent pool to choose from and many of their players are amateurs. Italy got on the board by way of Mario Balotelli’s penalty kick in the 8th minute. Just before halftime, Bonnuci sent a long ball down the left wing which was tracked down by Mattia De Scilgio and he laid it off to Balotelli who netted his second goal of the day. Italy were rather sloppy today but scored the goals they needed. Final score 2-0 Italy. 

Germany vs Kazakstan 

       Germany are currently ranked number two in the World rankings behind Spain. These two teams met a few years back in qualifying for Euro 2012. It was a rout as the Germans demolished the Kazakstans 8-0. This one could have been just as ugly had Germany decided to play in the second half. A fantastic first half performance by the Borussia Dortmund duo of Mario Gotze and Marco Reus. Had it not been for Manuel Neuer’s misplay, this one would’ve ended in a shut out. Final score 4-1 Germany.

England vs Montenegro

       Juventus forward and Montenegrin international Mirko Vucinic was criticizing the English defense quite a bit before today’s game. He went on to say that they were weak and he knew how to break them down. Montenegro are currently in first place in their group and England are in second. This was a huge game for England and it would be one of their toughest because they were playing the game in Montenegro and their fans have been known to cause riots. While there were no riots in this one it was a fantastic game. Had English manager Roy Hodgson made smarter substitutions England could’ve won this game. Wayne Rooney was man of the match for England and was the goal scorer. Not only did Vucinic trash talk and not score but Montenegro were lucky to claim a point in this one. Final score 1-1. 

Portugal vs Azerbaijan 

       I have never heard of Azerbaijan so needless to say Portugal were expected to win. Portugal has had a really rough qualifying so far and are lucky to be tied for second place in their group. Portugal has so much amazing talent and is just underperforming. After a disappointing loss to Russia and failing to get a full three points against Israel and Northern Ireland, Portugal cannot afford another mistake. They didn’t make any mistakes today and came away with a 2-0 win. 

France vs Spain

       This was the marquee matchup of qualifying. Two soccer giants played in front of a packed stadium of 80,000 in Paris for a chance to qualify. Spain dominated possesion as they always do and had 72% of it at the end of the first half. They had a few quality chances but not one standout chance. France on the other hand has high quality chances but failed to capitalize. Franck Ribery and Patrice Evra will have nightmares about the goals they should’ve scored today. Victor Valdes robbed Evra and Ribery really needed to capitalize. The turning point in this one came when Christophe Jallet misjudged a pass from Xavi to Nacho Monreal. Monreal was given space on the left and made his pass across to Pedro count. French keeper Hugo Lloris made a great save at first but Pedro knocked in the rebound. Ribery nearly tied it minutes later but the shot sailed wide. Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba is a superstar in the making but showed his immaturity in this one. He was sent off with around 15 minutes left to play and this meant France had no chance. With this win Spain go atop the group. Final score 1-0 Spain. 

South American Qualifying

       Argentina leads the South American qualifying standings with 24 points. This is one of the most dangerous attacking fronts in the world. Leo Messi, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Rodrigo Palacio, Sergio Aguero, and Carlos Tevez just to name a few. They have scored 24 goals in qualifying and have conceded only 8. This team can score at will. 

       Ecuador and Colombia are second and third receptively. It would be a major disappointment if Colombia didn’t qualify, but with 19 points they have almost guaranteed their spot. 

       Uruguay are in serious jeopardy of missing out on the World Cup and that would be one major disappointment, especially after their 4th place finish in South Africa in 2010. They are currently in 4th place in qualifying and are in the last automatic qualification spot. Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani, Diego Forlan, and Gaston Ramirez are leaders on this team and they need to step up. They, just like Portugal, cannot afford another mistake. 

North American Qualifying

       As I write this, the United States is taking on Mexico at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The US has won only one game against Mexico at the Azteca. This is not a must win for the US, but if the United States can get a victory this will be a huge confidence boost and will give them momentum for the rest of qualifying. 

       The next round of qualifying is in June and it will become more clear which teams will be in Brazil in 2014 and which teams will not. 

Forza Azzurri and Forza Milan!!

Italy vs Brazil

      

       It was about 8 years ago when I saw Brazil and Italy face off in a friendly match at the old Giants Stadium in East Rutherford. I saw the game with my Nonno, Uncle Joe, little cousin Rita and my Dad. This was my first experience with real soccer. The fans were dancing and cheering throughout. The game ended in a 1-1 draw thanks to a late Luca Toni goal. I’ll never forget that game.  

