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Fabio Quagliarella has taken his goal tally to three in as many days as Juventus defeated Chievo Verona 2-0 in Serie A.
Quagliarella scored two goals in four minutes to take his team past Chievo, adding to his strike away to Chelsea in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Heading into Saturday's match, questions had been asked whether Juventus had a deep-enough squad to rotate players and keep the team fresh but head coach Antonio Conte made it clear he has plenty of depth at his disposal, making five changes to the side he selected against Chelsea.
Quagliarella, Paul Pogba, Emanuele Giaccherini, Mauricio Isla and Lucio all started, with the first three all making a significant impact.
Giaccherini's corner set up Quagliarella's first goal, while Pogba, the 19-year-old former Manchester United youth player, was fantastic in place of Juventus' regular deep-lying playmaker Andrea Pirlo.
After a goalless first half, Juventus took the lead in the 64th minute when Quagliarella got free in the penalty area to spectacularly volley Giaccherini's corner and although Chievo goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino got a hand to the ball, it still snuck in off the post.
Just four minutes later, Quagliarella received Kwadwo Asamoah's pass at the top of the box, nipped past his opponent and slotted his shot into the far corner to wrap up Juventus' victory.
The win continues Juventus' 100 percent start to the season and the reigning champions lead Serie A with 12 points from four matches, although Napoli and Lazio can draw level with the Turin-based club if they win on Sunday.
In the other Serie A match, Parma had to come from behind to secure a 1-1 draw against visiting Fiorentina.
Argentine defender Facundo Roncaglia put Fiorentina in front in the 20th minute, unleashing a rocket of a shot, which flew into the top corner from over 25 metres.
But Parma escaped with a draw thanks to a penalty in the 93rd minute, which Jaime Valdes slotted home.
AC Milan were condemned to a second consecutive Serie A defeat on Sunday, while city rivals Inter were beaten at home by Siena.
Udinese handed Milan a 2-1 loss thanks to Antonio Di Natale's winner after dramatic scenes saw Massimiliano Allegri's men finish the match with nine men following red cards to Kevin-Prince Boateng and Cristian Zapata.
Milan went into the match on the back of a shock defeat to Atalanta and a dull goalless draw in their opening UEFA Champions League match against Anderlecht midweek.
And several changes made to the starting line-up seemed to revitalise Milan, with the visitors dominating the early moments.
However, Udinese found their feet and took the lead five minutes before the interval after Mathias Ranegie rose highest in the Milan penalty area to head home.
Udinese create a number of chances following the restart but promising youngster Stephen El Sharaawy continued to cause plenty of headaches and he eventually levelled proceedings nine minutes into the second half.
Despite the equaliser, Milan were unable to gain control of the match and they were soon reduced to 10 men after Zapata was shown red for a second bookable offence in the penalty area, which Di Natale converted on 68 minutes.
Matters soon worsened for Allegri and his under-performing side when Boateng, only on as a second-half substitute, received his marching orders following a second yellow card.
Meanwhile, Inter slumped to their second home defeat of the season, losing 2-0 to mid-table side Siena courtesy of second-half goals from Simone Vergassola and Francesco Valiani.
After a goalless opening period, Vergassola broke into the box and combined with Ze Eduardo before unleashing his shot past Samir Handanovic.
And the visitors secured all three points through Valiani deep into stoppage time.
Both Milan sides have now failed to win at the San Siro in eight attempts this Serie A season.
In other results on Sunday, an 88th-minute strike from Cristian Raimondi was enough to give Atalanta a 1-0 win at home to winless Palermo.
Nicola Pozzi stepped up to convert a penalty six minutes from time as Sampdoria earned a 1-1 draw against Torino in a battle of the newly promoted sides, Pescara held Bologna to a 1-1 stalemate, Catania and Napoli played out a goalless draw at the Stadio Angelo Massimino, while Cagliari's home encounter with Roma was postponed.
