Serie A Season 2011/2012

[Alessandro Matri]

Saturday 17th December 2011

"Hamsik, Cavani staying at Napoli"

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has revealed that star duo Marek Hamsik and Edinson Cavani have penned new deals with the club.

Hamsik is currently regarded as one of the best playmakers in Europe, and has regularly linked with a big-money move, with Manchester City reportedly leading the way in the chase for his services.

City are also rumoured to be interested in Cavani, who scored 33 goals in 47 matches for Napoli last season, and only made his move from Palermo permanent in the summer.

However, according to De Laurentiis, both players have committed their futures to the club.

"Will Hamsik leave Napoli? He has already signed a renewal and will remain with us, as well as Cavani who is going through a great moment in Italy," De Laurentiis told Studio Sport XXL.

De Laurentiis also paid tribute to coach Walter Mazzarri, who has transformed Napoli from a mid-table side to one challenging for top honours not just in Italy, but Europe as well.

"Mazzarri is a great professional who offers something completely different from other football coaches," De Laurentiis added.

"I have a wonderful relationship with him."

Napoli are next in action on Sunday when they play hosts to Roma.
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[Alessandro Matri]

Enrique confident for Napoli clash

18 December 2011

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Roma manager Luis Enrique has insisted his side have what it takes to beat high-flying Napoli on Sunday.Enrique's men sit in 10th place in the Serie A table and are without a win in their last three games.

The Roma boss also insisted that talisman Francesco Totti is happy at the club, despite the striker being linked with a move away from Roma."We're talking about two very different teams. Napoli is an excellent team, they play top level, both in Champions League and in Serie A, last season and this season, as their position on the table proves," he said.

"They counterattack very well and have an excellent attack. I think they'll be there waiting for us to make mistakes and counterattack.""I talked to him (Totti) during the week and he is performing well at every training session, he is happy and motivated, I didn't notice anything different in his behaviour."

Napoli manager Walter Mazzarri is expected to name a full-strength side for the affair, as they look to bounce back from their under-par 1-1 draw at Novara.Mazzarri fielded a second-string side last week, and is therefore likely to put his best XI forward for the blockbuster match.

"I don't know why I should make other choices, it's the only week they (his rested stars for the Novara clash) had free in a month and a half, and everyone has rested and is ready to play. If I see my team playing as I like them to play I'll be happy, but, I repeat, I also hope we can get a good result and good points," Mazzarri said, in regards to his selection policy.

"I know (Ezequiel) Lavezzi is very committed this season and he wants to play well, I hope he won't be yellow-carded tomorrow, because we have to go to Genoa three days later and we need him. If it happens, I don't always see the negative side in things, it happens and we will play again on Wednesday. He won't have any advantages in leaving sooner."

 

[Alessandro Matri]

Vargas: I'm going to Napoli, not Chelsea

Chile striker Eduardo Vargas has announced he will join Napoli when the transfer window reopens.

The 22-year-old Universidad de Chile star, who had been heavily linked with Chelsea, will reportedly move to Italy for a fee of £11.5million next month and will link up with fellow South American forwards Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi.

"Yes I will be joining Napoli, a large team in Italy," Vargas told Radio Cooperativa.

"I'm sure I'll do very well there. I know Cavani and Lavezzi.

"I am very happy that everything was tied up quickly, and for me to play in Italy is a dream come true."

Universidad shareholder Carlos Heller also confirmed the news to the Chilean press.

"It was very late last night when an agreement was made, but we are proud to reach it with the former club of Diego Maradona in Italy," he said.

"Eduardo joins a team with a great trophy cabinet. For him and the national team, it is outstanding."

Vargas this year became one of the hottest properties in South American football, where he helped Universidad win their first ever Copa Sudamericana, netting three times in the two-leg final to top the competition scoring charts on 11 goals.
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[Arturo Vidal]

Serie A wrap: Juve return to summit, Inter revival continues

19 December 2011

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Juventus returned to the top of the Serie A with a comfortable 2-0 win over strugglers Novara at Juventus Stadium on Sunday.Simone Pepe gave the Turin club breathing space four minutes in before Fabio Quagliarella wrapped up the scoring in the second half with a fine header from Andrea Pirlo's corner.

