Italian Serie A - 2020-2021

Atalanta's coach already highlighted a few weeks ago that they want to become 2nd as this would be historic for them. It also makes a financial difference, so I am confident that they will care. But obviously, they have the cup final during the week, so tiredness will play a role and, if they win, they might be hungover.
 
Atalanta's coach already highlighted a few weeks ago that they want to become 2nd as this would be historic for them. It also makes a financial difference, so I am confident that they will care. But obviously, they have the cup final during the week, so tiredness will play a role and, if they win, they might be hungover.
I wouldn’t be so sure about that. Atalanta just lost to Napoli at home, you know.
 
Pressure got to milan. They won't beat atalanta either

This is where Zlatan really is a difference maker for them, besides him they have no winning experience and personality...
 
If I was Atalanta's team, I would purposefully lose to Milan. Atalanta has already secured UCL spot, so there are no bad consequences to losing to Milan. Atalanta losing would take Juventus out of the UCL, it would be the ultimate middle finger to Agnelli, who said in the past that Atalanta didn't have enough glamour to deserve to be in UCL.
 
Agnelli's not been short of a word or three in last month....has any journalist actually gone up to him and ask him about the ultimate irony of Juventus relying on these unworthy super league clubs to get them in the CL or is it all no comment currently? :D
 
Serie A improved a lot in these last seasons: the league is faster, the teams want to score goals and there are actually some amazingly good talents in midtable teams that could easily go to a top team.
 
Serie A improved a lot in these last seasons: the league is faster, the teams want to score goals and there are actually some amazingly good talents in midtable teams that could easily go to a top team.
Really? :D I am italian,living in Italy and always watching Seria A... butI DO NOT have your same feelings, unfortunately...
by the way, which good talents in midtable clubs were you talking about? let me know!
 
Really? :D I am italian,living in Italy and always watching Seria A... butI DO NOT have your same feelings, unfortunately...
by the way, which good talents in midtable clubs were you talking about? let me know!

Talking as a neutral: italian league has some entretaining teams to watch besides the usual top4. I enjoyed watching teams like Atalanta and Sassuolo and I was very well impressed by how defensively well drilled Verona team was.

Excluding Sassuolo and Atalanta players, which are two teams who have clearly talent in their ranks, and from the top of my head I see players like Rodrigo de Paul and Juan Musso ready to jump up, Vlahovic seems to be a good quality center forward, Barak is a very composed midfield that can add some creativity upfront.

I even think Simy can make a good B plan for a top club who needs a powerful striker in the game to get a goal.
 
Serie A improved a lot in these last seasons: the league is faster, the teams want to score goals and there are actually some amazingly good talents in midtable teams that could easily go to a top team.
It definitely improved compared to 5 years ago(post calciopoli the level if the league fell off a cliff and it effectively took a decade to shake it off), sure, but it's been improving for years in that regard, it's not really faster, and the increase in goals is largely down to the closed doors effect(serie A being the one league where no fans meant teams opened up more and attacked more)

There are quality players in midtable teams, but that has always been the case, it's a top 4 league afterall
 
Coppa Italia final between Atalanta and Juve is on. Some weird background noises on, sounds almost like a crowd of drunk idiots shouting. Can't even understand the players talking on the pitch.
 
Coppa Italia final between Atalanta and Juve is on. Some weird background noises on, sounds almost like a crowd of drunk idiots shouting. Can't even understand the players talking on the pitch.
Why’s this game taking place in this wank stadium?
 
Entertaining half. Not sure juventus can keep this intensity the whole game, we'll see

Atalanta look better but juventus have better players. Ref...questionable on some stuff, inconsistent which is the worst thing

And are we sure that wasn't a penalty on pessina? :confused:
 
Entertaining half. Not sure juventus can keep this intensity the whole game, we'll see

Atalanta look better but juventus have better players. Ref...questionable on some stuff, inconsistent which is the worst thing

And are we sure that wasn't a penalty on pessina? :confused:
To me, Atalanta looked somewhat tentative in the first ~30 minutes of the first half. They not committing numbers forward, and they took their time in building up attacks. That left their attacking players isolated, especially Zapata vs. de Ligt, and Juve's players could disrupt Atalanta in the final third by closing them down quickly. Once Atalanta upped their tempo, Juve couldn't keep up.

I'm expecting Atalanta to take control in the second half and really test Juventus. I don't see why they'll continue to play conservatively.
 
malinovskyi has been very impressive recently, he seems to have found a much better balance between his passing and shooting. earlier he went too often for the early shot
 
malinovskyi has been very impressive recently, he seems to have found a much better balance between his passing and shooting. earlier he went too often for the early shot
Good for him, but bad for us fans. Guy got a nuke in his left leg, we want to see him shoot more! :drool:
 
Rabiot on that goal :lol:

Imagine him at Burnley or somewhere, would be asked to be subbed after 10 minutes.
 
Saw De Ligt got booked, is he out for final Serie A game?

Very harsh you can still get one game ban for just 5 yellows this late into the season.
 
I don't know why Atalanta got conservative again, but they've been punished for it with Chiesa's goal.
 
Atalanta look so dishevelled at the moment. They have 4 forwards on the pitch along with one attacking midfielder (Zapata, Muriel, Miranchuk, Ilicic, Pasalic). Ilicic is playing in the midfield, whilst Pasalic is playing at left wing back. They've struggled to control the midfield, and they've basically been trying to hoof the ball forward to Zapata at almost every opportunity.

Juve are able to win the ball more easily due to Atalanta's panicked approach, and Atalanta are getting even more frustrated, conceding more fouls and getting more cards along the way.

I don't get why Gasperini wouldn't keep one wing back on, at least. They're badly missing one right now.
 
Fun fact: Buffon has won the Coppa Italia with both Enrico (1999) and Federico Chiesa (2021).
 
I really want this Atalanta team to get some kind of trophy during this spell. But they just seem to lack that winning pedigree and consistency to get them over the line, hopefully next season.
 
Juve have had a horrendous season but now won the Italian cup and could still finish in top 4.
 
Juve have had a horrendous season but now won the Italian cup and could still finish in top 4.
After winning 9 in a row league titles I can imagine the minimum requirement for Pirlo as Juventus manager this season was finishing 4th at least and if not achieved he will be let go in the a simliar manner to LVG after he led United to the FA Cup.
 
Talking as a neutral: italian league has some entretaining teams to watch besides the usual top4. I enjoyed watching teams like Atalanta and Sassuolo and I was very well impressed by how defensively well drilled Verona team was.

Excluding Sassuolo and Atalanta players, which are two teams who have clearly talent in their ranks, and from the top of my head I see players like Rodrigo de Paul and Juan Musso ready to jump up, Vlahovic seems to be a good quality center forward, Barak is a very composed midfield that can add some creativity upfront.

I even think Simy can make a good B plan for a top club who needs a powerful striker in the game to get a goal.
Rodrigo De Paul could easily play in a better team. He has played for argentina seleccion for years, pure talent.
Vlahovic too, he should leave fiorentina. Maybe the best young player in the league.
I like Damsgaard from Sampdoria and the italian striker Scamacca in Genoa too.
 
Only just noticed Benevento got relegated. Shame as was looking forward to watching final day shoot out between them and Torino. Talking of which....

Hopeless Torino defence getting a 0-0 v Immobile, Correa, Luiz Alberto, SMS and all the incredibly difficult Lazio attackers....who saw that one coming eh. Never change Italian football. :lol: Inzaghi couldn't even be bothered to help out his brother ffs.