Serie A: Round 25 findings – US Palermo, AC Milan
Poor defence will cost Palermo a Champions League berth
US Palermo finished fifth in the Serie A last season after narrowly losing out on a Champions League berth. They started the 2010-11 season on a positive note as the Rosanero were arguably the most entertaining Serie A team in the first half of the season.
Club president Maurizio Zamparini wants his beloved team to appear in the UEFA Champions League, and the fiery 69-year-old has reinforced his squad with quality forwards, but the Aquile defence has left a lot to be desired.
In 25 Serie A games so far, the Sicilian outfit has scored an impressive 44 goals which puts them second behind http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Inter-c39567 Milan in terms of goals tally. In stark contrast, the Aquile have the third worst defensive record in the league. Only bottom ranked AS
Bari and fellow relegation contenders UC Lecce have poorer defences with 39 and 46 goals conceded respectively.
It’s no secret that a good defence wins you titles. Maurizio Zamparini’s insistence on playing the best football in Italy might just have cost his side a place in the Champions league. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Fabrizio-Miccoli-c13236 make
up for one of the best attacks in the peninsula. However, Zamparini needs to form an equally potent defence if the Rosanero are to represent Italy in the UEFA Champions League.
Antonio Cassano continues to inspire AC Milan
With a 4-0 thumping of FC Parma, the Serie A leaders returned to winning ways after two consecutive draws. While AC Milan have struggled in the Champions league, as was evident by their 1-0 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, their domestic form has been quite
good. With 12 victories in 21 games, it was only a matter of time before the Daviolo returned to winning ways. However, the Rossoneri needed some inspiration.
Antonio Cassano was given a rare start by Massimiliano Allegri and ‘Il Talento di Bari’ seized the opportunity with both hands. In a performance that brought back memories from Cassano’s AS http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Roma-c31603 days, the talismanic forward opened the scoring with an exquisite
finish before laying two on the plate for the super-sub, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Robinho-c31383.
AC Milan have missed Ricardo Kaka’s direct approach and incisiveness ever since the Brazilian left for Spanish giants Real Madrid. In http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Antonio-Cassano-c6302 however, the Rossoneri have a player who is just as deadly. Cassano might not be the universally adored
player that Kaka is, and granted he doesn’t have the Brazilian’s searing pace on the ball, but he’s equally decisive.
In just five starts for his new club, Cassano has provided as many assists. Il Talento’s ball control and presence in tight spaces is something that the Rossoneri lacked in their home defeat to Spurs – such a pity that Cassano is cup-tied.
However, it will be a new dawn for the Rossoneri in the Champions League next season. With Cassano’s genius amidst their ranks, AC Milan can finally return to being the European giants they were not so long ago.
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