Meanwhile, Andrea Ranoccia's 63rd-minute header secured Inter Milan their third straight win in Serie A, this time a 1-0 result against a miserly Cesena at Stadio Dino Manuzzi.Ranoccia converted Maicon's cross after the home side had gone close firstly through Eder and later Luca Ceccarelli.

Inter's third straight win lifts them to fifth on the table, but still 10 points behind league leaders Juventus.Title challengers Lazio and Udinese played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at Stadio Olimpico.Edy Reja's men conceded the opener at home when striker Antonio Floro Flores headed in the opener, but the hosts were ahead after netting on either side of half-time.

Bosnia and Herzegovina international Senad Lulic struck a low shot past Slovenian shot-stopper Samir Handanovic, before Germany striker Miroslav Klose volleyed home his eighth league goal after the restart.But Francesco Guidolin's side, who sit a spot above Lazio in third, ensured they took away a point when Antonio di Natale set up Giampiero Pinzi for a 74th-minute equaliser.

Roma climbed into seventh after a surprise 3-1 away win against Napoli at Stadio San Paolo.Goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis handed Roma the dream start when he fumbled a cross into his own net on three minutes, before Pablo Osvaldo doubled their lead against the run of play, turning in a Francesco Totti pass on the hour-mark.

Slovakia attacker Marek Hamsik gave the hosts a lifeline when he pulled one back with a good finish from an angle, but Brazilian Fabio Simplicio's deflected effort in stoppage time guaranteed Roma the points.

Lucas Pratto made up for Genoa's frustrating loss to Inter in midweek with the winner in a 2-1 victory against Bologna.Pratto scored his first goal in Serie A five minutes from time, latching on to Andrea Caracciolo's pass to fire low into the bottom corner.

Marco Rossi had put the home side in front moments before the break, but saw his goal cancelled out by Gaston Ramirez's leveller 10 minutes after the interval.Parma clawed their way back for a thrilling 3-3 draw with two late goals against Lecce.Daniele Gallopa's goal four minutes into extra time broke Lecce hearts after Graziano Pelle had pulled it back to 3-2 for the home side in the 86th minute.

Earlier, Sergio Floccari gave Parma a first-half lead with a penalty only to see Lecce go 3-1 up through a David di Michele double and a Juan Cuadrado strike.Catania eased past Palermo 2-0 at home thanks to goals from Francesco Lodi and Maxi Lopez to end a four-game winless drought.

 

[Arturo Vidal]

Mazzarri mystified by disallowed goal

19 December 2011

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Napoli boss Walter Mazzarri felt his side had a goal incorrectly disallowed during Sunday's surprise 3-1 defeat at home to Roma.

Napoli were trailing to an own goal from goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis when Edinson Cavani netted early in the second half.However, referee Domenico Celi had already blown for an alleged foul by Christian Maggio in the build-up, leaving Mazzarri infuriated.

"I did not understand why that goal by Cavani was disallowed," Mazzarri told Mediaset. "It would have been 1-1.""(But) we will close the referee debate. I hope the next game such episodes will go more favourably for us."

Celi's ruling proved key as Roma went 2-0 up soon after through Pablo Osvaldo and even though Napoli gave themselves a lifeline on 81 minutes when Marek Hamsik struck, Roma secured the win with a late goal from Fabio Simplicio.

The hosts had been expected to prevail over a side which has struggled for confidence and consistency in recent weeks, but Mazzarri insisted he had always expected a tough game from Luis Enrique's troops.

"Roma are a good team," he said. "We knew the dangers of this game. (But) I have nothing to admonish my Napoli over.""I'm pleased by the performance of my boys. We accept the defeat. In football, you win and you lose."

The loss will only add weight to the argument that Champions League participants Napoli are currently ill-equipped to compete on two fronts and therefore must strengthen during the January transfer window.However, Mazzarri insists that he will not be pressured into making any moves in the transfer window next month.

"January? I'm not even thinking about it," he said. "I am still only running over tonight's games.""The result does not reflect how the game went. (But) Roma has a very strong squad. (Erik) Lamela is destined to become a champion."