       Although I wasn’t at today’s match, (mainly becuase it took place in Geneva, Switzerland) I can confidently say that this was one of the most entertaining friendlies I have ever seen. These two soccer giants played as if it was an elimination game in the World Cup. Brazil has already qualified for the World Cup since they are the host nation. Italy is in the middle of their qualification and lead the group with 10 points. Today’s game featured a few players making their international debuts and both sides have a lot to be excited about. The game ended in a 2-2 draw.  

       Italian manager Cesare Prandelli always uses friendlies to give young players a chance to prove themselves and gain experience at the senior level. These games also allow him to tinker with his squad. Mattia De Sciglio and Alessio Cerci both made their debuts for the Azzurri. De Sciglio and Cerci have had two VERY different paths to the senior national team. Cerci is a season veteran for Torino and has never really been given the opportunity to play on the national level. Whereas teammate Mattia De Sciglio has been a revelation for Milan in Serie A this season. At just 20 years old he is already making appearances on the senior level, not to mention statistically, he is the best defender in Serie A. It’s just remarkable. 

       The starting lineup for Italy was Gianluigi Buffon in goal and wearing the captain’s armband. The defense featured Christian Maggio, Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Barzagli, and Mattia De Sciglio from left to right. The midfield consisted of Daniele De Rossi, Andrea Pirlo, and Riccardo Montolivo. Upfront was the trident of Emanuele Giaccherini, Mario Balotelli, and Pablo Osvaldo. 

       There must be something in the water in Turin as Buffon is continuing to get better with age. The score could have easily been 4-0 after 30 minutes had it not been for the captain. 

       I personally believe Maggio is overrated. One of the fastest defenders, yes, but overrated. He tends to drift too far up the field and gets caught out of position. Youngster Davide Santon of Newcastle didn’t feature in today’s game, but he is making a name for himself for the Azzurri. As Maggio approaches 31 years old expect Santon to become a regular in the squad. 

       Bonucci and Barzagli are a perfect team. Barzagli is strong and aggressive and Bonucci is fast and positions himself perfectly. No Giorgio Chiellini for Italy as he was out with an ankle injury. When the Juventus defense is representing the Azzurri it makes scoring goals for the opponents that much harder.

       Andrea Pirlo, Daniele De Rossi, and Riccardo Montolivio make up a very balanced midfield. Montolivio replaced Claudio Marchisio in today’s match as he came down with an illness. Pirlo playing the regista sitting deep in the midfield and distributing the ball makes the Italian attack deadly. Montolivo can play that role as well and De Rossi provides the strength in the midfield. They make a great trio in the midfield. 

       Emanuele Giaccherini is just simply not good enough to be on this team. The Juventus midfielder provides great speed but that’s really about it. It can be frustrating watching him turn the ball over time and time again. He has simply not impressed at the national level. 

       Mario Balotelli has been on fire since joining AC Milan in January and his performance has carried over to the national team as well. He scored an absolute screamer today from about 25 yards out. Even he said it was one of his best ever goals. His passing was precise and if he lost the ball he was backtracking and regaining possession. Balotelli made Giaccherini look like a super star today. If Super Mario didn’t it could have been a long night for Giaccherini.

       Along with Giaccherini, Pablo Osvaldo is simply not good enough for this team. The Argentine born forward has 3 goals in qualifying but will most likely will lose his spot in the starting lineup. 

       Luca Antonelli came on in the 74th for De Sciglio and played a solid 15 minutes.

       Alessandro Diamanti came on for De Rossi in the 80th. He took a free kick that he sent into the 35th row, but other than that an average 10 minutes.

       Cerci made his debut and was impressive. He was nervous at first but he regained composure and was great on the right wing. He has a future with the Azzurri.

       Andrea Poli came on in the 67th minute. He was supposed to be the next Andrea Pirlo until Marco Verratti took that title. Either way, Poli had an impressive 30 minutes but picked up a yellow card. 

       Alberto Gilardino has made a return to the national team. A member of the 2006 World Cup squad, his veteran leadership off the bench will help the youngsters. 

       Stephan El Shaarawy was subbed on at the start of the second half for Osvaldo and made a difference right away. The natural chemistry between him and Balotelli is remarkable. Although he had a few bad touches, he and Balotelli are a force to be reckoned with. 