Petkovic: Lazio were not clinical enough
The Biancocelesti coach insists his team were unfortunate not to emerge victorious against Genoa, but believes they are still on track for a successful season
Under-fire Allegri insists that there is no problem between him and AC Milan, despite Udinese defeat
The 45-year-old chose to look at the positives in the 2-1 defeat to the Zebrette, but also maintained that he is at harmony with the club's hierarchy, despite exit rumours
We must remain united, says Inter coach Stramaccioni despite Siena defeat
The 36-year-old insists that the loss to Serse Cosmi's side will not derail their season, and maintains that he has confidence in his team
AC Milan must sack Allegri following Udinese loss
It will be the wrong decision by Adriano Galliani and Silvio Berlusconi if the Rossoneri coach survives to meet former club Cagliari on Wednesday
Argentine-born Facundo Roncaglia hopes for future Italy call-up
The 25-year-old expressed his delight at being followed closely by Cesare Prandelli and has talked about the Viola's forthcoming match against Juventus
Carrera: Juventus will get even better
The 48-year-old believes the Bianconeri are capable of making yet more progress after their latest victory over Chievo, with Lucio & Kwadwo Asamoah echoing his thoughts
Quagliarella: This has been the greatest week of my life
The Italian striker celebrated his return to the starting line-up by scoring a double against Chievo, following his late equaliser against Chelsea on Wednesday
Zaccheroni: Allegri must learn to cope with AC Milan pressure
The Italian has offered several words of advice to his beleaguered counterpart, and explained the reasons behind his own departure from the Rossoneri back in 2001
Lazio need more grit - Petkovic
Despite the side from the capital sitting at the top of Serie A, their coach wants them to keep improving and strive for perfection
Massimiliano Allegri slams resignation rumours
The 45-year-old Italian manager has put an end to talk of him leaving his post at the Rossoneri, and has promised the fans that performances will get better
Palermo president Zamparini: I've spent €10m on sacking coaches
The Rosanero supremo has confessed to spending millions on replacing the man at the helm of the Sicilian club during his 25 years in charge
Ranocchia anticipates 'great' season with Inter
The defender believes the 2010 Champions League winners improved sufficiently over the summer to enjoy a successful year, and is happy to be playing regular football again
Juventus can win the Champions League, says Vialli
The former Bianconeri striker feels his former side could spring a surprise on their return to European club football's elite competition this term
Verratti: I'm not at Pirlo's level yet
The promising youngster is honoured to be compared to the influential midfielder, and has insisted that his decision to join PSG was not motivated by money
Carrera: Bendtner is ready to play for Juventus
The stand-in Bianconeri coach has confirmed that there are no injury concerns ahead of their next Serie A fixture, and says the Denmark international could feature
Galliani assures Allegri of his position after latest AC Milan defeat After the Rossoneri suffered their third defeat of the season to Udinese on Sunday, the vice-president has told supporters that the Italian's job is safe
Sep 23, 2012 9:00:00 PM
By Samuel Tighe
Adriano Galliani has moved to reassure Massimiliano Allegri of his immediate future at AC Milan.
Milan's torrid start to the season continued on Sunday, as goals from Udinese's Mathias Ranegie and Antonio Di Natale saw the Rossoneri slump to a 2-1 defeat at Stadio Friuli.
But despite continued speculation surrounding his future, the club'sboard have again moved to reaffirm their support for Allegri.
"We want to confirm our trust in Massimiliano Allegri, and also owner Silvio Berlusconi," Galliani told Repubblica.it.
"Today against Udinese the squad played well even with nine players on the pitch. We have only played four games, it's too soon to arrive at bad conclusions. Now, fortune seems against us."
Cagliari v Roma cancelled after president urges supporters to ignore authorities on fan ban
The Serie A side’s new Is Arenas failed security tests & was set to be played behind closed doors this weekend, but chief Massimo Cellino’s public invite caused match postponement
Sep 23, 2012 9:35:00 AM
By Miles Chambers
Cagliari’s match on Sunday with Roma has been cancelled after fears over safety of fans at the hosts’ new stadium.