Napoli's defeat means that they remain sixth on the Serie A table, with a resurgent Inter having moved above them with a narrow win over Cesena.

 

[Arturo Vidal]

Finishing must improve, says Conte

19 December 2011

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Juventus may have won 2-0 at Novara on Sunday, but coach Antonio Conte his side's finishing can still improve.

Juve created numerous chances to double their lead after Simone Pepe's early opener, but they failed to make it 2-0 until Fabio Quagliarella found the net in the 75th minute to put the game to bed.

"During the week we work a lot on this aspect of the game (finishing). In the next games we'll look to convert more of our chances, also to avoid giving me heart problems," Conte said.

"However, I prefer to have this problem rather than others. I’m happy at how the team creates chances." "We'll enjoy today’s victory and tomorrow (Monday) we'll turn our attention to the game against Udinese.

"We want to end 2011 in a positive way and exceed expectations."Juventus top the Serie A table at the moment with 33 points from 15 games.

 

[E.Lavezzi]

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Match fixing probe rocks Italian football
Former Atalanta captain Cristiano Doni and 16 other people have been arrested in another match-fixing probe in Italy.

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Palermo sack Devis Mangia
Palermo sacked coach Devis Mangia on Monday after less than four months in charge.

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"PSG will not steal Tevez from Milan"
Paris St Germain have announced they will not interfere with AC Milan's plans to sign Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez in January.

"I don't understand disallowed goal"
Napoli tactician Walter Mazzarri was left seething after his side was denied an apparently legitimate goal by the referee which culminated in his side’s 3-1 home reverse to Roma.

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Zanetti: Table looks much better now
nter Milan warhorse Javier Zanetti has urged his side to continue their steady rise up the Serie A standings after their hard-fought 1-0 away victory at Cesena on Sunday.

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Conte calls for ruthless Juventus

Juventus coach Antonio Conte has warned his team they need to improve on their finishing if they want to end the season as Serie A champions.​

 

[E.Lavezzi]

Mutti takes reins at Palermo

20 December 2011

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Bortolo Mutti is the new coach of Palermo.

The 57-year-old Italian succeeds Devis Mangia, who was fired in the wake of Sunday’s 2-0 defeat by Sicilian rivals Catania.

The appointment of Mutti, who has been out of work since being sacked by Bari following their relegation from Serie A last season, was confirmed on Palermo's official website on Monday.

Mutti, who will be officially presented to the media on Tuesday, will be the 21st man to take charge of Palermo since Maurizio Zamparini assumed control of the club in 2002.

 

[E.Lavezzi]

Napoli´s Lavezzi to miss a month

20 December 2011

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Napoli have been rocked by the news that forward Ezequiel Lavezzi has been ruled out of action for a month through injury.

The Argentine suffered a thigh strain during Sunday's 3-1 Serie A loss to Roma at the San Paolo and confirmed on his Twitter account on Monday that he is facing a spell on the sidelines.

"Hello, I wanted to tell you that I have a pull, the healing time is four weeks, greetings," Lavezzi wrote.

The player will not only miss Wednesday's Serie A clash with Genoa, he will also most likely be unavailable for next month's league fixtures against Palermo, Bologna and Siena, as well as the Coppa Italia meeting with Cesena.

Lavezzi, who has been capped 16 times by Argentina, is a key component of Napoli's three-pronged attack and has scored three times in 14 Serie A appearances so far this season.

 

[E.Lavezzi]

Monday 19th December 2011

Match fixing probe rocks Italian football

Former Atalanta captain Cristiano Doni and 16 other people have been arrested in another match-fixing probe in Italy.

An inquiry carried out by Cremona prosecutors has uncovered a network linked with criminal organisations in Singapore, police announced on Monday.

Investigators are reportedly focusing on a number of Serie B games from the past two campaigns which could have been fixed.

As well as Doni, former Italy international Luigi Sartor, former player Alessandro Zamperini, Piacenza's Carlo Gervasoni and Spezia's Filippo Carobbio have been arrested.

Reports in Italy claim that three Serie A matches from last season are being reviewed as well.

"This is not the end - just a starting point," Cremona prosecutor Roberto Di Martino told reporters at a press conference.