       Italy showed a lot of promise and excitement in this match today. The class of the veterans like De Rossi, Pirlo, Buffon, and Gilardino is a perfect balance to help youngsters like El Shaarawy, Poli, Verratti, and De Sciglio grow and gain experience. If Italy play the way they did today they are definitely considered a favorite in Brazil.

Forza Azzurri!!

Top 5 Picks for Serie A

       The end of the season is quickly approaching in Serie A and this is the moment in the season where every point truly matters the most. There were no “marquee” matchups this weekend, but every game played a big part, not so much in the title race. Juventus has basically wrapped up their second straight Scudetto. They are 12 points clear of second place Napoli. The games from here on out will determine which team gets the coveted 3rd Champions League spot. Napoli, Milan, Lazio, Fiorentina, Inter, and Roma are all in the running and not much separates these teams. The remaining weeks in Serie A will determine the fate of these teams on their road to European glory. 

       Let’s take a step back here. With teams fighting for a shot at European football, there are teams at the bottom of the league who are just hoping to remain in Italy’s top division. US Pescara, Palermo, Siena, Genoa, and even Atalanta are all relegation candidates. Pescara and Palermo are 19th and 20th respectively and their fates have been determined. These two teams will be playing in Serie B next season. It seems so long ago that Palermo was playing in the Europa League. It’s amazing how quickly things can change. Siena and Genoa will be battling until the last weekend of the season. Genoa currently sit in 17th place and are ahead of Siena by 1 point. Not to mention Siena started the season with -9 points after a match fixing scandal dating back to last season. Atalanta are in 16th place with 33 points. It will take a monumental collapse for Atalanta to be relegated and I just don’t see that happening. I believe Siena will pull off the miracle and stay in Serie A. Pescara, Palermo, and Genoa, enjoy Serie B!!

       Now for the top of the table; Juventus. The MVP midfield of Marchisio, Pirlo, and Vidal, along with Lichtsteiner, and Asamoah is one of the best in the world. To go along with their world class defense of Chiellini, Barzagli, and Bonucci, Juventus have nearly everything. The only thing they need is a proper striker. Vucinic is hot and cold and Giovinco and Matri have been let downs. It may effect them in Europe but not domestically. Juventus will finish the season in 1st and reclaim the Scudetto. 

       Napoli is one of the oldest teams in Serie A with an average age of 28.7. They have a world class striker in Edinson Cavani who is the major goal-scoring threat on the team. Partnered with attacking midfielder Marek Hamsik they make a great duo up front. The backline is Napoli’s weakness. There is no depth in the squad, especially at center back. Napoli are in a free fall at the moment. They have just 3 points in their last 5 games. Napoli’s age and lack of depth will hurt them dramatically and their big visit to the San Siro to face Milan will make or break their season. My prediction, Napoli will finish in 3rd place and reach the Champions League. 

       Milan are on fire at the moment. Besides Barcelona’s 4-0 thumping in the Champions League, Milan have gotten 12 out of a possible 15 points in their last 5 games. The addition of Mario Balotelli to the Rossoneri has paid dividends so far as he has 7 goals in 6 games. El Shaarawy is having a dip in form after his red hot start to the season. This will show how mentally tough El Shaarawy is. Giampaolo Pazzini has been fantastic for Milan. He has 13 goals on the season, 4th best in Serie A. The next 5 games for Milan can show if they are the real deal. This week they are away at 14th place Chievo Verona. Then it gets interesting. April 7th away at Fiorentina, April 14th home against Napoli, April 21 away at Juventus. This is about as tough as it gets. Milan need as many points as possible and the way they’ve performed I think it’s possible that  Milan will finish the season in 2nd place. 

       Fiorentina have been a pleasant surprise this season. After a 13th place finish last year they have been fantastic this season. Stevan Jovetic has emerged as a superstar and is carrying the team. The additions of veterans Emiliano Viviano and Alberto Aquiliani have been a tremendous help. Not to mention they recently acquired Jersey native Giuseppe Rossi to play upfront with Jovetic which could lead to a deadly pairing. Consistency has been the problem for The Viola. Their lack of consistency hurts them as they will just miss out on the Champions League and will finish in 4th place. 

       Rounding out the top 5 will be Inter. Inter were red hot at the beginning of the season but have fallen off. Antonio Cassano has been inconsistent of late and an injury to Diego Milito hurts their attack. Rodrigo Palacio is more than capable, however Milito is smarter on the ball and much quicker. The Inter defense is in shambles and manager Andrea Stramaccioni’s only style of offense is on the counter attack. Relying on the counter attack won’t work for a team of Inter’s caliber. The Nerazzurri have been through 7 coaches in 5 years and it seems as though a rebuilding stage is around the corner for Inter. I see them finishing 5th and returning to the Europa League.