The Is Arenas was opened by Cagliari over the summer but is yet to pass security tests, meaning local authorities insisted the Serie A clash would take place behind closed doors.
However, club president Massimo Cellino had urged fans to ignore the authorities and attend regardless.
A club statement released before the match had been called off said: “Cagliari Calcio, represented by President Massimo Cellino and everyone who works for the club, can no longer see a future due to the bureaucratic difficulties and the collective disinterest of the authorities.
“We invite and ask all their fans who have a ticket or season ticket to come to the stadium and watch Cagliari-Roma in the full respect of order and civility.
“Cagliari Calcio and its engineers consider the structure to be adequate and secure.
“This move is absolutely peaceful and was pushed by the pain and frustration of defending our right to exist.”
But the club’s retaliation to the fan ban caused the game to be postponed instead of being played without a crowd.
'The saddest moment in Cagliari's history' - Riva rues decision to award Roma victory
The legendary striker is struggling to come to terms with the decision to hand the Giallorossi all three points, but denies Massimo Cellino is solely to blame
Carrera coy over Conte attendance against Fiorentina
Speculation that the suspended boss could sit in the stands at the Artemio Franchi on Tuesday has gathered momentum, but the caretaker coach is refusing to be drawn on the matter
Pazzini: No regrets over AC Milan switch
The striker insists he harbours no regrets over his summer move to the Rossoneri, despite their dismal start to the season, as he reveals the troubled ending to his Inter career
Nesta: Allegri and Inzaghi acted like two children
The former international defender has criticised the pair for allegedly clashing when the Rossoneri boss went to visit the club's youth camp last week
Asamoah: Isla will only get better for Juventus
The wing-back featured from the start at the weekend, and his Ghanaian team-mate believes that he will only further improve this term for the Bianconeri
Inter's Cambiasso: We're all behind the coach
The experienced midfielder has made it clear that the Giuseppe Meazza side still have faith in their trainer despite their inconsistency early in the season
Juventus are on another planet to crisis-ridden AC Milan and Inter
The Milanese duo suffered embarrassing defeats on Sunday, leaving the Bianconeri sitting pretty after four rounds in Serie A
AC Milan to appeal Allegri's one-match touchline ban
The Rossoneri boss will now join Boateng and Zapata in the stands, and has voiced his surprise at the governing body's decision, which the club will now appeal
Sep 24, 2012 6:00:00 PM
By Michael Cerna
AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has been handed a one-match ban for arguing against the referee's decisions during his side's clash against Udinese on Sunday.
The Rossoneri boss will now join Kevin Prince-Boateng and Cristian Zapata in the stands, after both players were sent off in the loss at Stadio Friuli.
All three will now miss the upcoming match against Cagliari at San Siro on Wednesday.
The 45-year-old does not think that he should have earned a suspension since, in his opinion, he was merely pointing out the refereeing mistakes in a technical way.
"I'm surprised," the coach began in a phone interview with Sky Sport 24.
"I questioned the referee but I never said a bad word or an insult."
Milan have already announced that they will appeal the decision as they to hope have Allegri on the bench for Wednesday night's match.
Moratti: Inter and Milan are no longer 'super teams' The wealthy owner believes that both the Nerazzurri and Rossoneri have fallen off the pace in recent years, but had words of support for his young coach
Sep 24, 2012 5:05:00 PM
By Michael Cerna
Inter owner and president Massimo Moratti has said that he no longer sees his club or AC Milan as part of Europe's group of elite teams.
The oil tycoon has watched both sides begin their seasons with disappointing results and thinks these are a sign that the two sides are no longer at that top-tier level on the continent.
"Inter and Milan do not have super-teams any more," the 67-year-old said to reporters outside his office in Milan.
The Nerazzurri supremo went on to lend support for his young coach after their recent 2-0 loss to Siena.
"Yesterday's match was bad. We had to win against Siena, but failed.