"Let's hope it's a starting point in cleaning up the beautiful game that is football."

This is the second betting investigation in Italian football this year.

In June, numerous players and clubs were punished with bans and points deductions as a result of those findings.

Atalanta began the Serie A campaign with a six-point penalty in connection to the June probe.

Doni, 38, was banned from the game for three and a half years this summer.
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[E.Lavezzi]

Updated: December 19, 2011, 9:15 AM ET

Match-fixing arrests reach 17 in Italy

Associated Press

CREMONA, Italy -- Former Atalanta captain Cristiano Doni and 16 other people have been arrested across Italy in an ongoing investigation into soccer match-fixing and illegal betting.

The inquiry is focused on several matches in Serie B over the past two seasons, with Atalanta involved in three matches. Three Serie A matches from last season are also under investigation: Brescia vs. Bari, Brescia vs. Lecce and Napoli vs. Sampdoria.

"This is not the end, but just a starting point," Cremona prosecutor Roberto Di Martino said Monday. "Let's hope it's a starting point in cleaning up the beautiful game that is football. One of the suspects has admitted that these operations have been going on for over 10 years.

"At the top of the organization are men from Singapore, who are those who move the money, but the shareholders are divided from the West, to the Far East, to South America and they manage with their men how to change the outcome of football matches."

Others arrested include former Inter Milan and Roma player Luigi Sartor, former Serie B player Alessandro Zamperini and active players Carlo Gervasoni of Piacenza and Filippo Carobbio of Spezia.

Charges include criminal association and sporting fraud, while Doni has been arrested on suspicion of attempting to destroy evidence. "There were several elements that would have risked ruining the evidence and that lead to the need for custodial measures," Di Martino said.

As recently as last month a Gubbio player was approached and offered $260,300 to affect the outcome of a Cup match between Cesena and Gubbio on Nov. 30. The player refused and reported the incident to the police.

In June, 16 people were arrested as part of the inquiry, which is being led by prosecutors in Cremona, and Doni was then placed under investigation.

In August, Doni was banned from soccer for 3½ years by the Italian federation's disciplinary committee and Atalanta -- which was promoted to Serie A for this season -- was given a six-point penalty.

Doni has maintained that he is innocent.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

 

[E.Lavezzi]

Serie A preview: Udinese, Juve in heavyweight battle

19 December 2011

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Table-toppers Juventus travel to Udinese in the pick of the mid-week matches in Serie A.Siena host Fiorentina while Milan travel to Cagliari on Tuesday, but the focus is all on Juve's clash with the third-placed Udinese on Wednesday.

Both sides have excelled this season and will enter the match on the back of lengthy unbeaten runs.Juve are unbeaten in 17 matches in all competitions, with their last defeat coming at Parma in May, while Udinese have avoided defeat for six matches in succession.

The key behind the success for both teams has been their impressive defensive records, with Udinese possessing the best defence in the league that has conceded just nine goals in 15 matches.Juventus are next best, having shipped just 11 strikes, while they have scored on 27 occasions this season which sees them only second behind Milan.

Antonio Conte's side will have happy memories of their last visit to the Stadio Friuli - at which they won 4-0 - but in the two clashes before that it was Udinese who were victorious.Udinese forward Antonio di Natale is enjoying another successful season with 10 league goals this campaign, while much of Juventus' success has come thanks to the midfield trio of Claudio Marchisio, Simone Pepe and Arturo Vidal who have scored 13 times between them this campaign.

With Juve two points ahead of Milan and Udinese, a loss could see Conte's men replaced by a new side at the top of the table.And Milan will be hoping that is them, as they travel to Cagliari side who has won just one of their past five matches.Milan have been free scoring this season, averaging more than two goals a game, but they may face a sterner test against a Cagliari side who have - statistically - the fourth-best defence in the competition.

Siena's battle with Fiorentina pits two sides in the bottom six against each other, while on Wednesday, fourth-placed Lazio entertain Chievo and Inter host cellar-dwellers Lecce.Napoli will be tested despite hosting Genoa, the under-performing Roma are at Bologna and Catania travel to Parma.Atalanta will tackle Cesena and Novara are set to battle with Palermo in other fixtures.