1.) Juventus

2.) Milan

3.) Napoli

4.) Fiorentina

5.) Inter

       That’s my top 5 teams, what are yours?

Ultimate Disappointment

       

       There is no tougher pill to swallow than the pill of defeat. Wait, yes there is. Watching your team get absolutely obliterated by Barcelona 4-0 and be ousted from the Champions League is definitely tougher to swallow. A game I had such high hopes for ended in such disappointed. Barcelona threw the kitchen sink at Milan and they had no response. From start to finish Milan were rattled. They lacked confidence and their inexperience was vibrant throughout. Milan played poorly but Barca executed their plan to perfection and eliminated Milan with a combined 4-2 aggregate score. Time to break this one down. 

       Leo Messi. Well do I have to say anymore? The guy isn’t human I swear. Just when you think he’s down and out he’ll prove you wrong time and time again. He beat Milan twice today. First in the 5th minute and then again in the 41st minute. His first goal was a thing of beauty watching the ball sail into the top left corner left my grandfather and I speechless. Without a doubt, Messi was the man of the match. 

       I personally think Messi would be nothing with Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta. Remember that’s MY OPINION. These two Barcelona veterans were stellar tonight. They won balls in the air, were making passes that had Milan scratching their heads, and were just working hard all over the pitch. In addition to Messi, the performances of these two cannot be overlooked. 

       Not to take anything away from Barcelona, but this was no doubt Milan’s worst performance of the season. Their passing was horrendous and they were all over the place defensively. This looked like the Milan defense from the beginning of the season. The same defense that saw them slip to 15th in the Serie A table. 

       I usually love analyzing players performances, but today’s will not be fun. I’ll start in net with Christian Abbiati. It’s really tough to call. He was pretty much helpless on all 4 goals. Made a few key saves but it wasn’t nearly enough. Overall: 4.5/10.

       Left back Kevin Constant has been amazing for Milan this season, but my goodness did he stink up the place today. Countless giveaways, he was easily pushed off the ball, and constantly caught out of position. His effort to intercept the pass to David Villa that resulted in Barca’s 3rd goal, was the final nail in the coffin. Huge let down today. Overall: 3.5/10

       Center backs Cristian Zapata and Philippe Mexes were equally awful today and they will get the same rating. Zapata is a liability and there is always a strong chance Mexes will pick up a red card. Mexes finished the game with 4 fouls and yellow card. Need I say more? Overall: 4.5/10

       Right back Ignazio Abate actually had a decent game. He was one of the few brighter spots today. His speed and stamina is remarkable and it allows him to get up the pitch and send crosses into the box. Almost like Barcelona’s Dani Alves, except Alves can cross. Abate had a few solid crosses today but nothing came of it. He couldn’t get involved as much as he would have like because Barca were sure to keep the ball on Constant’s side of the field. Well played Barca, well played. Overall: 6/10

       Il capitano Massimo Ambrosini was a close second for worst player today. With all his experience you would expect him to come out and play physically to try and inspire his team. Not only did that not happen but his passing was inaccurate and he was caught out of position on Barca’s second goal. Overall: 4/10

       Former Fiorentina midfielder Riccardo Montolivo was no where to be seen until the 75th minute. He had about 15 touches in the first half. Not nearly enough for someone who’s suppose to be a reggista in the midfield and distribute the ball. Overall: 5/10

       Mathieu Flamini was a surprise choice to the starting 11 since Muntari was fit to play. I don’t understand Allegri’s reasoning for starting him in this one. Like many others, he under performed and like Montolivo was unseen for most of the match. Overall: 4.5/10.

       Mbaye Niang had the chance to put Milan ahead in the 39th minute. After a Javier Mascherano misplay, he was through on goal and hit the post. Just 79 seconds later, Messi made it 2-0 Barcelona. Aside from this, Niang was average. His passing was just okay and his off the ball runs were nothing spectacular. One thing the 18 year old Frenchman did gain was a ton of experience. Overall: 5/10

       Stephan El Shaarawy was disappointing. His passing was as bad as I’ve ever seen and the shots he took never really threatened Victor Valdes. Again the 20 year old gains experience but I would have liked to see him do better today. Overall: 4.5/10

       Kevin-Prince Boateng aggravates me. He passes when he should shoot, and shoots when he should pass. Not to mention he was offsides twice in the last 15 minutes and it was simply because he was lazy and didn’t sprint back onside. One positive out of today was he held possession better than any other Milan player.  Boateng was the hero in the first leg but disappointed this leg. Overall: 5/10.