"Stramaccioni is competent and we have a lot of good players. Unfortunately, we can no longer allow ourselves to spend €20m on a champion player," he explained.
Inter currently sit in seventh place in Serie A, six points behind Juventus at the top of the table. Milan are in 15th after amassing just three points to date.
Roma awarded three points for Cagliari postponement
The Giallorossi have been handed the victory by default after the clash at Is Arenas was cancelled due to concerns over supporter safety
Sep 24, 2012 1:40:00 PM
Roma have been awarded three points for their Serie A clash with Cagliari after the scheduled match on Sunday evening was postponed.
The fixture at the Rossoblu's new ground, Stadio Is Arenas, was intially due to take place behind closed doors over concerns for the safety of supporters, as the ground is yet to pass security tests.
However, the clash was cancelled after club president Massimo Cellino invited supporters to disregard the authorities' warnings and attend the match if they had a ticket.
Roma director Franco Baldini called for his club to be awarded three points by default as a result of the postponment, leaving Cagliari to issue a statement branding the chief a "vulture", although his wish has now seemingly been granted.
A statement from ruling body Lega Serie A read: '[The Judge] decided to sanction Cagliari with the loss of the competition with a score of 0-3 (zero to three), also providing the transmission of a copy of the records to the Federal Attorney General of jurisdiction over the conduct of [Cagliari] President Cellino.'
Cagliari accuse Roma director Baldini of being a 'vulture'
The Sardinian outfit are not amused with the Stadio Olimpico side chief's request for a default win, and have slammed his morals
Sep 24, 2012 11:20:00 AM
By Stefan Coerts
Cagliari have criticised Roma director Franco Baldini following his request that the Giallorossiare awarded a 3-0 win by default after the cancellation of Sunday's match.
The Serie A encounter was prevented from going ahead after fears over safety of fans at the hosts’ new stadium, and Baldini feels Cagliari are responsible for the postponement of the game.
Nevertheless, the Sardinians are furious with Baldini's request, and have slammed the Roma man's morals.
"Cagliari understand the principles of Mr Baldini, but do not agree with them as he is trying to take advantage of our misfortune," a statement on the Cagliari website reads.
"A man with these kinds of principles is like a vulture.
"Despite Baldini’s stance, we know that he doesn’t represent the sporting spirit of the Romans, who we remain close friends with."
The Is Arenas was opened by Cagliari over the summer but is yet to pass security tests, meaning local authorities insisted the Serie A clash would take place behind closed doors.
However, club president Massimo Cellino had urged fans to ignore the authorities and attend regardless, leading to the postponement of the match.
Juventus extended their unbeaten run to 44 Serie A matches on Tuesday, playing out an unconvincing 0-0 draw against Fiorentina.
A tight encounter at Stadio Artemio Franchi saw hosts Fiorentina control proceedings, with Stevan Jovetic hitting the woodwork in the first half.
Juve seemed to display little interest in attacking, and rode their luck at times to claim a fortunate point, which increased their lead at the top of the table to three points over second-placed Napoli.
Fiorentina had edge during the early exchanges, and saw a penalty appeal go unanswered after Adem Ljajic was challenged inside the area by Leonardo Bonucci.
They were appealing again 25 minutes into the game after the impressive Manuel Pasqual was felled in the area by Arturo Vidal, though replays suggested that the Chilean had got a touch on the ball first.
Juventus' first-half display offered more evidence to their growing reputation as slow starters, with a pair of tame efforts from Sebastian Giovinco about the best they could muster.
Fiorentina continued to hold the upper hand throughout the first period, but chances remained at a premium, as Juve were able to pack numbers behind the ball.
That all changed minutes before the break, however, as Fiorentina fashioned two clear-cut chances from which they should have gone ahead.
First, David Pizarro whipped in a free-kick that Jovetic headed onto the crossbar from point-blank range.
Then, Ljajic spurned an equally-great opportunity, dragging a shot across the face of goal with only Gianluigi Buffon to beat after racing clear of Bonucci.