 

[Zlatan Ibrahimovic]

Tuesday 20th December 2011

Nedved: Marchisio will be one of the best

Juventus legend Pavel Nedved believes Claudio Marchisio has what it takes to become one of the best midfielders in the world.

Marchisio has starred for the Bianconeri so far this season, helping them to the top of Serie A, where they currently lead AC Milan and Udinese by two points.

Despite being linked with a move away from the club earlier this year, Marchisio has established himself as an integral part of coach Antonio Conte's side, and has already netted six goals in 14 Serie A matches this season.

And Nedved, who played for Juventus from 2001 to 2009, believes it is only a matter of time before Marchisio is regarded as one of the best in the world.

"I'm sure Marchisio will soon be regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world," Nedved told UEFA.com. "He is already close to the best, he just needs a bit more experience."

Nonetheless, Marchisio insists he is not ready to rest on his laurels just yet, and is actively looking to improve all the time.

"The more good things I hear about myself, the harder I feel I have to work in training," Marchisio said. "We are all eager to bounce back after a difficult season and we must be proud of what we are doing.

"We worked very hard in the summer and now the team are responding well to any kind of pressure. "We all want to get Juve back into European competition."

Despite reaching the Champions League final seven times, Juventus have only two European Cup titles to their name, with their last victory coming in 1996.
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[Zlatan Ibrahimovic]

Lopez set for Catania exit

20 December 2011

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Catania are "90 per cent sure" that striker Maxi Lopez will leave the club in the January transfer window.

The Sicilians' sporting director Pietro Lo Monaco confirmed the strong rumours in an interview with an Italian radio station on Tuesday.

The Argentine striker is continually being linked with a move to AC Milan, while several other clubs are interested in signing the former Barcelona attacker as well, and Lo Monaco expects Lopez to move on in January.

"I'm 90 per cent sure he will leave," Lo Monaco said to Radio Rai."There is a general agreement in place with Milan, but we also have other offers. Giving a player to Milan would make us proud.""They have asked us for more time and two weeks have passed since we agreed terms."

"As a small side, we must consider everything that happens."Milan view the 27-year-old Lopez as the perfect alternative to Carlos Tevez should they fail to lure the Manchester City striker to San Siro.

 

[Zlatan Ibrahimovic]

Tuesday 20th December 2011

Gunners told to capture El Matador

Arsenal have been urged by one of their greatest players to splash the cash to sign Napoli striker Edinson Cavani.

Former striker Ian Wright, who is one of the Gunners' all-time leading goal scorers, insists manager Arsene Wenger must get a top class forward to join Robin van Persie in attack or risk seeing their season implode should the Dutchman get an injury. Wright wrote in his column for the Sun that the Gunners are shockingly short of quality up front with neither Andrey Arshavin or Marouane Chamakh looking capable.

He wrote: "First - and we have known this for ages - without a top-class attacker alongside Robin van Persie, Arsenal are only one injury away from everything blowing up in their faces.

"That's why I think Arsene must bid for Napoli striker Edinson Cavani - El Matador - if there is any chance of tempting him from Italy next month. "It will be more difficult now Napoli have reached the Champions League knockout stages, largely thanks to his performances in the group games.

"But plenty of other clubs around Europe haven't given up the ghost, and I'd love to see Arsene in the mix as well. "If, heaven forbid, anything did happen to RVP, you'd fear Arsenal would be stuffed. That's a ridiculous pressure to carry on your shoulders every week."

Wright believes Cavani is the type defenders hate playing against because of his hunger to score goals and excellent movement off the ball. "Andrey Arshavin seems to be somewhere else at the moment. This is the guy who got four at Liverpool, hit the winner against Barcelona, but just isn't doing the business," Wright said.

"When Marouane Chamakh comes off the bench you never really expect him to make the sort of impact you'd want. "And although Gervinho looks good dribbling and running at people, again there haven't been many goals to go with it.

That's not something you could say about Cavani, and it's no surprise that he has become one of the most wanted men in Europe." However, a deal for Cavani does appear to be distant after Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis ruled out accepting any bids for the player.