       Robinho, Bojan, and Sulley Muntari were substitutes today and their impact was seen right away. Robinho brought life to Milan and Bojan had something to prove against his former club. These three didn’t play enough and it’s unfair to give them a rating. 

       Today was a tough game to watch. Now Milan’s attention returns to Serie A where they will hope for a top 3 finish and secure a spot in next years Champions League. We will see if this dismantling by Barcelona helps or hurts Milan in the weeks to come.

Forza Milan!!!

Milan vs Barcelona The Preview

       Some three weeks ago at the San Siro, Milan pulled off the unthinkable; Milan pulled out a 2-0 win against Barcelona in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16. Barcelona could not break through the Milan defense and Lionel Messi was nearly non existent. Messi just isn’t Messi against Italian teams, but we’ll get to that in a second. The picture shifts to the Camp Nou in Barcelona tomorrow and the soccer world will be watching these two giants. I could write about this game for days and still not cover all of the details. Here are 5 key factors heading into tomorrow’s matchup. 

1.) Will Lionel Messi show up?

       In the first leg the best player in the world was non existent. In 90 minutes he registered 0, yes ZERO shots on target. To make matters worse he managed just 2 touches inside the penalty area. This was by far Messi’s worst performance and almost anyone could top it. If Messi is allowed space and is able to link passes with Xavi and Iniesta in or around the Milan 18 yard box, Milan could be in trouble. 

2.) Barcelona’s Confidence 

       The month of February is a month that Barca wants to forget. They lost to Milan and then lost to their bitter rivals Real Madrid twice in the same week. Xavi, Dani Alves, and Andres Iniesta have spoken to the press in the last two weeks and “guaranteed” victory. Could this just be Barca’s way of masking their lack of confidence?

3.) The Camp Nou

       Much like the San Siro it is a footballing Mecca. The stadium holds over 100,000 fans and is one of the most intimidating in the world. The Camp Nou is the definition of home field advantage. 

4.) Milan’s Youth

       This will benefit and hurt Milan at the same time. The benefit: they are such a young team with the likes of El Shaarawy, De Scilgio, and Niang who could all feature in the starting line-up tomorrow. The downside: none of these three have played in an atmosphere like the Camp Nou. El Shaarawy already has the weight of the world on his shoulders. He has been out of form of late, with just one goal since January 1st against Atalanta. And he is expected to be the goal scoring threat as Giampaolo Pazzini has been ruled out with an injury. If Milan’s youngsters get rattled it could be a recipe for disaster. 

5.) The Line-ups

       Barcelona’s will be no surprise. The usually Victor Valdes in goal. Alves, Puyol, Pique, and Jordi Alba from right to left in the defense. Fabregas, Xavi, and Busquets will round out the midfield. Messi, Iniesta, and either Sanchez or Pedro will be the three up front to start tomorrow. 

Milan’s is not so obvious. They will most likely play a 4-3-3 formation and here are my predictions. Abbiatti in net. Abate, Mexes, Zapata, and Constant from right to left. This has emerged as the go to defense for Allegri.

       Ambrosini, Muntari, and Montolivio will be the most likely midfield trio. Montolivo has been in form of late and he and Ambrosini are loaded with experience. Muntari will be the most physical player in Milan’s midfield. I foresee Muntari being subbed off in the 60th minute for Italian international Antonio Nocerino. 

       Here’s where it gets tricky. Milan’s three upfront. No Pazzini or Mario Balotelli as Pazzini is injured and Balotelli is cup-tied. El Shaarawy will be on the left wing, Mbaye Niang will play the striker role, and Kevin-Prince Boateng will play on the right. I’m making a bold prediction with this one. Niang much like El Shaarawy is not just offensive minded, he backtracks and plays defense so well I could see why Allegri would want him in the starting 11. This will be a defensive game for Milan and with the speed of these three upfront. The counter attack will be Milan’s only source of attack.

       Being an AC Milan supporter tomorrow will be one nerve wracking match. My personal prediction is Milan will lose 3-1, but will advance through on aggregate with an advantage of away goals. Niang will get his first goal for the Rossoneri tomorrow and it will be one he will not forget. Those are my predictions. Watch tomorrow at 3:30 on Fox Soccer to watch a match for the ages!

Forza Milan!!!