The pattern continued at the start of the second half.
Facundo Roncaglia drilled just wide from outside the box after beating two players on a mazy run, and Jovetic guided a good header off target after connecting with Juan Cuadrado's cross.
The tempo of the match slowed down markedly after that, as Juve seemed content to defend deep in their own half, without providing any penetration in attack.
Fiorentina, though, continued to look the better side, and Cuadrado went close in the 73rd minute when his low effort from the edge of the area flew the wrong side of the post.
The Colombian then created an even better chance for Pasqual minutes later with a great cross into the area, but the full-back was unable to make the most of it and headed wide.
Fiorentina continued to push forward in the closing stages of the game, but were unable to create any more meaningful chances as Juve held on to claim a point that they scarcely deserved.
Chiellini: We want to start a winning era at Juventus
The defender is keen to establish a period of Bianconeri dominance in Italian football, whilst revealing that the squad remain fully in support of suspended coach Antonio Conte
Inter must send out a signal against Chievo - Stramaccioni
The Nerazzurri boss is hopeful that his team can improve their form after an inconsistent start, but is expecting a tough test against Domenico Di Carlo's outfit
Verratti does not regret joining PSG ahead of Juventus
The Italy international is enjoying life at the Ligue 1 powerhouse, and is not thinking about how a move to the Turin giants could have panned out
El Shaarawy: AC Milan confident things will improve
The Italy international has little doubt that the 2011 Scudetto winners will get back on track in the not too distant future
Prandelli: It's scandalous that Verratti plays abroad
The successful trainer believes Italian sides let a huge opportunity pass this summer, while adding that AC Milan and Inter need more time to rebuild their squad
Lazio & Napoli can challenge Juventus for Scudetto, says Reja
The 66-year-old trainer believes that his two former clubs are the reigning champions' biggest rivals in the race for the Serie A title
There's no shame in drawing, says Buffon after Juventus' draw with Fiorentina
The Bianconeri No.1 admits his side looked tired after playing at the weekend, but spoke positively about picking up a hard-earned point against a strong Viola outfit
Sep 25, 2012 10:20:00 PM
By Simon Harrison
Gianluigi Buffon remains upbeat despite Juventus playing out a goalless draw with Fiorentinaon Tuesday and their failure to create any real chances in the process.
The 34-year-old was also quick to praise the Viola, who had the best chance of the game when the goalkeeper saw a Stevan Jovetic effort cannon off his crossbar.
"We were tired tonight, just as our opponents may well have been, considering they also played on Saturday. They did well," conceded Buffon after the match.
"You can tell Fiorentina have a great coach and a tactical system they believe in. There's no shame in drawing a game like this.
"We suffered, but they only had three or four dangerous scoring opportunities. The fact we kept a clean sheet means this is a point well earned."
In the build-up to the fixture, it was speculated that suspended coach Antonio Conte would be exposed to Tuscan supporters in the stands of the Artemio Franchi, but Buffon praised the atmosphere in the stadium.
"The public in Florence responded well to the situation, as did ours. There were no incidents and the rivalry was maintained on an acceptable level."
Meanwhile, Juventus interim boss Massimo Carrera admitted Fiorentina deserved all the plaudits following their attempts in stifling the attacking potential of his side.
“It isn’t always necessary to crush your opponents, as at times you also have to be good at containing them," the former defender argued.
"Fiorentina deserve a lot of credit, as they ran hard for 90 minutes and played very well. We were unable to do what we wanted to.
"We knew Fiorentina would put in the performance of a lifetime, so it was a show of strength for us to keep them quiet and maintain the clean sheet.
"We had to block David Pizarro, although we didn’t manage it that often."
After gifting Roma a victory on Sunday, the supremo has chosen to take a break from his role due to the belief that he has disappointed everyone connected to the Sardinians
Sep 25, 2012 7:10:00 PM
By Simon Harrison
Cagliari president Massimo Cellino has voluntarily suspended himself after inviting fans to a match which had been ordered to be played behind closed doors.