This could force Wenger to give youngster Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain an extended run in the first-team should Van Persie be sidelined.

Wright has no problems with that and predicts a bright future for Oxlade-Chamberlain, but he also would not mind seeing Cavani - the man who scored 33 goals in 47 matches for Napoli last season - in an Arsenal shirt in January.
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[Zlatan Ibrahimovic]

Mazzarri denies Napoli crisis

20 December 2011

Napoli boss Walter Mazzarri has hit out at suggestions his club are in crisis after a poor recent run in the Serie A.

After winning just one of their last seven league outings, Napoli have slipped to sixth on the table having looked like title contenders earlier in the campaign.But they have progressed to the round of 16 in the Champions League, setting up an encounter against English Premier League giants Chelsea.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday's league clash at home to Genoa, Mazzarri was unhappy with suggestions his club were in disarray."You cannot talk of a crisis after a draw and a defeat. First, there was a major victory in the Champions League over Villarreal and another in the league over Lecce.

Against Roma, as it is known to (their coach) Luis Enrique, we could also have won," he said on Tuesday."The game against Roma was particularly decided by bad luck. I cannot point the finger at my players for certain situations."

"Conceding such goals as we did against the Giallorossi (Roma) can happen, against certain champions. On other occasions we have done better. Now is a time when things are not going well."Mazzarri also rued several contentious refereeing decisions that had gone against his team, and he was hopeful they would even out by season's end.

"I do not want to talk about referees. However, when I talk about bad luck - that also involves their decisions, always made in good faith, which can affect the result," he said."Right now, the officials' decisions have counted against us, we hope we will be compensated by the end of the championship. At the moment it is running awry."

 

[Zlatan Ibrahimovic]

Serie A wrap: Milan ease past Cagliari, all square in Tuscany

21 December 2011

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AC Milan moved to top of the Serie A table after a hard-fought 2-0 win over Cagliari on Tuesday, while the Tuscan derby finished 0-0.A Francesco Pisano own goal and Zlatan Ibrahimovic strike either side of half-time at Stadio Sant'Elia was enough for Massimiliano Allegri's men to secure victory against his former club.

The result ensured Milan move a point clear on top of the Serie A table, though Juventus will reclaim their lead should they defeat third-placed Udinese on Wednesday.Thiago Ribeiro made a bright start for Cagliari, firing an angled drive against the base of Christian Abbiati’s right-hand post.But the lead soon belonged to Milan.

Ibrahimovic released Robinho with an intelligent through ball after four minutes, and the Brazilian rounded both goalkeeper Michael Agazzi and defender Michele Canini to flash a low ball across the face of goal.Pisano could only turn into his own net, under pressure of Antonio Nocerino.

The second goal seemed inevitable and Milan got it in the 61st minute. Ibrahimovic flicked the ball to Robinho, retrieved his strike partner's headed return, before nonchalantly lifted the ball over the advancing Agazzi to make it 2-0.

Siena and Fiorentina shared the spoils in a goalless Tuscan Derby that produced five yellow cards for either side.Siena came closest to breaking the deadlock when Emanuele Calaio hit the crossbar in the first half, while Gaetano D'Agostino's free-kick brought a fine save out of Fiorentina goalkeeper Artur Boruc.

Fiorentina boss Delio Rossi opted to leave Alberto Gilardino on the bench and it may have backfired, with visitors blunted in attack.

 

[Arturo Vidal]

Serie A wrap: Juve, Udinese in scoreless draw

22 December 2011

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Juventus reclaimed top spot in Serie A courtesy of a dour 0-0 draw with Udinese at the Stadio Friuli on Wednesday.

Udinese's only real first-half opening came from a mistake by Giorgio Chiellini, with the Juventus defender botching an attempted headed clearance to put Mauricio Isla in on goal.But Juve custodian Gianluigi Buffon was alive to the danger and made himself big to block Isla’s attempted lob.

The odd defensive lapse aside, Juve were relatively comfortable throughout and came desperately close to taking the lead on two occasions shortly before the interval.Claudio Marchisio curled a shot just wide from the edge of the area, before Chiellini drew a fine reaction save out of Samir Handanovic with his clever flick from Andrea Pirlo’s free kick.

Juve were forced to settle for a point which, while disappointing, did at least see them climb back above AC Milan and into top spot on account of their superior head-to-head record.Udinese, meanwhile, remain third and three points adrift of the co-leaders.

Elsewhere on Wednesday, Inter Milan had to come from a goal down but still managed to post a 4-1 win over bottom side Lecce.The visitors took an early lead at San Siro, but a flurry of second half goals from Giampaolo Pazzini, Diego Milito, Esteban Cambiasso and Ricky Alvarez cancelled out Luis Muriel's opener.

Napoli remain in sixth spot after their 6-1 thumping of Genoa at home.Four goals in the opening 45 minutes set Walter Mazzarri's men on their way to victory, with an Edinson Cavani brace and strikes from Walter Gargano, Marek Hamsik, Goran Pandev and Juan Zuniga powering them to an emphatic win.

Roma enjoyed a 2-0 win at Bologna after Rodrigo Taddei and Pablo Daniel Osvaldo found the net, as the home side finished the match with 10 men after defender Daniele Portanova was sent off.

Lazio could only manage a 0-0 draw at home against Chievo, while two goals from Guido Marilungo helped Atalanta to a 4-1 home victory over Cesena.

Novara and Palermo played out a 2-2 draw at the Stadio Comunale Silvio Piola, and Parma and Catania drew 3-3 in a thriller.

 

[Arturo Vidal]

Reports: Milan eye Torres loan

21 December 2011

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AC Milan is exploring the possibility of signing Chelsea striker Fernando Torres on a six-month loan according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Milan are keen to boost their attacking options in the second half of the season because of the lengthy absence of Antonio Cassano due to health problems, and they have earmarked unsettled Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez as the perfect candidate to strengthen their squad.

However, Milan is only interested in signing the Argentina international on loan, while City wants to offload Tevez permanently.As a result, the Serie A champions are looking at alternatives and have reportedly set their sights on Torres.

Milan are believed to be close to finalising a deal with Catania for striker Maxi Lopez, but club owner Silvio Berlusconi is eager to acquire a high-profile player, and would rather sign Torres instead.The Spain international has been unable to make an impact at Chelsea since joining the Blues from Liverpool in January 2010 for a fee of around 50 million pounds, and there has been plenty of speculation about his future in recent weeks.

It seems unlikely that Chelsea are open to farming the 27-year-old out on loan following recent comments from manager Andre Villas-Boas.The Portuguese boss stressed last week that he still has confidence in Torres and declared the striker not for sale at any price.

Elsewhere in Serie A, Milan's cross-town rivals inter are reportedly lining up a move for promising Universidad de Chile youngster Igor Lichnovsky.La Gazzetta dello Sport report Inter are desperate to add some reinforcements to their defence during the transfer window, and boss Claudio Ranieri reportedly sees the 17-year-old Lichnovsky as the perfect addition to their ageing squad.

Lichnovsky is a product of the Universidad de Chile youth academy and made his first-team debut earlier this year.The centre back is considered to be one of the brightest prospects in South America at present and has previously been linked with a move to Premier League giants Chelsea.

 

[Arturo Vidal]

Catania plan to fill Lopez shoes

21 December 2011

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Emiliano Alfaro's agent has revealed Catania have earmarked the striker as a potential replacement for Maxi Lopez.

Argentine hitman Lopez has signed a deal with AC Milan, but his move to the San Siro reportedly hinges on the outcome of the Italians champion's pursuit of Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez.

Regardless, Catania have already lined Liverpool de Montevideo striker Alfaro as the man to fill the likely void in their forward line, according to his agent Vincenzo D'Ippolito.

"There are a number of clubs following him (and) a couple of them are from Serie A," D'Ippolito told Goal.com.

"It's too early for me to reveal all of the different options but I can confirm that Catania are one of the clubs interested in the player."

"Catania would be taking Alfaro as a replacement for Maxi Lopez. The Uruguayan would arrive in Sicily if the Argentine departs."

Alfaro, who has been capped once by Uruguay, has scored 41 goals in 78 appearances during two separate spells with Liverpool de Montevideo.