Due to security concerns over the potential arrival of supporters, authorities cancelled the Serie A fixture which was due to be played at the newly-built Is Arenas, resulting in intended opponents Roma gaining all three points without having to set foot on the pitch.
"It was considered necessary out of a sense of duty to the club, the city, the fans and the sporting authorities, especially as it will allow the president to freely defend himself in all courts." explained Cellino in a statement released on the club's website.
Cellino's error has extended Cagliari's search for their first league win of the season to four games, having already accumulated a defeat and two draws prior to the weekend.
"Cellino believes the time has come to proceed towards a definitive and constructive clarification of his position, without it affecting Cagliari Calcio," it continued.
"He will return from America to Italy so that he can protect his interests when faced with decisions that were made with scant knowledge of the enormous and shocking problems experienced over the last few months.
"There have been clear misunderstandings and a lack of sensibility shown towards the efforts Cagliari Calcio have made, directly and without support, to guarantee football at the highest level in Sardinia."
Serie A wrap: Milan notch second win, Napoli beat Lazio
27 September 2012
Stephan El Shaarawy scored twice as AC Milan claimed their second win of the Serie A season, beating Cagliari 2-0 on Wednesday.
The 19-year-old Italian striker produced two fine goals as Milan moved up to 10th on the league table, picking up their first victory since September 2.
Milan took the lead in the 16th minute when El Shaarawy played a neat one-two with Ricardo Montolivo, the latter's pass splitting three Cagliari defenders for his team-mate to score.
El Shaarawy finished the game off in the 82nd minute, drifting away from his marker to find space at the top of the box and then taking Massimo Ambrosini's pass to burst into the penalty area and slot the ball past Michael Agazzi in the Cagliari goal.
Elsewhere, second-placed Napoli hosted third-placed Lazio and sent the local fans home happy after a 3-0 victory.
Edinson Cavani scored a hat-trick for Napoli and then missed an opportunity from the penalty spot to score his fourth goal but still received a standing ovation at the final whistle.
Napoli have moved to 13 points and are level with Juventus at the top of Serie A's table.
The two teams have the same goal difference (+9), goals scored (11) and goals against (2).
Lazio dropped to fifth after Sampdoria drew 1-1 with Roma to take third position and Inter Milan won 2-0 away to Chievo to move up to fourth.
In other Serie A results, Pescara defeated Palermo 1-0 to pick up their first win in Serie A since 1993, while Catania overcame Atalanta 2-1, Genoa drew 1-1 with Parma and Torino played out a goalless draw with Udinese.
Klose handball confession draws praise from Fifa boss Blatter
The football supremo lauded the striker’s honesty, after the German informed the referee that his strike should not stand during the match with the Partenopei on Wednesday night
Juventus & Italy are in trouble without Pirlo, says Ancelotti
The experienced coach has little doubt that the former Milan star still has a major role to play at both club and international level
Abbiati: There's more to come from El Shaarawy
The experienced goalkeeper believes his young team-mate has a bright future ahead of him, while Mattia De Sciglio is determined to give his all to succeed
Egyptian magic: El Shaarawy provides AC Milan a ray of hope to end 'San Zero' hoodoo
After the loss of a whole host of experienced players, it is the Rossoneri's bright young protege that is maturing fastest, and his double against Cagliari earned a crucial win
Zanetti: Inter answered critics on the pitch
The Nerazzurri skipper was very satisfied with his side's performance, and believes they are on the right path after an inconsistent start to the season
Only the result mattered against Cagliari, says Galliani following AC Milan win
The Rossoneri vice-president was relieved that his side picked up the three points and is convinced that Massimiliano Allegri's squad can push on to revive their Scudetto bid
Stramaccioni lauds Cassano performance in Chievo victory
The rookie trainer was pleased with the response of his side after their shock loss at the weekend, and believes his summer recruit is shaping up to be a shrewd piece of business
El Shaarawy dedicates AC Milan's win over Cagliari to Allegri
The 19-year-old was the goalscoring hero in his side's victory over Cagliari on Wednesday, and gave his coach a vote of confidence following their recent poor form
Causio: Pirlo needs rest to recapture magic
The World Cup winner believes that the midfield star could profit from some tactical adjustments in his game, after a fatigued start to the season
Pogba: I want to become the world's best player at Juventus
The French midfielder was impressive on his full debut for Massimo Carrera's side against Chievo and is now ready to start pressing his claims on the global stage
Giovinco will return to his brilliant best, says agent
The Juventus forward has received criticism for a recent barren spell in front of goal, but his representative is confident it will not be long before he is back on the scoresheet
My dream is to manage Inter, says Serbia coach Sinisa Mihajlovic
The 43-year-old was a firm favourite in his two years at the club and he has refused to rule out a return to the Nerazzurri at some point in the future
Pirlo should retire from international football, says Boban
The former Croatia international has advised the Juve playmaker to hang-up his boots for the national side, while he does not think Stevan Jovetic is a world-class player
Allegri one of the best four coaches ever at AC Milan, says Tassotti
The former Italy international remains in full support of the Rossoneri coach, and believes there have not been many better men in charge of the San Siro side
Sneijder & Cassano are compatible, insists Stramaccioni
The young trainer is confident that the Dutchman can feature alongside the former AC Milan star, and has hinted at switching to a three-man defence
Jovetic had agreed to join Juventus, claims Marotta
The Turin giants' general director has stated that the attacker was ready to join the Serie A champions in the summer transfer window
Zeman: I'm not surprised by Almeyda's doping revelations
The Giallorossi boss angered Juventus in the 90s after making similar accusations, and now insists the problem could have been resolved had people listened to him
By Joe Wright
Sep 27, 2012 4:00:00 PM
Roma coach Zdenek Zeman has stated he is not surprised to hear of the latest doping revelations to have emerged from Serie A.
The Czech Republic trainer accused champions Juventus of drugs offences during the 90s, an allegation that has caused resentment between the two parties ever since.
Now former Inter midfielder Matias Almeyda has released an autobiography highlighting the extent of the problem during his playing career in Italy, and Zeman has stated that the latest news does not surprise him.
“Years ago I said there was doping in football,” he told TV programme Serie A. “I have not read Almeyda's autobiography, but I'm not surprised. Now players are saying what I said. If they had done so before, the problem would have been eliminated long ago."
Zeman will take his Roma charges to Turin to face Juventus this weekend, and is unlikely to receive a warm reception due to the lingering bitterness the Bianconeri faithful hold for him.
The 65-year-old has played down the potentially hostile encounter, indicating that the opposition supporters should direct their anger towards other parties.
“There are rumours, but I hope it is merely a game of football," he said. "If Juve fans are angry with me, they should be angry with the prosecutors, the courts, and so many other people.”
A deflected shot from Emanuele Calaio has earned Siena their second victory of the Serie A season as they overcame Bologna 1-0 on Thursday.
After a goalless first half in Siena, the home side took the lead in the 61st minute when Calaio unleashed a left-footed shot that deflected off a Bologna defender, bypassing the visitors' goalkeeper Federico Agliardi to hit the back of the net.
Bologna dominated Thursday's game with 59 percent possession and 14 shots to eight but Siena's Gianluca Pegolo made seven saves, including three after his team took the lead, to keep a clean sheet and earn the win.
Siena now have two wins and two draws from five matches but remain in the relegation zone due to a six-point penalty they received for their involvement in Italy's match-fixing scandal.
That leaves Siena on two points and in 18th position, while Bologna are 15th on four points.
Serie A preview: Sampdoria set for Napoli challenge
28 September 2012
Midfielder Gianni Munari has claimed Sampdoria are 'a team full of character' ahead of their blockbuster Serie A clash against Napoli.
Sampdoria, who were promoted to Italy's top tier through the playoffs after one season in Serie B, have started their new campaign in great form with three straight victories before consecutive 1-1 draws against Torino and Roma.
The Genoa-based club sit third in the league standings and take on equal first-placed Napoli on Sunday in what will be arguably the match of the round; and Munari believes Sampdoria have shown they can continue their early form throughout the season.
"We are a team full of character," Munari said.
"I'm looking forward to this year."
Sampdoria trail Napoli by three points, which includes a one-point penalty to the former due to their involvement in the Italian match-fixing scandal.
Napoli will provide a very tough challenge to Sampdoria with Walter Mazzarri's having scored 10 goals in their past four games to sit equal-top of Serie A alongside reigning champions Juventus with the two teams level on points, goal difference, goals scored and goals against.
But Mazzarri remains keen to play down expectations in Naples.
"We are only five games into the season and the road is long," Mazzarri said after Napoli's 3-0 win over Lazio on Wednesday.
"We have had a great victory and are looking at Sampdoria because it will be a tough game."
In the other big match of the round, Juventus host Roma with the visitors' coach Zdenek Zeman set to face a hostile reception.
The 65-year-old Czech claimed during his first spell in charge of Roma 14 years ago that Juventus were using performance-enhancing drugs and has also criticised the reigning champions this season, in relation to the ban on their coach Antonio Conte for match-fixing.
Roma are eighth in Serie A and are certain to maintain Zeman's attacking philosophy despite the tough trip to Turin on Saturday, while AC Milan will travel to Parma for the other early game of the round.
The late game on Sunday pits Inter Milan against Fiorentina, while Lazio host Siena and Udinese take on Genoa.
In other Serie A matches, Atalanta host Torino, Bologna face Catania, Cagliari will play Pescara and Palermo are up against Chievo.
The Nerazzurri patron has declared that he will not be splashing the cash in the next transfer window, as his club plans to focus on its new youth policy
Sep 27, 2012 11:40:00 PM
By Frank Tigani
Massimo Moratti says Inter will not be making any major purchases in January, as the club's new vision advocates sound financial management and the development of youth.
The Nerazzurri have made an inconsistent start to the Serie A season, winning all of their away games but failing to pick up points at home, and unlike in previous years, the supremo will not be sanctioning any significant buys midway through the campaign.
"Inter will continue with the model that is based on sound management and the development of youth," Moratti told reporters following a meeting with the board.
“There can be slight improvements, but a club has to pay attention to finances and balancing the books for both the Financial Fair Play rules and the sake of responsibility.
“I think we have something important growing in this squad and a youth academy that continues to bring us quality players. It is a policy that contrasts greatly of the Inter in years gone by, when major signings were made frequently.
"Should we all forget the type of investment we once made on Christian Vieri? Absolutely yes. At that time we got it all wrong."
Moratti then discussed tactics and offered support to coach Andrea Stramaccioni, who switched to a 3-5-2 formation against Chievo on Wednesday with immediate results, as Inter recorded a 2-0 victory. “The important thing is that there is enthusiasm within the squad. We are only here to supportthem,” he continued.
“Any combination of players is fine as long as the mechanism works. What’s really important is that [the tactics] work for the team and the coach, as it can give them a sense of certainty during games. “It’s not that only one tactic exists and the others are failures. It all depends on the players you have at that moment. Right now, it is useful to use a three-man defence."
The oil-magnate was then asked about Antonio Cassano, who arrived from AC Milan in the summer and got back on the scoring trail against the Flying Donkeys, and he had nothing but praise for the Italy international.
“[Antonio] Cassano is bringing a great deal to the table, not just on the field but also in terms of his relationship with the coach and his team-mates. When I say he is wise now, he is certainly proving me right.”
Inter are due to host Fiorentina in the next match, and while his side have not won at home this season, Moratti is confident his team will put on a good show, though he admitted it will be a tough game.
“In my view, they [Fiorentina] are the best team I’ve seen play so far this season. They put in a great performance against Juventus and it’s going to be very difficult, but we’ll make it hard for them too," he concluded.
